Failed Emission

[Rafal]

Hi Guys

I am writing this post looking for a word of advice. My MOT failed because, among other things, failure of the emission test. There is a leak of gases from the front pipe and MOT mechanic mentioned that sealing this might improve next test of emission. What else would you do? I am planning on replacing oil and oil filter as it is due to be done anyway. Does injection of the fuel system cleaners help in such situation? If yes, which one I should be looking for? I am driving 1997 Toyota Carina E 1.8 petrol.

Thanks

[BALIKBAYAN]

How bad was the result of the emission test? Here in Sweden it is normal to pour some Ethanol (E85) in the petrol to get better values on the exhaust, just to pass the test. The engine do run properly with up to about 25% E85 in the tank. When you have up to 50 % the engine is not running anygood, unless you increase the fuelpressure.

Of course it is always best to get all the exhaustgases through the oxygensensor to get a correct value from the sensor. The sensor migth give a true reading, but it also might not.

How are your Carina, mileage, faults, rust etc...? You have some posts about wheel cylinders too. Is it worth the money to get the car through the MOT test and fix the problems you have with it?

It is not easy to decide when it is not worth the money to repair a car anymore. But it is sometimes needed to do.

[trev3635]

Try some FORTE engine cleaner, it reduces the carbon deposits in the engine which is a major contributor to high emissions. Alternatively sell it to me for a reasonable price if your not too far away from carlisle!!

[Rafal]

Thank you for your advise. I am not going to sell it at the moment as I can get everything done for about £200 plus need to pass the Emissions. I am not quite ready to buy new car yet and apart from few faults with the brakes and emissions all is good.

The only test that failed is CO. The reading during first fast idle test was 0.58 and the reading during second fast idle test was 0.52 It has to be less then 0.30 to pass. During natural idle test it reads 0.48 and passes that as the requirement is 0.50

There is a leak of gases from front pipe and I was told that this might be a reason. Although last year when I passed MOT, the mechanic at KwikFit told me that because of the age of the car he kept it on a bit longer than required and that is how it passed.

I will try that fuel system cleaner.

While I try to fix that I am also trying to fix the brakes. One of the things I need to buy are brake shoes and I noticed that there are two types, one without and one with the lever. I am not quite sure which one should I buy. Would you have any advice here too?

Cheers

[BALIKBAYAN]

Try that cleaner and make sure that the engine is warm and nice. It is important to have the engine at normal operating temperature to get good values on the exhaust too.

[Rafal]

Thank you. I got Forte cleaner today.

Just last thing, does it matter what fuel do I put in before MOT? I mean would 99 Octanes fuel make any difference to the result of emission?

Cheers

Rafal

[trev3635]

Not really sure whether the expensive petrol would help or not. Worth a try i suppose. I had to put two bottles of FORTE in when i had my last carina MOT'd but it did have 260K on the clock! As for your brakes, i have the same model and year carina as you and mine has the lever. Hope this helps.

[BALIKBAYAN]

I doubt that higher octane will give cleaner exhaustgases. It is the same thing in both kind of petrols. Higher octane means that it manage higher cylinderpressure without starting the combustion.

[Rafal]

Not really sure whether the expensive petrol would help or not. Worth a try i suppose. I had to put two bottles of FORTE in when i had my last carina MOT'd but it did have 260K on the clock! As for your brakes, i have the same model and year carina as you and mine has the lever. Hope this helps.

Thanks

My Carina got 180k (miles) on the clock and I am really happy with how it performs. I know, it failed emission, an usual item which is bar links (at least one to be replaced every year) and some parts of the breaks system (pads, discs, brake pipes again, rear brake shoes). But bear in mind that when I bought it 3 years ago it had 70k on the clock and I did 110k miles during 3 years period, so no surprise there that I need to replace few bits and pieces. I also have constantly problems with the exhaust. When my lambda sensor failed I got another one for a tenner from scrape yard. When this one failed and there were no more Carinas at the scrape yard I found few early Toyotas Avensis, with exactly the same engine inside, I could have not belived my eyes, hence another lambda sensor for a tenner, these cost usually 300 pounds new. How lucky can you get? : ) And with this sensor I passed MOT last year. I have already put one fuel system cleaner into the tank and will put Forte in tomorrow when I refuel again. How much fuel should I put in with it to make it work best?

Regarding shoes, I also asked one of the online shop's rep and he told me that you can easily detach this lever and attach to the shoes that come without it. I guess it is for those who do not want to pay extra for the shoes with the lever already attached to it when you can use your old one.

[BALIKBAYAN]

That was a very low mileage Carina you bought 3 years ago.

[Rafal]

That was a very low mileage Carina you bought 3 years ago.

Yes that was. And I think that it is an excellent car. I have done something like 50k first year travelling from Inverness to Glasgow and to Aberdeen all the time taking friends and their friends to airports. This car did amazing things during last three years, there were days when I did 1000-1200 miles in one day. And after all these years and all these miles this car starts first time without any effort each and every single time (knock on the wood) and nothing rattles inside nothing squeaks apart from some engine belts from time to time : ) I had very minor accident 2 years ago after which my bonnet is a little bit damaged so I won't put a picture of it here but I have to say that after all that this car did I simply love it. It is the most reliable car I have every driven and even friends of mine who have BMWs and other cars, when they drive it they can not believe how good it is to drive and how comfortable it is.

[BALIKBAYAN]

I like the Carina cars very much. Unfortunatly the rust is coming on my car now. I have had faults like lambda sensor, 2 injectors and a bad exhaust manifold this year. It runs good, but I am afraid that it is soon time for another car because of the rust. The engine will last longer than the body of the car.

I always get parts that don't fit when I buy from Toyota or other shops. I would guess that something has happened with the car before I bought it (5 years ago) and that it is not the original things mounted in it anymore. I have 210200km on the clock now (131k miles).

[Rafal]

I like the Carina cars very much. Unfortunatly the rust is coming on my car now. I have had faults like lambda sensor, 2 injectors and a bad exhaust manifold this year. It runs good, but I am afraid that it is soon time for another car because of the rust. The engine will last longer than the body of the car.

I always get parts that don't fit when I buy from Toyota or other shops. I would guess that something has happened with the car before I bought it (5 years ago) and that it is not the original things mounted in it anymore. I have 210200km on the clock now (131k miles).

Yes, lambda sensor and exhaust, there is always a trouble with them. For lambda sensor when it fails try the scrape yard first, if there are no carinas there then try early toyotas Avensis as the have the same engines as Carinas and there are always a few at the scrape yard to take parts from. I have to say that at 131k miles your car got still fairly good mileage and should keep going for a long time to come : ) As long as you can fix that problem with rust or just leave it unless it affects vital parts of the car.

[Josh_]

Hi Guys

I am writing this post looking for a word of advice. My MOT failed because, among other things, failure of the emission test. There is a leak of gases from the front pipe and MOT mechanic mentioned that sealing this might improve next test of emission. What else would you do? I am planning on replacing oil and oil filter as it is due to be done anyway. Does injection of the fuel system cleaners help in such situation? If yes, which one I should be looking for? I am driving 1997 Toyota Carina E 1.8 petrol.

Thanks

How can I put this... *nudge wink* If all else fails, it would be completely illegal to offer the tester a tip to pass your car anyway, and you should on no account make a subtle attempt to do so. I definitely have never heard of anyone doing this and having the emissions test done on another car, for example. I would not recommend suggesting that on the retest, you would give them an extra few quid 'to cover your time making sure the car's fully warmed up and taking extra special care with the placement of the emissions probe.' That wouldn't be good because it's illegal, see... ;)