emissions

[littlefeller]

a quick question concerning emissions, my z failed its mot on driverside ball joints, the failure notice shows this along with the number plate bulb and a couple of advisory's. the parts I need have arrived and the mot station says fit the lower arm and bring it back and you can have your mot. but after I noticed another piece of paper attached for the emissions which my z has failed, but the mot station hasn't mentioned this, all he says is repair the ball joint. is the emissions still an mot failure?

[t-tony]

IF the refusal notice does not mention the emissions as a failure,a) the tester has cocked up (it happens he is a human being) and b) only the items listed on tne refusal of an mot certificate will need to be re tested. So you will only NEED to replace the lower suspension arm (ie ball joint) and a registration plate light bulb just don't take the emission test result back with you to the test station. What were the failure results by the way?

[littlefeller]

the emissions fail were - co2 fast idle max limit is .300 actual value was 0.314 - fail
lambda max limit 1.030 actual value was 1.053 - fail
second fast idle co2 actual value 0.601 - fail
overall result - fail

ooops im thinking this has something to do with the camshaft position sensor as my impa reports a phasing error

[t-tony]

Is there a note on the emissions failue to indicate that the oil temperature was measured and if so what was the oil temp was,should be a minimum of 80 deg C.A LOT of testing stations only carry out a bet test and fail cars unfairly - by not doing a full cat test properly.Main culprits locally are the no pass no charge people !!

[littlefeller]

it says - engine oil temperature measurement was by-passed (temp gauge checked)
what ever that means.
oh yeh it should read co, not co2, my error.

[Del]

ooops im thinking this has something to do with the camshaft position sensor as my impa reports a phasing error

I would say highly likely to be the problem

[t-tony]

If they didn'tget the oil to the correct temperature the emission tester will not have entered any different parameters to the test criteria ie it may alter the level at which t.he car fails or passes. Most people who are NOT mot testers don't know about this and many who are ignore it because it is too much trouble to do the job properly! The cam sensor may well be at fault but if the car hasn't been tested correctly you might never know.

[littlefeller]

will findout if the tester remembers when I take the car back (10 working days) if I can ever get the bleeding ball joints out (the fork I have is too narrow, I may try stretching it to make it fit)

[t-tony]

Best way if you don't have a fork is to separate the ball joint at the wheel end,then slacken the 2 bolts which hold the rear mounting to the chassis rail. Loosen the nut on the ball joint which goes through the chassis past the nyloc section of the nut until it is "finger" tight and then apply some sharp hammer blows to the arm sideways just behind the outer ball joint and it should separate the inner ball joint. Then remove the nut and it will fall off. Well,that's the theory anyway. Shame you're not nearer I could've helped.All the best.

[littlefeller]

well what a game, the rear ball joint fell out by itself while I was bashing away at the front joint, front joint took blumin ages. with the arm off, the rubber bushing at the rear had almost disintegrated, so I will presume the other is the same (explains the tram lining). the middle piece just came away with a small tug, I had to cut through the outer ring to get it out of the carrier, but now I find my vice is too small to press the new bush in, so the bush carrier is sitting in the oven hopefully getting a little bigger ( note to myself, next time buy the whole bush with bracket already attached, or even better buy the polly upgrades).

[Del]

You have my sympathy. I changed mine just over a year ago and the "splitter fork" sold everywhere for £5 - £10 is too narrow for the outer balljoints at the hub. In the end I used a cold chisel by driving it just to the side of the shaft. I found it best to use one with a longer, gradual taper so that it applied good vertical forces on the balljoint. The fork was a bit stumpy and so was probably applying too much lateral force. The fork worked OK on the inner balljoints (through chasis) as their shaft seemed narrower and they just seemed easier to separate.

[t-tony]

The rear bush/mounting will come complete in the alloy housing and will just need pushing onto hype hexagonal end of the arm. Make sure you align the bracket correctly to bolt back onto the chassis.

[littlefeller]

errr no, I brought the bush separate (tight fisted) well what a game, done now but the replacement rubber will need doing again as I damaged it, polly bushes I think next time. real pain bit was getting the rubber into the housing, then getting it back on the arm. tried a twisting motion with some lube but it split the rubber. it will have to do now for the mot, will get time in the new year (may as well do the other side) most of the rubbers are degrading anyhow, even the ones on the roll bar. been doing all this in the rain

[t-tony]

You've got my sympathy .

[littlefeller]

its done now, I feel like one giant bruise. im getting too old to do my repairs on the drive, I need a garage, though I have seen some workshops which you can rent/hire by the hour, inc tools and lifts. still one good thing has come from this and that is the realisation I need to upgrade all the rubber bushes. will have a look on fleabay for complete kits, another thing I learned was not to be so tight fisted (note to myself - spend a little more and save myself some of the effort). just need some bulbs then its good to go back in, think I will leave it till the morning now

[littlefeller]

it passed without a mention of the emissions

[t-tony]

That's a good result then,now you can have a merry Christmas!