NCT Dipsticks

jabaroon

Hi All,

It would appear that our learned colleagues dont know their dipsticks! I just failed the NCT today because my "engine has too much oil in it". Being somewhat mechanically minded, I understand why too much oil is an issue, but was confident that this was not the case as I had checked the oil myself only beforehand (yes while the engine was warm, so oil fully expanded!).

Furthermore, I contacted the guy who did the service (a specialist at my brand of car), and he confirmed that he measured the quantity specified by the manafacturer for the make/model and then filled the engine (2 weeks ago).

So, as soon as I got back, I removed the dipstick and throughly cleaned it and then dipped the engine 5 times. Each time the reading was correctly just on/beneath the MAX mark.

The picture attached (best quality I could get!) clearly shows that there is NOT too much oil in my engine.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Absolutely fuming. Dont know whether the guy was:
1) Blind
2) Mis-read the dipstick and though Max was beneath the writing
3) Trying to scam me for a €28 retest!

Everything else was 100% with the car (naturally!)

Interested to hear what others think or if anyone else has had a similar experience?

Cheers,
Jab

PS - Even though it might not be 100% clear from the image above, the entire area (that is the MAX groove) is bone dry.

MidlandsM

why did'nt you challenge the tester there and then when he failed you??......I'd have rubbed his ignorant face in it by doing an oil check with the dipstick right in front of him.

Really, an on the spot check would have been the job. You're unlikely to evade the retest fee now even though the chap was clearly mistaken.

td2008

are visual rechecks not free?

si_guru

td2008 wrote: »

are visual rechecks not free?

It's not a visual recheck.. I guess it needs an emission test as this was skipped.

PaulKK

jabaroon wrote: »

Hi All,
The picture attached (best quality I could get!) clearly shows that there is NOT too much oil in my engine.

....

E46 chief? Remarkably similar to my dipstick

Looks like its petrol though when the oil is distinctly un-black.

You were very hard done by I think, plus I always thought you should check oil with the engine off? He hardly dipped it after doing revving up for the emissions test and the oil was all over the dipstick?

jabaroon

In hindsight, I should have challenged. I guess I made the classic mistake of trusting the "expert". Also, it was pitch dark (~5:30pm) this evening. On the journey home (as I thought about it), I realised he was defo wrong and came straight in and checked / took a photo / posted.

su_guru, you are of course correct, they declined to carry out the emmissions test on the basis that the engine had too much oil in it. So its a €28 re-test fee, more time off work and the cost of getting back up to the place.

GRRRRrrrr.....

Presume I'm pi$$ing into the wind if I think I could protest it and win?!

Jab

jabaroon

PaulKK wrote: »

E46 chief? Remarkably similar to my dipstick

Looks like its petrol though when the oil is distinctly un-black.

You were very hard done by I think, plus I always thought you should check oil with the engine off? He hardly dipped it after doing revving up for the emissions test and the oil was all over the dipstick?

e60 mate. Diesel with fresh oil only changed 2 weeks ago. Dont know how he checked the oil level....maybe he jacked the back end up a couple of feet and then dipped it! Or maybe he stuck his thumb into the oil filler and knew by the smell of it that there was too much oil in her! Whatever the answer, whatever he did, it was wrong!

flutered

i am led to believe that testers get 10% of the retest fee, payable on both june and december, if true it is a damm nice little earner.

-Corkie-

When i seen the title it looks like the OP is calling nct staff dipsticks....:D

neilthefunkeone

Exact same thing happened to my dads xtype 2.0d.. They would not perform the emissions test as they said it was unsafe to rev the engine up high..:rolleyes:

Oil as yourself op was just at the max mark..

We tried appealing but the supervisor agreed with the initial assessment so it was a fail and required a retest..

Cill Dara Abu

-Corkie- wrote: »

When i seen the title it looks like the OP is calling nct staff dipsticks....:D

I think he was calling them dipsticks and dead right too.

Mycroft H

They failed me once in my citroen by saying that the handbrake doesnt work.

And that was after telling them that it works on the front wheels and not the back.

jabaroon

-Corkie- wrote: »

When i seen the title it looks like the OP is calling nct staff dipsticks....:D

Ohhh dear, I hope nobody else thought I was suggesting that the NCT test engineer was a dipstick. I was merely referring to the dipstick that he incorrectly read in my car.

jabaroon

neilthefunkeone wrote: »

Exact same thing happened to my dads xtype 2.0d.. They would not perform the emissions test as they said it was unsafe to rev the engine up high..:rolleyes:

Oil as yourself op was just at the max mark..

We tried appealing but the supervisor agreed with the initial assessment so it was a fail and required a retest..

Why did he disagree?....If the level is correct per the manafacturers direction, then whats the problem? You cant argue that you half rang a bell....it either rang or it didnt.....the oil level is either within tolerance or it isnt?!?!?!...if they dispute that the level is questionable, then they should ASK you if you want to procede with the test. They make you sign a waiver already that says they can blow up your engine in the course of testing and it isnt their fault....so how is this different?

jabaroon

flutered wrote: »

i am led to believe that testers get 10% of the retest fee, payable on both june and december, if true it is a damm nice little earner.

If thats true, the "Inspector ID" of the guy who did the test is "DA", so someone tell me where he drinks so he can buy me a few pints at christmas!

jabaroon

From the owners manual!....but really, its not that hard to figure out!

Guy:Incognito

BX 19 wrote: »

They failed me once in my citroen by saying that the handbrake doesnt work.

And that was after telling them that it works on the front wheels and not the back.

I watched them doing the brake test on my Xantia a few months back. It took 2 or 3 goes before it clicked with me what they were at. Was just about to go down when the guy called another bloke over and they seemed to figure it out. Think ill put a post it on the steering wheel when I go back.

500sel

jabaroon wrote: »

If thats true, the "Inspector ID" of the guy who did the test is "DA", so someone tell me where he drinks so he can buy me a few pints at christmas!

This was'nt in Kilkenny by any chance?

jabaroon

500sel wrote: »

This was'nt in Kilkenny by any chance?

Nope, Dublin, Northpoint

ongarite

What's the procedure for cars (engines) with no dipsticks?
Is this test skipped or do they look for another way to verify the reading?

challengemaster

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

I watched them doing the brake test on my Xantia a few months back. It took 2 or 3 goes before it clicked with me what they were at. Was just about to go down when the guy called another bloke over and they seemed to figure it out. Think ill put a post it on the steering wheel when I go back.

Saw them testing a xantia before too, but the funny part was the hydraulic suspension kicked in during the brake test when it got pushed off the rollers, the arse end was about 3 foot higher than the front

jabaroon

ongarite wrote: »

What's the procedure for cars (engines) with no dipsticks?
Is this test skipped or do they look for another way to verify the reading?

I presume they fail you summairly!!
But seriously, good question. Suppose they just have to go with whatever the electronic readout says on the on-board computer.

L1011

I'm pretty certain that the bloke in front of me in Naas a few weeks ago got a warning and a certificate for too much oil. At least he got something yellow and didn't get the usual spiel about retest dates.

Seeing as virtually every other car there that evening failed they may have just been feeling nice, mind!