what size is the engine?

try some redex stuff to try and bring it down and take it for a good blast before you take it to the test centre next time and ask them to do the emmisions test first, the k series has never been good on emmisions.

 

the k series has never been good on emmisions.

What tosh. Every MOT I've had on my K series cars have come in with almost zero emmisions and that includes my 105,000 mile Vi. MOT guy is always impressed with it.
I drive my cars hard using the full rev range regularly, change the oil regularly and use quality fuel Shell V Power and nothing else.

 

It's a 1.6 registered as a 1.4 (not sure if this is the problem).

The readings are as follows:

Fast idle test:
CO (0.3) Pass
HC (200) 887PPM Fail
Lamb (0.95-1.09) 1.56 Fail


2nd Fast Idle test:
CO (0.3) Pass
HC (200) 710PPM Fail
Lamb (0.95-1.09) 1.54 Fail

 

It's a 1.6 registered as a 1.4 (not sure if this is the problem).

Ignoring the MOT fail, having a larger (or in fact smaller) engine in the car than is registered with the DVLA is illegal...may want to update your logbook.

Rob

 

you're not failing on CO so looks like ur cat is fine - it's failing on hydrocarbon emissions so maybe worth changing plugs & air filter & get it burning clean.
That's too much unburnt fuel & possibly burnt oil.

make sure there's not too much oil in - seen that before, looks like dick dastardly driving down the road lol :/

i wouldn't recommend it, but a m8 who had similar failure problems despite having a sweet engine fooled the test probe by pouring a few litres of water down the pipe just before dirving to the test centre.

test guy said he'd never seen CO so low lol :d

 

OK, I will try all the suggestions in this thread.

The car's due a service either way so I will need to do it this weekend. Will an oil change work in my favour?

Thanks for the help.

 

put some fuel cleaner in aswell, check air filter and box is clean. Try to get them to test the engine when its warm

 

15-20 minutes dirving normal, 20 minutes driving hard, then go to the mot test center haha! should be warm by then

 

Had mine in for a Mot last week. 1.6 as well.
I can't remember the HC but my Lamb was 1.0 and my CO was 0.1.
I had changed the plugs the weekend before, took the airfilter out and knocked the rough crud out of it, K&N panel filter. Put some redex in the fuel and took it for a run the night before, warmed her up then stretched the lower gears a little to 6k to "Clean the cobwebs away". Morning of the MOT drove to centre in one gear lower than normal to get temps up but not too high an engine speed. You see my results.
When your plugs come out check for really black sooty deposits or black oily deposits on them. Indications of over fuelling or oil burning.

 

My 1.6 failed on emmissions, CO and HC. Took it for a hard 5 min drive after doing an oil change and passed. Tester said sometimes cars come back and pass after having nothing done to them!

 

I've bought all the things I need for a service and a bottle of Redex. I didn't get around to do the service tonight mainly because some bugger has been in my tool box and lost my 13mm (which I need to remove the fuel filter) and my plug spanner is AWOL.

I've put the Redex in for the meantime and gave it a good thrashing tonight to wash it through well. But I'll wait till I can do the full service before I start with the oil change etc.

 

The emissions are measured to the same lvl regardless of engine size. Remember the CO is a percentage of the exhaust gases, so yeah a 1.6 outputs more volume but the percentge has to be the same. Just like HC are parts per million.

 

Just got back from the MOT centre and it failed on emissions again. Tried all the suggestions above, besides the water up the exhaust.

New plugs
New air filter
New fuel filter
Oil change
2 x Redex
1 x engine cleaner
15 minute of giving the car death (the most fun in the list )

But it still failed. The CO is tip top but the HC was 245 and the lambda was 1.54.

I'm trying to get in contact with somebody I know who said he can run a diagnostics test on the engine and try and find a problem and the MOT centre suggested a new lambda sensor.

Any more suggestions welcome. If the water up the exhaust really works I'm willing to give it a go.

 

When my HC content was high I informed it might have been HGF!

 

Valve stem seals or valve guides may be worn, hence the high HC, burnt oil !

Try the lambda sensor aswell, they are prone to fail for no reason. Be aware they are expensive too !

If i were you i would tell him its also a 1.6 and not a 1.4 !

 

Do you feel any difference by using Shell V Power instead of regular petrol, except for the wallet being lighter?

 

As well as engine wear letting oil trough the system, the high HC can be caused by over fuelling (unburnt fuel).

Causes of this can include:
Faulty Lambda sensor
Faulty Coolant Temp Sensor
Partially blocked fuel injector (I know this sounds funny but the lambda sensor can detect a lean condition and command the ECU rich to compensate).