Failed the SVA today.

But only on the emissions.

The rest of the car passed without doing anything.
Big thanks to BobC for the dash. The speedo was within 2mph all the way up the range. I will post some pics of the dash and the rest of the car this weekend.

So it off to the MOT station for them to play about with the carbs, so I can try again.

Thanks to everybody on the forum for thier invaluable help, just the last bit now.

Gordon

Bad look gordon. I failed on the emission twice, all it was was a quick tweak of the mixture screws and I got through. What were the readings.

I failed on the Lambda.

Well done on the rest though.

You could have it ready for Stonleigh and drive down with us, its going to look a sight 45-50 Westfields 1 MK and 1 Stu Taylor driving down the M6, its going to be fun.

[Edited on 22/4/04 by j30fos]

Hi John

Yes mine failed on the Lambda as well, not sure of the readings they are in the car.

Must say I couldnt fault the guys ( I had 2 of them, one training) at the test station they were realy helpfull. I bet he tried 10 or 12 times at different revs for the emissions and then after he'd finished he was so pleased with car he gave it another go, but no joy.
Will take it down to the MOT station next Tuesday so there is a chance for stoneleigh. If not hopefully the week after.

When my car failed I took it to a proper tuning company who played with the mixtures and they put more fuel in and tha Lambda came right down. Ox also said to seal the xhaust with some silicon so it made a sealed joint. Chris bradley also had a hole in his exhasut so make sure its not leaking drawing air in.

I was told to get the exhasut very very hot but this didn't make any difference on the 2nd SVA test it failed the emissions again, so I asked it he could re-calibrate the system as the Lambda was at 102 at the tuning shop, he told me to turn the engine off and re-calibrated the machine. Machine sorted he told me to start again with the test, now im not sure if it was the calibration of the system or my system cooling down a bit as it passed.

If you can when you get the Lambda within the tolerance ask for a print out so you can prove to the SVA guys that it did read the correct figures last time you had it tested, they might re-calibrate there machine as well.

Good look with the re-test Gordon, hope you get it all ready for Stoneleigh.

John

SO close - bad luck AND well done!
So - how did the gear indicator perform? Did the fuel gauge behave better with car on deck? Trying alternative frequency source today - not yet ideal. See you soon. You were lucky with the weather!
Cheers
Bob C

hey up Bob C

just noticed that you in knutsford, im not far from you in delamere forest (20min by car 15min by locost!!!). just trying to make contacts in the area, you the 1st person who ive come across near home, if you int4erested in meeting up any time / need hand / advice give me a shout (locostbob@hotmail.com) im at the pre SVA pooing my pants stage, hopeing that i get half the good comments gorden got, well done mate!

just looking through your photos...did you make the digi dash??? have a mate in ashton who wants to use a digi dash, he also did electronics degree so would be interested in making one as well!!!

anyway mate, hopefully hear from you

bob

Sorry Bob

In all the excitment I completely forgot to look at the gear display. Mind you the only time it was out of 1st gear was on the speedo test, and I had to stand behind a barrier for that. Ill try and check it next tuesday.

John thanks for the info. Where did you take it to sort out your settings. It might give me an alternative if they struggle at the MOT place.

Gordon

well done good luck next time

Strength and honour brother, strength and honour! Mine too failed with flying colours!
My test today lasted 8 hours (no I am not exaggerating) 8:45 until 4:45 - OK we had 1/2 an hour for dinner but....
I got up at 5:30 and was at the test centre at 7:15am. A little too careful perhaps!
She failed the emissions straight off - the Lamda was too high, HC and CO were OK. I'll be following your advice above.
She failed (amongst 13 items in total) the radius of the back GRP panel at the bottom - it was a little rough before being gel coated and it failed. The sound was too high - despite acoustic material under the bonnet. I suspect the exhaust might be leaky hence the lambda and sound issues.
At least the drive home was a blast - the car is electric once you get the rev counter pointing up!
The test was so long I couldn;t even book a retest as the reception was closed!!!!
The tester wanted to fail me also becasue the steering wheel was too big (it's the standard Sierra model) and the seats weren't adjustable, but after poring through the SVA manual couldn't find the rules these items broke!!!!
Ha - ho.

Hi, Gordon
Sorry to hear you have joined my club
I took my car back to the MOT station today, for further adjustment.
I managed to get the Lambda reading right down by turning the mixture screws out three turns. I then needed to turn them back in a small amount to get the Hc back within tolerance.
I've got my retest on Monday, so fingers crossed
Thanks to the guys who gave me advice about richening things up. It seems to have done the trick.
Good luck with the retest Gordon
Cheers
Tim

Thanks for the info Tim.

Flipin ek Alister sounds like you had a right greuler. Mine was over in 2 1/2 hours and the bloke was realy good, if it had of been in his powers he would of got it through some how, but he couldnt get the emissions machine to give him the right piece of paper.

Hope you sort it soon

Gordon

Its seems yesterday was a bad day then :-( . Gordon all I did was look throught the yellow pages at garages phoned around a few and caught lucky with one who said bring it down and I'll try my hardest, his first thoughts were it must be sucking in air. Phone around a few pure tuning companies and thell them your problem and see what they can do. Also take your SVA emission test sheet so he can see first hand what the settings are.

Good luck all of you on your re-tests. Alister maybe it would be good for the SVA if you stuck the original airbox back on, will keep the induction noise down.

quote:

---

Originally posted by Mk-Ninja
Thanks for the info Tim.

