Failed for emissions...but why?

[ikeane]

Question:
Is it possible emissions could increase while the fto is adjusting between normal unleaded and maxol e5?
Is it possible for emissions to deteriate enough to go from a pass to a fail over 2 months?

Case:
About 2 months ago my fto went for the nct, it was more of a trial as I knew there were 1 or 2 things to be done before it would pass. At this stage there were a few small holes along the exhaust pipe but the car didnt fail on emissions, it was just below the max level.

This morning the car failed the nct for emissions despite the holes being filled in (result was 0.5).
I thought when I filled in the holes that emissions would improve but this doesnt seem to be the case.
The only other possible explanation that I came up with was that last weekend I put in the new e5 feul from maxol and havent really done any real mileage this week, which would mean the car hasnt had time to adjust to the new ron feul.

Any takers?

[Muad_dib77]

Did you rev the bollix out of her prior to the test?
How did you fill the holes? Weld - or the putty stuff?

[ikeane]

There was too much traffic for my liking all the way into the test so it didnt get the revving I would like to have given it.

All the holes were welded.

[Muad_dib77]

Mad..

You might want to consider giving her a mini service (Plugs,Oil Filter,Oil,Clean Airfilter) - and then drive it to the test center 1 gear lower than you normally would.
Alternatively there's a few additives out there - I'm not sure about them though..

[ikeane]

Just waiting for an oil filter to arrive tomorrow and it'll be getting an oil change. The spark plugs were done less than 10,000 km ago.

I was thinking of using Redex but I wonder if this would be ok with the e5 feul...

[CJ]

A nice hot engine will result in lower emissions - as per Muad, give it socks before heading in for the test.

CJ

[ikeane]

I think I'll just go back as soon as possible and have it retested.
I'll stick in the redex and redden it before I go to the next one.

1 more question...for the retest, isn't it only the emissions that are checked?

[Gwyn]

1 more question...for the retest, isn't it only the emissions that are checked?

Yep - if that's all it failed for, that's all they'll retest

[JD]

The only flaw in driving it hard to get her good and hot is that any time I've been to get an nct in any car (in the Ballymun test centre) it's taken 15 minutes or so after I've handed in the keys before they took my car in - will she not cool down in that period?
JD

[Wildhound]

Probably but it won't cool down as far as cold, so it might still help.

[Dragonheart]

It'll cool a bit but it'll still be after blowing the main crap out of the system. Make sure and do the oil and wash your filter, unless its standard then change it, a good service just before hand helps wonders. Oil that looks like tar doesnt help the emissions.

[ikeane]

PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED

[CJ]

PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED PASSED

You can't come back with a reply like that without telling us what you did differently second time around!

CJ

[Muad_dib77]

Top class mate - congrats!

What changed?

[ikeane]

Stuck to unleaded, fired in some Redex and yes I drove the sh*t out of it when heading in for the test (although the test had very little to do with my driving style ).
It was a good while before they tested the car after I dropped it off, I was a little anxious the oil would cool but according to the tester it passed no problem.

[mark]

I did fulll service on mine, plugs, everything, revved the absolute crap out of her, left the engine running at test center!, car still failed emissions. Came in at .8 and that's with a high flow cat thats two years old. It's was 0-1 C outside so I'm wondering if that had anything to do with it? Ta bron orm.

[Muad_dib77]

Possibly - I'd be sad too..

Maybe worth your while getting a lend of a stock cat?

[mark]

mmm, did it 2 years ago on the same cat and it passed. Got new exhaust in the interim though...what you think

[Dean]

mine just failed with 0.8
This sucks mightily.

[mark]

Hey Dean, I hear you, did you do anything to the engine etc since the last nct?

[Dean]

Absolutely nothing. The only changes are a new cat-back (shouldnt make a difference) and Forte Top end.

[mark]

I put a new exhaust on from the cat back and ran on shell v-power for a bit... getting mine checked in the next couple of days so i'll let you know if we find anything.

[Kace]

I'm thinking of putting mine through for NCT this time with the aftermarket ITG Filter and without the CAT. Have people passed emissions and the NCT before with this configuration ?

For my last 3 NCTs I went back to the standard parts, but this time I can't be bothered.

[CJ]

I'm thinking of putting mine through for NCT this time with the aftermarket ITG Filter and without the CAT. Have people passed emissions and the NCT before with this configuration ?

Not in my case - had an NCT recenly and didn't get a chance to put the cat back in - it failed on high idle.

CJ

[mark]

This was my plan also, leave the filter on, crank case breather etc. Cat was on, i'd be very surprised Kace if yours went through ok without the cat.