MOT woes again!!

[Sam Harland]

Hi all,

 

Im having issues again getting an MOT on my Westy. 

it’s the age old story of the MOT station refusing to test it as I haven’t got proof of the engine age. 
 

It has a C2OXE With no Cat fitted, research on the web suggests that this engine was built before the Cat rules came into place however the tester won’t take anything on the web as evidence of this. 
 I’ve read that you can look at the cam retainers and the date is embossed on them, mine says 90 so I’m assuming it’s a 1990 engine does anyone know if this is correct and how I can prove this to the tester? 
Has anyone managed to get any other proof like something direct from Vauxhall or a specialist? 
 

On the MOT testers database it also said the car had a different engine at some point so I can’t apply for a reissued SVA certificate either. 
 

My only joy is trying to find a dodgy tester that will take some extra cash and pass it or someone that will take Web info as proof!?  It’s just really annoying and will happen every year so I’m looking for a better solution. 
 

Any ideas guys? 
 

Many thanks 

 

Sam 

 

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

What went wrong, I thought you had a successful pass last year after showing them the flowchart and V5 information that confirmed your non-cat limits?

[Sam Harland]

Yeah but this was at a different station and I’ve moved house out of the area and the local stations won’t accept the flow chart they are insisting on me proving the engine age or having a copy of the SVA certificate as mentioned in the manual. The V5 doesn’t mention anything on it either so they won’t accept it. It’s driving me nuts tbh! 

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

Oh dear, so your car was registered after Aug 1998 and doesn't have any limits listed on the V5? Is it fuel injected and previously fitted with a cat perhaps?

 

Which path do you think your car should follow in the flowchart?

 

[Sam Harland]

Yeah it was registered July 1999! There are no limits on the V5 no engine code details nothing!! 
I don’t think it’s had a cat fitted in the past but I can’t be sure. It’s fuel injected on TBs. I wondered if a letter/email from a Vauxhall specialist might help to clarify its age? 
I thought about speaking to my local dealership but not sure if they will have access to databases to confirm the age off the engine code. 
I’ve read the age is a code embedded within the engine code and it can be deciphered but I don’t know how? Or if this is correct? 

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

Sounds very frustrating, C20XE were nearly all pre-1995 so you should fall all the way to the bottom at a non-cat 3.5% CO/ 1200ppm HC test but obviously they want proof for your actual engine - this should have been provided at time of SVA/IVA - not in your paperwork folder I guess?

Edited 10 hours ago by Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO
thought a bit more

[Sam Harland]

Yes very!! You can obviously search the web and find historical info on the engine but the tester won’t accept this as proof of age so I’m a bit stuck my MOT has expired now and the weather is beautiful outside!! 

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

I'd contact vauxhall customer services and ask for a proof of age letter for that engine number - but might take some time and effort unless they've suddenly become helpful... Meanwhile I'd ask (quietly) around local car groups for a more experienced tester to get you through this year.

[Sam Harland]

Yeah I thought I might try this for the long term as I can’t be doing this every year but  imagine it may take a long while or a lot perseverance and maybe cash in someone’s back pocket! 
yep it seems all I can do now is keep ringing around the area to see if I can persuade someone to pass it! 

[Sam Harland]

Yeah I haven’t got SVA details with the paperwork that came with the car plus I think the engine may have been changed at some point the database the tester used said it had a 4 ltr engine in at some point so I’m assuming If I apply for the certificate it will have this engine info which will be useless at this point! 

[Kit Car Electronics and Essex AO]

4 minutes ago, Sam Harland said:

Yeah I haven’t got SVA details with the paperwork that came with the car plus I think the engine may have been changed at some point the database the tester used said it had a 4 ltr engine in at some point so I’m assuming If I apply for the certificate it will have this engine info which will be useless at this point! 

If there's been an engine swap that dramatic, there'd be some way to tell normally (holes in weird places etc!). Don't bother ringing around as nobody will pre-commit to passing anything - you need a local personal (private) recommendation I'd suggest, eg from others in the club local area?

[Sam Harland]

It doesn’t look like it to me I’ve inspected the engine bay so many times and I can’t find evidence of anything. This tester I went to yesterday would not accept anything he told me he can’t accept the details on. Wikipedia either as this can be edited etc etc 

[Tim-s]

Does it not say in the notes on the V5

[Sam Harland]

Nope nothing on the v5 only that  it’s a 2.0 ltr engine that’s it! 

[Tim-s]

Think I’d use another garage 

seems the tester doesn’t want to know