NCT - failed on emissions

brinty

Hi all,

Failed the nct last night on emissions. It's an 03 A4. Any ideas on what I can do to get the emissions to within acceptable limits.

It was serviced at 9,000 miles ago with new fuel, air and pollen filters (if the bloody dealer actual put them in!!!!) put in.

Most recent fills of diesel were at maxol/esso/topaz so not crap diesel going into the car. Although i have used some from a discount place recently too

Is it just a case of getting a service or is there something else i need to do. I know if i bring it to a main dealer they'll tell me i need to spend a grand to get it through NCT(their usual trick to try and get money out of people..they told me i needed to spend that much at last service on everything else to get it through eventhough i wasn't going for it)

Any help would be appreciated

Tony D

Fresh service changing all filters again will help. Also, I always use dipetane and emissions on all of my cars is very very low on every test

working fool

Chuck a bottle of that stuff they sell in
Autofactors works a treat

brinty

working fool wrote: »

Chuck a bottle of that stuff they sell in
Autofactors works a treat

Whats that stuff the sell in autofactors - is it the dipetane that tony d mentioned?

Valetta

Should you have the engine at maximum temperature when putting it through the test?

I have been told this by what I would regard as a reliable mechanic.

Mar4ix

emissions on diesel ??? maybe your car failed smoke test ?

A while ago, I was arguing with people about PDF removal, and how it will reflects emissions, people said, no emissions on diesel, only smoke test, so ....

you sure it is emissions, or that's smoke test your car failed ?

probably more info needed.... which year, engine, maybe picture of your failed test on nct report sheet.

ford2600

Diesel additive to tank on fill before test. When engine is warm, drive it hard, have it good and hot getting to centre with system well cleaned out.

9k miles since an oil change? I always did my passat every 6

brinty wrote: »

Hi all,

Failed the nct last night on emissions. It's an 03 A4. Any ideas on what I can do to get the emissions to within acceptable limits.

It was serviced at 9,000 miles ago with new fuel, air and pollen filters (if the bloody dealer actual put them in!!!!) put in.

Most recent fills of diesel were at maxol/esso/topaz so not crap diesel going into the car. Although i have used some from a discount place recently too

Is it just a case of getting a service or is there something else i need to do. I know if i bring it to a main dealer they'll tell me i need to spend a grand to get it through NCT(their usual trick to try and get money out of people..they told me i needed to spend that much at last service on everything else to get it through eventhough i wasn't going for it)

Any help would be appreciated

working fool

brinty wrote: »

working fool wrote: »

Chuck a bottle of that stuff they sell in
Autofactors works a treat

Whats that stuff the sell in autofactors - is it the dipetane that tony d mentioned?

Forget the name of it
But I'd say tony d is bang on there

brinty

Thanks lads, could have been the smoke test, my wife brought it in for me, i was away working.

Engine would have been cold as she would have drove it no more than 20 miles this week, so that could be a good idea, I'll also get the additive/dipetane, in advance of retest..

Car is a 2003 audi a4 130bhp 1.9tdi

Neilw

brinty wrote: »

Engine would have been cold as she would have drove it no more than 20 miles this week, so that could be a good idea, I'll also get the additive/dipetane, in advance of retest..

Do you drive the car hard at all?
A good Italian tune up would probably help Drive the dung out of it for a while before the retest.

working fool

Air filter is around €10
Worth a shot and easy to fit .
a DIY job that couldent hurt

Mar4ix

brinty wrote: »

Thanks lads, could have been the smoke test, my wife brought it in for me, i was away working.

Engine would have been cold as she would have drove it no more than 20 miles this week, so that could be a good idea, I'll also get the additive/dipetane, in advance of retest..

Car is a 2003 audi a4 130bhp 1.9tdi

thats explains.

diesels not really like small mileage, before nct, just add dipetine, and drive hard for good distance, , in 3rd gear for 5 miles or more on motorway.

9k miles - it is about around change oil, oil filter and air filter. no need to do it in dealers, as they will take a lot money, local garage would do the job for half of dealers price.

brinty

Mar4ix, your right it was the smoke test.. it was 9.990/m at engine temp 83celsius...
I'm doing 500-600 miles a week on her so she's getting plenty of good hard driving.

brinty

Cheers lads,
Yea think i'll just get a mechanic to do an oil and filter change, fooking 160 in main dealers for that, they can f**k right off.
Won't do a DIY job as i haven't the first clue where to even start tbh..
Yea dipetane and 3rd gear on dual carraigeway to test centre sounds ideal lads

Mar4ix

brinty wrote: »

Mar4ix, your right it was the smoke test.. it was 9.990/m at engine temp 83celsius...
I'm doing 500-600 miles a week on her so she's getting plenty of good hard driving.

hmmmmm .... then your car need some adjustments .... could be number problems, probably would need do diagnostics on computer, see if all sensors within working limits. .... smoke usually caused by bad burning ... too much diesel in burning mixture , failing injector.. etc... i assume engine in good working order ....

i more familiar with petrol engines. maybe some diesel head will advice something.

biko

It'd be easier to diagnose if you posted the numbers it failed on.

brinty

biko wrote: »

It'd be easier to diagnose if you posted the numbers it failed on.

Smoke test was 9.990/m at engine temp 83 celsius Biko

jackofalltrades

brinty wrote: »

Mar4ix, your right it was the smoke test.. it was 9.990/m at engine temp 83celsius...
I'm doing 500-600 miles a week on her so she's getting plenty of good hard driving.

From looking at my NCT results, the limit for a turbo-diesel of the same year is 3.0/m
That makes your results more than 3 times over the limit.
I'd say your going to need to get a professional to look at it.

brinty

jackofalltrades wrote: »

From looking at my NCT results, the limit for a turbo-diesel of the same year is 3.0/m
That makes your results more than 3 times over the limit.
I'd say your going to need to get a professional to look at it.

B*****x

Mar4ix

brinty wrote: »

B*****x

As I said, diagnostics first. ..

does car sound good ? ... I mean revs not jumping, loss of power,... or just smokey ... when accelerating. ?

brinty

Mar4ix wrote: »

As I said, diagnostics first. ..

does car sound good ? ... I mean revs not jumping, loss of power,... or just smokey ... when accelerating. ?

Car sounds fine, no problem with revs jumping, no loss of power or smokey when accelerating.

think its time to look at replacing now..

Mar4ix

If car sound, shouldnt be much to invest, to get it fixed. Diagnostics will show , no panic.

brinty

Mar4ix wrote: »

If car sound, shouldnt be much to invest, to get it fixed. Diagnostics will show , no panic.

Cheers Mar4ix

I'll give dealer or a mechanic a quick ring and see if they might have a quick fix without the need for service or diagnostics, i have the readout from last service so might be able to pick something up there as well

I'm considering trading anyway at this stage, so don't want to spend money on it that i could use toward future purchase. If i can get away with a quick fix, no service and get the NCT, I can trade in and happy days