Jump to content

A3 2009 E-Sport TDI - failed MOT on emissions


AGM84
 Share

Recommended Posts

I bought this car in a rush last year, it had a long MOT and ran well but after buying it, turns out someone had completely butchered it (sorry, 'tuned' it)...£1000s later, and a year later it's run perfectly fine apart from smoking on start and acceleration (was an advisory on last MOT), but just failed its MOT on emissions. It's quite a way over, 2.82 when it should be 0.6. Just wondering if anyone has any ideas on this - I want to cut my losses and sell, and get a car on PCP instead (which on reflection I should have done in the first place). But I have quite a bit of money in this car (inc. owing my dad..!), and imagine if I sell without an MOT I'm not going to get much. 

Apparently it's had the DPF removed. It hasn't been serviced, the garage suggested a new air filter and a clean up might help. One of the advisories today was oil leak, but not excessive. I'm happy to spend a few £100 if it means I can get it through the MOT. Any tips? Would a new air filter, clean up, oil change, fuel treatment etc be able to lower the emissions enough? Otherwise it runs and drives beautifully, does a couple hundred motorway miles a week and great fuel economy.

 

Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites


No expert but surely replacing the DPF could help with the  emissions issue..Iknow they are expensive as the cheapest new i have found from Germany is just over £400..

Also surprised the MOT tester did not fail the car by not having a DPF (i presume they are not aware its missing)

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello A?,

Can we take it’s diesel? 

Smoke on start up can point to injector issues, but it would only be a guess. You will need to give us more information - which element of the emissions has it failed on? 

Dennis makes a very valid point.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/11/2020 at 7:07 PM, cliffcoggin said:

Hello Anon.

What's the mileage of the car? Are no entries in the service record, or is simply entirely "missing"?

Its at 122k. It didn't come with a service record (I know, I know, but it was bought in an emergency). I had £4k worth of work done on it shortly after I got it, it drives really nicely but just smokes. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/11/2020 at 9:22 PM, den9112 said:

No expert but surely replacing the DPF could help with the  emissions issue..Iknow they are expensive as the cheapest new i have found from Germany is just over £400..

Also surprised the MOT tester did not fail the car by not having a DPF (i presume they are not aware its missing)

 

Apparently they can't tell it doesn't have a DPF unless they pull it apart? 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/12/2020 at 8:30 AM, Magnet said:

Hello A?,

Can we take it’s diesel? 

Smoke on start up can point to injector issues, but it would only be a guess. You will need to give us more information - which element of the emissions has it failed on? 

Dennis makes a very valid point.

Kind regards,

Gareth.

Yes it's a TDI. from the MOT I can only see one emissions measurement. the absorption coefficient. Test limit was 0.6 , it averaged 2.8 so way out. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Was the car affected with the EA189 software fix,if you put the reg number in this page it will tell you. https://www.audi.co.uk/owners-area/emissions/check-your-car.html.

If it as it was well known to affect injectors ,DPF and EGR saying you no longer have the DPF and i presume the EGR is mapped out, it could if it as been done affected the injectors ,i know as i have changed all 4 mine after 15k on the fix they were causing bad idling and after checking with vcds all 4 were way out of tolerance.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I really don't know if replacing the DPF alone will cure the problem. The lack of a service record is suspicious, as is the oil leak from an engine of only moderate mileage. Whether the cause is merely a defective injector or a totally clapped out engine, the repair will not be cheap. It could be more a question of whether it will cost a small fortune or a large one. I suggest before you make a decision on disposal, that you get the engine assessed by an Audi expert, preferably an independent rather than an Audi dealer with a vested interest.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, cliffcoggin said:

I really don't know if replacing the DPF alone will cure the problem. The lack of a service record is suspicious, as is the oil leak from an engine of only moderate mileage. Whether the cause is merely a defective injector or a totally clapped out engine, the repair will not be cheap. It could be more a question of whether it will cost a small fortune or a large one. I suggest before you make a decision on disposal, that you get the engine assessed by an Audi expert, preferably an independent rather than an Audi dealer with a vested interest.

I know - it is completely butchered, I had a lot done to it a year ago and it does run really well bar the smoke. Someone tried to mod it and just made a complete balls up of it! 
I don’t want to spend more than a few £100 on it, otherwise it’s not worth the risk and will just sell without an MOT. Just wondering if an air filter change and a dose of RedEx or BG244 would clear up the smoke enough to get through the MOT. I don’t foresee a long life ahead for it but as it is currently very driveable it would be nice to get a few more miles out of it...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share




×
×
  • Create New...

Forums


News


Membership