mot problem

[Donald360]

My lpg converted van has just failed its mot due to poor co emissions. I thought it might be the power valve set too rich so I tweaked it closed a half a turn. Took it back for a retest and it seems to be worse! Any ideas?

Cheers,
Donald.

[Ian Hulley]

My lpg converted van has just failed its mot due to poor co emissions. I thought it might be the power valve set too rich so I tweaked it closed a half a turn. Took it back for a retest and it seems to be worse! Any ideas?

Cheers,
Donald.

Yep, as you've been told before contact your installer .... if that doesn't work politely ask Steve Shaw for his advice. He's a good bloke and I've never heard of him not wanting to help those in need.

Ian.

[AngeloEvs]

What sort of mpg are you getting on gas Donald? There are three adjustments on a typical system and the setting up starts with the vaporiser diaphragm being adjusted first followed by the power valves and then tweaking between the two and finally the idle bleed which is extremely sensitive. Like Ian says, it's best to get it set up correctly as you can get into all sorts of difficulties trying to guess it. I watched them do mine and without the proper kit you ain't got much of a chance to get it right. Once its done it will be right for a long time and you will probably claw back the expense with improved economy.

[AngeloEvs]

....one other thing, if the mpg is poor on petrol too..check the air filter!

[fix]

Do vans that run on lpg aswell as petrol actually have to be tested on lpg?

Mines booked in for its mot on Friday and runs on lpg, i was just gonna leave it switched to petrol for the test.

[AngeloEvs]

well, if it set up properely should fly through an mot on lpg but I think you can choose which fuel to have the emssions tested on. When ever I have the MOT I drive it in on lpg and its only checked on lpg!

[Ian Hulley]

When ever I have the MOT I drive it in on lpg and its only checked on lpg!

^^^ Ditto, they are supposed to test it on what you are running on when you pull in.

Ian.

[Donald360]

In the past, I put it through the mot on lpg with no problems, so i'm not sure what has changed since last year. My problem is that the system is pretty old now and the installers are hundreds of miles to the south. The last time another lpg installer looked at the system, he suggested replacing it with one of his new systems! If I hook it up to a co gas analyser, I'm wondering if it is possible to set the mixture myself?

In the meantime I have swapped it over to petrol and will put it through another mot. I just have to replace a dodgy wheel bearing first.

Cheers for the suggestions and info.
Donald.

[Donald360]

Thought I'd update you on my mot woes

I phoned MSS Autogas, who originally fitted the system and was given some advice on how to set up the vaporizer. I had some help from a friend with a co analyser and we seemed, eventually, to get a reasonable setting. Took it back for to the test garage and they kindly checked just the emissions as I would have to have paid for a complete mot this time. It failed again! When we checked on our own co anylyser, the setting did seem to have changed. The chap from MSS told me that if we cannot get the system to adjust properly or if it keeps varying, then I should suspect that the large diaphragm at the back of the vaporizer may be to blame. So that will be my next area of investigation.

In the meantime I swapped over to petrol, checked the co levels and then took the van for another MOT. The first garage was fully booked up that week, so I took it to Motatest in Cupar as they do an MOT while you wait service. Guess what, failed again! But this time for something different. They seem to think that my rusty door steps are going to dangerously affect the front suspension mounts. When I argued the point with them that they have absolutely no structural significance, they just stated that they were within 30cm and therefore counted. I just think they hate any vehicle over 10 years old and make a point of failing them out of sheer bloody mindedness - but don't get me started!

Anyway, after I cooled down a bit, I got the steps patched up and will re-mot it today. I'll let you know how I get on with fitting a new diaphragm in due course.

Cheers,
Donald.

[AngeloEvs]

Can't win, miserable git for failing the van on door step. There was a thread on this some time back and I'm sure (but could be wrong) that most said that door step was not a failure point. Did they get as far as checking the emissions on petrol? If it was OK on petrol then re-MOT it on petrol and fix the LPG problem in your own time. Best of luck Donald.........keep me fingers crossed for you!

[fix]

Ive just mot'd my van, it failed but not on the door steps im sure theyre not an mot failure. The mot place is taking the micky.

[eric]

Personally, I prefer a finicky MOT tester, rather than a slap-dash organisation. Period.

My old bus is used in the main for transporting my grand-kids and my daughters to here, there and everywhere so it's imperative to me that every conceivable little thing is covered even to the extent of pedancy. My garage main man's terms of reference is simply .... `anything wrong, fix it Dear Henry, Dear henry, Dear Henry then fix it Dear Henry .... FIX IT!`

Eric.

[steve8090]

Steps are a failure, if you look at the front of them they are very close to the main chassis, so going back to the MOT manual any corrosion or hole within 300mm around a chassis, jacking point or seat belt mount is a failure, some check them some don't but to the letter of the law they are a failure.

[..lee..]

excessive corrosion within 30cm of a chassis is not nessesarily an mot fail. corrosion of the chassis is not nessesarily an mot fail.

if you have excessive corrosion within 30cm of a steering, suspension, brake or seat belt mounting and is acknowledged as being "supporting panneling to a load bearing member"then it should fail.


afaik front doorsteps on a t25 are not within 30 cm of any of the above.


http://www.motuk.co.uk/manual/contents.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

lots of grey areas and contradictions tipical of anythig goverment related.

lee.

[steve8090]

As you say many grey areas, however we use a VOSA station for our MOT's and they say its a failure, good enough for me and safe for my Customers once repaired.