Flipin ek Alister sounds like you had a right greuler. Mine was over in 2 1/2 hours and the bloke was realy good, if it had of been in his powers he would of got it through some how, but he couldnt get the emissions machine to give him the right piece of paper.

Hope you sort it soon

Gordon

---

Well, I failed mine today too.

MKNinja- I'd be very interested to know what you'll do with your emission's as mine failed on both CO and lamda. Tried leaning the mixture off, the lamda came down, the CO went up.....

Great tester though, really wanted me to pass, though I had quite a few stupid things I failed on, cos I didn't bother reading the manual!:

Front indicators too low, close together
Wing mirrors not radiused, need to get some cheap ones
Noise - chap who suppied the cat exhaust is gonna re pack it.
Front cycle wings too narrow for wheels - gotta get a new pair from Mark at Triton
Indicators flashed too fast - need new repeater
Dash bottom radius - just need to cover it in softer cut tubing
No restritor in fuel filler neck - anybody got one they could lend me?????

All basic stuff really - everything I was worried about (except emissions) it passed - brakes/steering/self-centering/etc....

Good luck everybody with retests.

Jasper

Ill sort out the figures I had on the emissions and post it most likely tomorrow.

Re your indicators, try putting higher wattage bulbs in, I had the same problem when I put some extended indicartors on that I have borrowed from OX. They had a lower wattage bulb in than the ones I had originaly fitted and the indicators flashed realy quick, so I put the bulbs in out of my original indicators and the worked OK. If you want Ill look what size bulbs are fitted in the morning. Let me know.

Good luck with rest

Gordon

sounds an ordeal hope you get a different tester next time!

yo jasper,didnt do too bad then,high lamba is usually cos of an air leak in the exhaust laters comrade

Gordon - are you using a lamda kit? I'd be interested in your figures, mine were the following at 2696rpm with a big CAT exhaust:

CO - 1.27 - needs to be 0.3
Lamda - 1.39 - needs to be 0.97-1.03

So well out. When I leaned the mixture one went down and the other went up!!

Cheers John

I used plenty of fire putty cos I couldn't fit a gasket it, so now I'll get me some longer stubs for the block and use the rigt gaskets, and get an engine tuner out to make sure it's spot on before the retest.

[Edited on 24/4/04 by Jasper]

I was with Jasper yesterday for his SVA & it was definitely not an ordeal, only hope when its my turn I get an engineer like Jaspers. The test took around 4hrs, very relaxed atmosphere the whole time and the engineer tried his best to get it through where possible. I recommend anybody planning to SVA their cars to go along with somebody else before to see what goes on, make notes and ask questions, yesterdays engineer was only to pleased to talk about what he was doing/looking for and answer questions.

Read the SVA manual during your builds, phone the SVA centre of your choice and talk to the engineers if you have any doubts about what to do or for interpretation of the requirements.

Don't worry about the SVA, from yesterday experience its not as bad as it would appear.

[Edited on 24/4/04 by wicket]

with a co like that it seems to be running very rich and/or the cat isnt working

Jasper

My figures were

CO 0.1
HC340
Lambda 1.3

After reading the above I have just stripped the carbs and cleaned the pilot jets, since that is all you are running on for the test. Also set the mixture screws as per the book. I have also glued up two holes in the exhaust, and sealed all the joints. Next step is to take it to the MOT station on Tuesday and see what we can get. Im only running with a cat like you. Its OXs and both him and J30fos went through the SVA without Lambda gear.

Oh Ive posted some pics.

Gordon

MK did you use Derby or Nottingham SVA test site. Interested because being in Loughborough I am about as close to either. Hoping for SVA about end of June time.

Derby. They were very friendly, couldnt fault them. Hope I get the same bloke when I go back for the emissions check.

Gordon, Just checked out your pics, looks like a very tidy build, looks very good. What you going to do with the bonnet, are you going to fit a buldge.

Good luck with the re-test.
Finally got the missus in it today she said it was to quick, not for her

its a shame to hear that your cars have failed guys ,hope the retest goes better.
nice looking car gordan,hope to see you in it on sunday woohoo

I think I would be tempted to wait till he's on holiday before I went back. There ought to be some sort of appeal procedure for people like him or you could tell him to blobbox as soon as you get your MAC.

Thanks John

The plan for the bonnet was to get a bulge when I fit K&Ns. It wont fit with the air box on, although Im getting used to it now.
You should have gone realy slow with your wife in and upped the speed a bit at a time. Looks like she will have to come with me if I get this thing on the road.

Gordon, I've just spoken to Steve at Fisher, and he's got a few ZX9 through SVA without lamda gear.

He said the following:

Pilot screw 1/2 to 3/4 turn out from bottom (run like sh*t so turn up the idle)

Make sure you're using the standard main jets and needles, I've fitted a dynojet kit so I need to go back to the originals.

And the others you know - get the cat very hot, and make sure there no air getting in anywhere.

Thanks for that Jasper.

I pulled my carbs to bits on Saturday. Cleaned the pilot jets and set to the book which is 1 5/8 turns out for my engine. It runs quite well like that but will reset to your figures at the garage tomorrow. Think Ive sealed the exhaust up. So fingers crossed for us both.

Gordon

Good luck with the re-tests guys.

Jasper, thanks for letting me come along to yours. Was interesting so see what I'm in for (hopefully before the end of the decade).

Cheers,

James

HI ALL keep up the good work.and good luck with the retests everyone
jacko