New MOT rules - bad news for some!

GolfBravo

colino wrote: »

The smoke test has already been tightened and most modern diesels pass it DPF or not.

But it isn't a very demanding test, is it.

colino wrote: »

Their supporting link to their study apportioning the necessity to keep factory fitted DPFs is somewhat undermined my loose drafting. While stating, "it is an offence under Road Vehicles (C&U) to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies" then: "Removal of a DPF will almost invariably contravene these requirements".
From February modified diesel owners will either rely on the NT not being able to properly examine the DPF or no doubt a few with deeper pockets will challenge how their car that do meet both smoke and emission limits without DPFs are being failed.

I don't think it would that easy to effectively challenge it. At the moment the drafting/info is very vague, but the new MOT test procedure is merely a requirement under a EU directive 2010/48/EU (Reasons for failure include: ...emission control equipment fitted by the manufacturer is absent, modified or obviously defective (8.2.1.1 and 8.2.2.1)). So if there is no DPF (where there should be) or it appears modified = MOT fail.

PS
I expect some very cheap second-hand diesel cars (no MOT) available next year.

Retrogamer

It's strange that cats missing on a petrol is an MOT fail and DPF missing on a diesel will be a fail, but cats missing on a diesel still are ok.

[Deleted User]

mrmot wrote: »

It may be wise not to take this too seriously until more is known, such as what age of vehicle it will apply to

The age of the vehicle won't come into it.

If it had a DPF when it left the factory, it must still have one when tested.

specialboy

Bedsit_Bob wrote: »

The age of the vehicle won't come into it.

If it had a DPF when it left the factory, it must still have one when tested.

Do you have a link to that?

[Deleted User]

I'm going on the article in Autoexpress, which makes no mention of the vehicle's age.

It simply says:-

"and any car without a diesel particulate filter (DPF) that had one fitted as standard will fail."

(emphasis is mine)

Retrogamer

It'll likely be similar to petrol engines.

Any car that had a cat fitted when it left the factory and is subject to a cat emissions test will fail if the cat is missing, regardless if it passes the emission tests or not.

I'd imagine the Testers programme will be updated so when they put in the car registration it will flag up if it's supposed to have a DPF or not.

I hope so, otherwise i'm going to have to explain my DPF isn't missing, but my cat is (diesel) and that isn't a fail yet.

Iceweasel

Prothet_of_Doom wrote: »

How can you blank off a Deisel Particulate Filter ? Do you mean the exhasut gas recirculation valve/pipes?


I once had petrol with the CAT Box in place but no CAT, so it wouldn't pass the emissions test. But it would have passed on a "Is the box present" test. :rotfl:

I think we are talking about people who either replace the DPF (which just looks like a normal exhaust box) with a piece of straight pipe, or knock the stuffing out of it.

I reckon that the DPF will need to be physically present and operative. I doubt that a visual test will check that it works.

As yet no instructions for testers are available.

As for EGRs - I can see the day coming when removing, by-passing them, or de-activating them becomes a no-no too.

Retrogamer

I'm not sure how they will be able to check if the DPF is functioning ok. It's possible to pass the smoke density test without one.

Iceweasel

specialboy wrote: »

Do you have a link to that?

What we do have is a press release/announcement by gov.uk

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-rules-for-mot-to-test-for-diesel-particulate-filter

which has a link to this:

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/263018/diesel-particulate-filters-guidance.pdf

But as I have said earlier no document which gives the actual instructions as to what the tester needs to do - other than look to see if it is physically present.

As this is supposed to be effective from February the instructions should be published as an amendment to the MOT Testers' Manual pretty soon.

societys_child

So my 1988 2.5L Nissan D21 should be ok then, pretty sure it never had one . . .

Whenever they do the emissions test, they get a confused look on their face and check the equipment before muttering something about it being "k'ing clean" . . . like to think it could be something to do with the 2 stroke oil I've been adding (ratio 200:1) to every fill-up for the past 12 years (cleaner burn and slightly increased mpg) who needs a dpf:cool: