'Impossibly' low smoke emissions in NCT

nuttlys

So my ford focus (2007 TDCI) passed the NCT on Saturday, but with the report the tester pointed out that the smoke emissions results were 'impossibly' low (0.02/m against a limit of 3.00/m), and that he and two others tried to find a fault with the car to explain this (ie he tried to fail the car), but they couldn't. He was adamant that the smoke was escaping else where under the car (not that he could find but), and told me I should have the car looked at. I only had the car serviced last month with no unusual reports. Any thoughts on why the smoke levels could be so low? Is it that unusual?

unkel

nuttlys wrote: »

Any thoughts on why the smoke levels could be so low?

He forgot to turn on the engine?

Anan1

Has it a DPF?

mistermarantz

I have a 07 1.6tdci Focus as well. They do unfortunately have a DPF (diesel particulate filter).

I got a reading of 0.11 on my smoke test 3 months during the NCT which is a good bit higher than the OPs car.

nuttlys

Just googled DPF, no idea. Would the user manual tell?

x in the city

did you leave 50eu in the ash tray?

nuttlys

mistermarantz wrote: »

I have a 07 1.6tdci Focus as well. They do unfortunately have a DPF (diesel particulate filter).

I got a reading of 0.11 on my smoke test 3 months during the NCT which is a good bit higher than the OPs car.

Why unfortunately?

mistermarantz

They are a troublesome part and cost €1500 plus labour to replace.

By the way I'm not suggesting your DPF needs replacing.

nuttlys

mistermarantz wrote: »

They are a troublesome part and cost €1500 plus labour to replace.

By the way I'm not suggesting your DPF needs replacing.

:eek:

Hopefully I'll have changed car before it gives up. Thanks

snowman707

well if a 02 primera with almost 300 k miles can get that reading I don't see why a car going for it's first nct can?

sentient_6

nuttlys wrote: »

:eek:

Hopefully I'll have changed car before it gives up. Thanks

It wont give up. Don't panic & dont change cars because someone tells you it might go.

nuttlys

sentient_6 wrote: »

It wont give up. Don't panic & dont change cars because someone tells you it might go.

Ah yeah, not going changing it tomorrow! Its a solid car and has at least 2 years left before I'll change her all things going well.

mistermarantz

I had unreal problems with my DPF. Car badly losing power every 100 miles or so. Diagnostic showed errors with DPF and it was putting pressure on my turbo.

Ford dealers wanted stupid money to replace it.

I opted to get it removed all together 2 months and had the cars ECU reprogrammed.

The car is driving better than ever now. Got another smoke test done since to make sure it would pass NCT and it passed.

Money well spent

nuttlys

mistermarantz wrote: »

I had unreal problems with my DPF. Car badly losing power every 100 miles or so. Diagnostic showed errors with DPF and it was putting pressure on my turbo.

Ford dealers wanted stupid money to replace it.

I opted to get it removed all together 2 months and had the cars ECU reprogrammed.

The car is driving better than ever now. Got another smoke test done since to make sure it would pass NCT and it passed.

Money well spent

How much to get that done?

mistermarantz

sentient_6 wrote: »

It wont give up. Don't panic & dont change cars because someone tells you it might go.

I never said it would go. The OP asked why I said my car unfortunately had a DPF and I gave my reason.

mistermarantz

nuttlys wrote: »

How much to get that done?

€500 but it can be done for cheaper. I went with the guy with the best reviews but he was twice the price of the competition

By the way, I'm not suggesting your DPF is faulty. I don't know why your reading was so low. Maybe a mechanic on this thread can enlighten you. This thread is getting a bit side tracked.

shedweller

There may be a hole in the silencer that wasn't found. I had a silencer rot from under a heat shield spot welded to the top of it. There was no visible hole but smoke was certainly escaping from it. My emissions were "very good" too and i reckon it was because there was a fraction of the exhaust actually coming out the tailpipe!

But a rotted silencer on an 07?

Anan1

shedweller wrote: »

There may be a hole in the silencer that wasn't found. I had a silencer rot from under a heat shield spot welded to the top of it. There was no visible hole but smoke was certainly escaping from it. My emissions were "very good" too and i reckon it was because there was a fraction of the exhaust actually coming out the tailpipe!

But a rotted silencer on an 07?

It could happen, if the car was mainly used for short runs.

mickdw

Testing machine fault maybe?

dev100

Their machines may need recalibrating

sentient_6

mistermarantz wrote: »

I never said it would go. The OP asked why I said my car unfortunately had a DPF and I gave my reason.

When i said someone i didnt mean you personally, more referring to the general response when DPF gets mentioned.

Lucifer

The reason for such a low reading is probably because it has a DPF. This shows the DPF is working. It is a filter in the exhaust that is designed to block up to a certain level, then when it decides that it needs it, it will regenerate to burn off all of what it collected up. The fact that yours is a low reading means that the DPF is collecting the soot from the exhaust. Perhaps the NCT are not used to testing DPF cars? Could it be that most DPF cars are coming to around 4 years old now and only starting to go for NCT tests?