Jayzzle

So I have everything but centre bearing and rubber surround. Changed 1 track rod end and a bush on the same side, was gonna change the springs back to stock springs too but I don't have a thin walled socket to go in it. Doh! I had a look at the prob bearing cus I thought F1 might have been exaggerating a little but it turns out that there is more or less nothing left. Oddness. I got like 4 days to finish it all lol to get it back in before I get charged again ^.^

Oh I also put the N/S/F pad wear sensor on but I can't for the life of me figure out how to get it to not move or just fall out. So I just taped it to the cable so it doesn't just hang loose, The light will still go out right?

If I had a way to get there I would but cus the car is off the road and I got no other means of transport, I think I've learnt my lesson with MoT and tax.. Thanks for the offer though mate :)

I was thinking more of getting a little agressive and searching out my old buzz saw to get them off. Your way sounds better, Mine might be a little overkill o.0 I was never very good with a grinder or a drill so welding seems like my best option. I got a quote for all the parts I might need and Gsf are like £70, but my local parts store (Square Deal) will do it for £56, probably a little less if I go there in person, the only trouble will be getting replacement bolts for the allen ones, I guess any M8x22 will fit? Thanks for your reply and continued support :)

So, I contacted VoSa, I didn't say much, just about 2 things, this is what I said to them...

"I recently took my car, which is a 1990 Bmw 318i Touring for an MoT, It failed on a few of things, but the most perplexing to me, were:
1 - Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition.
2 - Steering lock device missing.


My car, is currently fitted with an aftermarket exhaust system made by Scorpion, obviously, it is louder than a stock exhaust but is this a legitimate reason to fail a car? After all, isn't sound the whole point of fitting an aftermarket exhaust?

I was also under the impression, that vehicles which were made before September 2001 were not subjected to a steering lock device test, again, is this a legitimate reason for a refusal of MoT?

If you could get back to me Asap with whether or not the garage was correct in failing me for the aforementioned reasons I would appreciate it greatly.

Many thanks."

I got a reply just now, which was...

"Dear Mr Morgan. Thank you for your email enquiry dated 12th May 2013, concerning your recent MOT. Unfortunately, the MOT manual does require that the silencer be in such condition, or of such a type, that the noise emitted from the vehicle isclearly unreasonably above the level expected from a similar vehicle with a standard silencer in average condition. Whilst the MOT is only a basic roadworthiness examination and does not mean that the vehicle conforms to all aspects of legislation having a noisierexhaust could be in contravention of other road legislation. You should contact the Department for Transport on 0300 330 3000 for further advice on this matter. The vehicle should not have failed for the steering lock missing as this inspection does not apply to a vehicle of this age. If you think your carhas incorrectly failed an MOT test you will be required to complete a VT17 appeal form which are available from any MOT testing station.Alternatively, you can ring our Contact Centre on the number below who will be able to advise you further. Blah Blah Blah"

So that's abit of good news I guess, I sent the DfT an email just now about the exhaust, I dunno if any of you are particularly interested in my endeavours but I thought I'd let you all know anyway.. Cus I'm nice like that :)

It's !Removed!. I'm guessing someone has tried to change it before (hence why I have spares) and they rounded off the allen bolts on the support plate (picture 2 of the link I provided). So I don't know what to do now. I can't get them off, so does that mean that I can't do the Bushes? So frustrated right now. Argh >.<

Ok thanks, I'll get a picture of it hopefully.

Thanks guys :) About the Sub Frame Bushes, do I have to have both sides of the car up at the same time or can I do one side at a time? And if so, where do I stack my bricks to support the car while I'm under it? Cus I read a post, http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/index.php/Replacing_Rear_Subframe_Bushes , And it says to use the side jacking points to support the car, but mine are all bent in and knackered.. Any suggestions guys?

Done the lights! One less thing to worry about xD

Yeah, I was reading some articles about it, and it's all going on about dropping the whole thing off the car to replace, I'm pretty sure that I've already got the bushes, when I got the car home after I bought it, there were 2 of them in the spare wheel well with what looks like a fuel filter? So I'm guessing the P.O already knew they were going but just neglected to tell me. Not that it would have stopped me buying the car, I've always wanted an E30. and for the price I paid for it, it was a good buy, And I've already had a year out of it too, much better than the other heaps I pay the same amount for. At least it doesn't have massive holes everywhere like the MK1 Sierra and the MK2 astra I bought had lol :)

Well unfortunately, I'm not a mechanical genius like you guys, or it wouldn't be a problem for me either :/ I will still attempt it, but I'm not confident about it, and it will take me longer than a day regardless.

