Failed the NCT

Melion

Right, my 99 Golf failed the NCT last Thursday due to the emissions. Ive got my retest on Tuesday morning. Anyone got any advice on how to sort the problem? Ive heard about putting VPower petrol into the car, will that make much of a difference?

colm_mcm

I think STP do a two bottle kit for lowering emissions

Melion

colm_mcm wrote:

I think STP do a two bottle kit for lowering emissions

No idea what that is. Could you explain please. Everything else in the car is fine, dont want to have to go back in again

colm_mcm

ir really depends on what's causing the emissions to be out, and how much hey are out by. sometimes you can lower them by putting additives in your petrol,
If your car has a faulty catalytic convertor, oxygen sensor, ignition system, or a host of other possible problems, these can cause NCT fails. If you're in any doubt, brin it to a garage to get checked over. I don't think a day of driving with V Power is going to solve it though.

Melion

The car failed the original test 2 weeks ago, brought it back to the garage where i bought it, they put a new catalytic converter into it last Wednesday. Brought the car into the NCT centre on Thursday, it failed and the emissions were actually worse than the original test. I rang the garage, they said it should have been driven hard to clear the fumes etc.

Oh and can someone please explain what the lambda is

Esel

Dipetane http://www.dipetane.ie/Default.aspx available from Consort (Drumcondra, Finglas East, Artane) and probably a lot of other motor factors.

Add the recommended amount (based on the amount of petrol in your tank). You would also be well advised to rev the engine a fair bit before the test. Do this by keeping the engine in a lower gear and letting the revs build up. Don't think you are damaging the engine by revving like this. Most people only ever use a fraction of their engine's power band. Take a longish drive, and let the engine revs build in each gear before changing up. Don't break any speed limits, it's not the road speed but the engine revs you want to get up!

STP is a brand name.

What did you expect would have changed in your car between Thur last and Tuesday that it would suddenly pass? The above advice does not guarantee a pass - that depends on what emission(s) you failed on, and what the possible causes are. Does your exhaust system have any leaks or holes?

Quatre Mains

I filled my car up with the new Maxol E5 petrol and it passed. My car doesnt even have a cat convertor. Its not available in every garage yet tho;

http://www.maxol.ie/e5/q&a.html

reduction of around 2.5% they say, better than a kick in the teeth.

Not contradicting any previous posts BTW, just adding another suggestion. I also did what Esel suggested and kept the car in lower gears running 3-4k revs where possible on the way over, I also changed the oil and slapped in some new spark plugs. Good luck -I hate doing the NCT.

gyppo

Johnnycabs wrote:

I filled my car up with the new Maxol E5 petrol and it passed. My car doesnt even have a cat convertor. Its not available in every garage yet tho;

http://www.maxol.ie/e5/q&a.html

reduction of around 2.5% they say, better than a kick in the teeth.

Not contradicting any previous posts BTW, just adding another suggestion. I also did what Esel suggested and kept the car in lower gears running 3-4k revs where possible on the way over, I also changed the oil and slapped in some new spark plugs. Good luck -I hate doing the NCT.

If your car doesnt have a cat converter, the chances are its around 13-14 years old at this stage. Emissions limits on cars of this age are far far more generous than catalysed cars.
Tbh, in the case of modern cars, unless the cars emission levels are borderline, its unlikely any of the suggestions mentioned above will work.

Quatre Mains

Gyppo
my car is de-Catted as they say so your theory is wrong there I'm afraid. I've already stated that the petrol will reduce emissions by 2.5% so how will that not help? Its not a lot but its 2.5% more than you suggested so far, and nothing I suggested is expensive so cant do any harm as compared to the new cat covnertor this guy has likely forked out big money for. So how about some better suggestions to help this guy out?

Anan1

Johnnycabs wrote:

Gyppo
my car is de-Catted as they say so your theory is wrong there I'm afraid. I've already stated that the petrol will reduce emissions by 2.5% so how will that not help? Its not a lot but its 2.5% more than you suggested so far, and nothing I suggested is expensive so cant do any harm as compared to the new cat covnertor this guy has likely forked out big money for. So how about some better suggestions to help this guy out?

You put a car that originally had a cat but now doesn't through the NCT and it passed? What make/model/year?

John Mason

colm_mcm wrote:

I think STP do a two bottle kit for lowering emissions

i used this in my car before my NCT and it passed. I got it in woodies and only cost 7-8 euros.

Kimbot

If it were my car I would do the following:

1: buy a can of engine flush and use it then change the oil.

2: buy the STP pack and use them.

That should help you out a bit.

gyppo

Anan1 wrote:

You put a car that originally had a cat but now doesn't through the NCT and it passed? What make/model/year?

Yes, please tell..

Melion

Well it passed this morning. I didnt put anything into it, just said id drive it hard yesterday and this morning and hope for the best. Worked a treat

Pattylou

Well I failed my NCT this week.

I passed everything except the Brake Test.
There was a 45% imbalance on the Rear Axle and it should have been under 30%:

Rear Axle: Nearside: .66kn Offside: 1.19kn
Ovality: Nearside: 27% Offside 28%

Imbalance:45%

Brake effort 68%
Parking:23%

I asked the Tester what this meant and he told me he didn't know couldn't
advise me. I need to retest within the next 3 weeks, and am now at the mercy of the mechanics because it could be anything....

I was advised by people, take the test first and find out what is wrong with your car before you take it to the mechanic. I did that but they might as well of said we know Dublin is in Ireland but we dont know where
for all the help they were.

50hertz

My car failed the test Friday for cracked fog lights ffs, was told that if i removed them they couldn't fail me. Looks like I'll have to replace them or drive around with two holes in the bumper

Esel

Pattylou wrote: »

I was advised by people, take the test first and find out what is wrong with your car before you take it to the mechanic. I did that but they might as well of said we know Dublin is in Ireland but we dont know where for all the help they were.

The NCT report tells you what is wrong with your car. Your mechanic should then be able to fix whatever needs to be fixed. No-one expects the NCT tester to tell them how to fix their car, tbh.

Gary ITR

50hertz wrote: »

My car failed the test Friday for cracked fog lights ffs, was told that if i removed them they couldn't fail me. Looks like I'll have to replace them or drive around with two holes in the bumper

Start a new thread if you like. This one is 2 years old