Bought a car with DPF removed - now stuck getting MoT

System

motorguy wrote: »

I dont think even VOSA have the power to remove the exhaust from your car, cut open the DPF box and check for the contents, at the side of the road..

Actually in a VOSA checkpoint they can do should they wish to but what they tend to do is just issue you with a notice to attend the nearest VOSA inspection centre for a thorough inspection and if they're feeling particularly vindictive issue you with a prohibition notice preventing the use of the vehicle until it has had the notice lifted so the only way that car is moving is on the back of a recovery truck.

facade

AdrianC wrote: »

You're assuming it was a Series or a Defender.

In 2009, it could easily have been a dozen-year-old K-series Freelander, let alone a 20yo hangingly rotten Disco.

Yes but when you've owned Landrovers, you would refer to those as a Discovery, Freelander, or Rangerover I suppose, (Disco & Rangie are for children)
You probably wouldn't call one "the series III etc." though to someone outside The Brotherhood, you'd call it "a Landrover".


Wonder if I'm right.....

eamon

Would it be a better idea for the OP to find an MOT station or equivalet (surely one of those tune up centers will have the correct gear) and ask/pay for the emissions test (as a test) only, at least then he will know what needs to be done and can make a more reasoned decision?

Retrogamer

If the DPF has been removed, then presumably the car has been "remapped" as well. Removing the DPF will normally cause the engine management light to turn on, unless the car's ECU has been reprogrammed to ignore the DPF sensor.
So if would need the DPF refitted as well as the ECU changes undone to be back to normal.

motorguy

AdrianC wrote: »

It's not that long an option list... LED-blingy lights, inside and out; foldy-mirrors (they aren't standard on a £36k list car in 2018?); metallic paint...?

The bog standard A4 petrol variant would be the 1.4TFSI manual SE saloon. This one is an avant, 2.0, auto, Black edition with various options on top of that. So approx £10,000 up on the bog standard car.

Lets be honest, it was a cheap attempt at a put down, and frankly unnecessary.

motorguy

Tarambor wrote: »

Actually in a VOSA checkpoint they can do should they wish to but what they tend to do is just issue you with a notice to attend the nearest VOSA inspection centre for a thorough inspection and if they're feeling particularly vindictive issue you with a prohibition notice preventing the use of the vehicle until it has had the notice lifted so the only way that car is moving is on the back of a recovery truck.

I still dont think they can even then start cutting the exhaust up to check it.

Either way though, the reality is, its an old car, its had the DPF removed, it wont necessarily fail its MOT, so I'd be inclined to drive on at it if i was the O/P until such times as the O/P is hunted down by a crack squad of VOSA inspectors and prosecuted for Crimes Against Humanity.

Noree

macman wrote: »

Why not MOT it and see what happens? As mentioned above, the DPF is just a can with baffles in it. It's cut open along the top, gutted, and welded shut again. The car's ECU is then remapped to fool the system into thinking that the DPF is still there. Without removing it from the exhaust, there is no way to tell it has been taken out, and the MOT inspection is visual only
At least, that's how it was explained to me. I've not done it myself m'lud. Obviously.

If a DPF is cut out, even from above, a mirror would most likely find it and fail it.

“A DPF is just a can with baffles in it” seriously, !!!!!!?!

Very bad advice.

Anyhow, as the OP said, it creates smoke which would fail.

As for the OP again, not unlucky, it’s just the way the world goes round and your car happens to now be a failure, like many who’ve had their EML on for god knows how long. You’d be even more lucky if it passed because the tester may have missed something by the sounds of your vehicle.

reddwarf2002

Noree wrote: »

If a DPF is cut out, even from above, a mirror would most likely find it and fail it.

“A DPF is just a can with baffles in it” seriously, !!!!!!?!

Very bad advice.

Anyhow, as the OP said, it creates smoke which would fail.

As for the OP again, not unlucky, it’s just the way the world goes round and your car happens to now be a failure, like many who’ve had their EML on for god knows how long. You’d be even more lucky if it passed because the tester may have missed something by the sounds of your vehicle.

In an ideal world two MOT tester should arrive at the same result on a given vehicle. However, many parts of the test is subjective, not to mention the competence of the tester which can vary too. You will get testers that either miss things, get it wrong or turn a blind eye to it.

motorguy

Noree wrote: »

If a DPF is cut out, even from above, a mirror would most likely find it and fail it.

“A DPF is just a can with baffles in it” seriously, !!!!!!?!

Very bad advice.

Anyhow, as the OP said, it creates smoke which would fail.

As for the OP again, not unlucky, it’s just the way the world goes round and your car happens to now be a failure, like many who’ve had their EML on for god knows how long. You’d be even more lucky if it passed because the tester may have missed something by the sounds of your vehicle.

Very unlikely you'd get a mirror up the back of an oval shaped DPF box and get conclusive proof it had been cut open and welded up. And i dont think too many MOT testers care that much.

And as a basic description, a can with baffles in it isnt that far away.



And the O/P didnt say his car created smoke all the time, merely under certain circumstances.

I'd say it would go through MOT fine.

Arklight

Irrespective of that, isn't it a massive fine if you are found to have a car without a DPF. Doesn't sound like it's worth the risk. Diesel has had it's day now so probably better to get a Euro 6 petrol and not have to worry about driving too close to London or whatever else they come up with.