What do you mean? You think they failed on things it shouldn't have failed on? Please, elaborate :)

I downloaded the Bentley manual thing, and it reckons to change centre bearing the whole shaft has to come off, that would ##### me up, cus no doubt I'd lose something or put it back wrong. And for the subframe, the whole brake assembly has to come off, and the brakes re-bled when it's done.

But like I say, I don't really have the tools or space to do it. And I'm working on a REAL tight budget, considering the amount of money I have already poured into this shitbox. I reckon £40 would buy everything I need, then I'll just have to work with what I've already got.

I don't think I'm capable of that tbh lol, I'll have a go but no way could I do it in 1 day. I don't have the equipment, space or tools I'd need, to support the car while dropping the frame, and even if I did, I wouldn't know where to begin, I've looked up a guide online but it involves a lot of taking literally everything apart and dropping the whole subframe and everything out which I really don't wanna do, same for the prop bearing, I wouldn't know how to go about it. It would take me a few days at least but I don't have anywhere to do it either, my front garden where the car lives is a downward slope so can't really do it there, and if I leave it on the pathway for the night inbetween fixing days, the council/dvla will take it for not having tax. The small stuff is easy, tie rods and bushes, the exhaust and lights etc, I could do all that in a day I guess.

Yeah I'm sure ^.^ It's not all that much really, biggest jobs are prop bearing and subframe mounts. Rest of it is just small stuff really.

Here you are Dabs. As requested. Le failure sheets. And emission thing. What do you want it for?

Aha sounds like a good idea to me :)

Ah ok, so what would taking that off do? :P

Is a MAF the same thing as an AFM? :S If not then IDK what it is xD

Yeah man. I agree with a lot of the fails, cus they make sense. But 3 or 4 are just ridiculous tbf. But anyway, any idea how I can change the mixture? Is it to do with the AFM? take the top off and twiddle about with the ratchet thing in there? I'm sure I read that somewhere a few weeks ago.

I did tell him that, it's louder than stock fair enough but like I say, I know of loads of cars that are much, much louder than mine. His response was "if it's not stock I can't pass it". Meaning I have to cut that Scorpion off and weld the stock silencer back on. I had to put the original suspension back on too lol cus he wouldn't test it while it was that low ^.^ I'm thinking about emailing VOSA to get their views on the matter, cus like I said before, there are a couple of things it failed on that I don't agree with.

Hmm, how can I adjust the fuel mixture? xD

Also, I have welded a brand new middle box onto the downpipe bit and then welded a bendy bit of pipe to the other side of that then welded my Scorpion Oval onto that. you don't think it should have failed for that? It specifically says:-

003 Exhaust noise is clearly in excess of that emitted by a similar vehicle fitted with a standard silencer in average condition [7.1.4]

There are a few more on there that I don't agree with also but I don't know wether they are right or not.

It doesn't have a CaT no, and as for the after market exhaust, I didn't mean illegal, I just meant they will fail it if it isn't stock. The guy at the test centre said that if it's louder than when it came from the factory it will fail. Mine is nowhere near the DB limit, it's actually pretty quiet compared to impreza wagons etc. Is that all I need to do then? just clean everything? What about fuel mixture does that come into it? I'm pretty sure it's running rich, it stinks of petrol and I reckon it uses a tonne more than it should be using.

1281

Ok so I took the Tardis (E30 318i Touring(M40B18)) for an MoT today, and, shock horror, it failed. There's a list of stuff it failed on, but the most perplexing, is the exhaust system. Apparently you're not allowed to take a car for an MoT with an aftermarket exhaust on it. Its emissions were 3.75% when it should have been 3.50%. Is that bad? How can I correct this? Thanks chaps.

I like this one...

1. BMW Alpina B12
2. Aston Martin Vantage 1996
3. Lancia Delta Integrale
4. Lambourghini Mercialago
5. Escort Cosworth RS (To smash up into an oncoming RenHalt !)

MMM Lancia Delta, why didn't I think of that >.<

1. Silvia S15

2. E46 M3

3. MK1 Jetta GTI

4. 190E Cosworth

5. 63 DB5

I fixed a guys car, then searched around a bit for an E36 325 tds. Now I'm sat here for a minute eating a cadburys cream egg, then I'll do dinner. :S