DPF removal check to be part of UK MOT test from February 2014

[JungleJames]

There's a reputable tuner and garage owner looking now, maybe he can answer.

But yes, many reputable places offered DPF removal.

Were they really reputable? Bearing in mind chains are very rarely reputable. 

[@Lee]

the ones I had in mind aren't national chains.

[JungleJames]

 

 

If its just a case of anything changing your emissions from stock, then surely all remaps would also be illegal.

 

Or are they scheduled for 2015. It was cats in 2013, DPFs in 2014, so remaps in 2015?

Excuse my ignorance, as i know nothing about remaps. But what would these remaps be doing?

Would they make an engine fail an emissions test?

If all they are doing is increasing the power from the engine, then that isnt a fail, as the emssions will be based on the amount of power the engine is producing.

[@Lee]

*Insert facepalm here*

[JungleJames]

the ones I had in mind aren't national chains.

OK. Well, whoever they are, have been extremely stupid and naive. Im very surprised to find reputable garages offering such a service.

The questions though is whether they were advertising such a service, and whether they advised that the car would no longer be road worthy, before carrying out such service.

Very very poor none the less.

[JungleJames]

*Insert facepalm here*

Whats that for?

[@Lee]

Whats that for?

please have a read up on remaps

[Tramell]

Excuse my ignorance, as i know nothing about remaps. But what would these remaps be doing?

Would they make an engine fail an emissions test?

If all they are doing is increasing the power from the engine, then that isnt a fail, as the emssions will be based on the amount of power the engine is producing.

So far as I can tell, the claimed reasons for remapping an Engine Control Unit (ECU) are to make a car more economical (better mpg) and/or faster.  To save you Googling, there is a reasonable article HERE.  I suspect that MOT test centres might have other reasons for wanting to fail a car that had been chipped - e.g. are the brakes adequate for the increased power, is the suspension system adequate?

 

I can see why Insurance companies might appreciate a register of cars that have been chipped and what exactly has been done to them, it wouldn't surprise me if this idea is raised whenever they "entertain" the Secretary of State for Transport

[JungleJames]

Many thanks Tramell. Based on that, and considering the engine would still have to be within its designed parameters, I highly doubt a remap could cause a car to fail an emissions test. I may be wrong, but the worst you could do is increase the emissions in line with the power output. So should still be within legal limits for that particular engine.

Unless someone more knowledgeable knows any different.

But it wouldnt be a case of cracking down on remaps/ Chipping. It would just be a case of doing an emissions test.

Oh, and considering petrol cars which have been remapped have no doubt undergone emissions tests, it obviously cant be a problem.

[JungleJames]

Oh, and Mr Patrick, I did ask for my ignorance on mapping to be excused.

I had a vague idea, but needed it clarified.

Now to find a subject Mr LeePatrick isnt very sure on

[rwbaldwin]

...I can see why Insurance companies might appreciate a register of cars that have been chipped and what exactly has been done to them, it wouldn't surprise me if this idea is raised whenever they "entertain" the Secretary of State for Transport ...

It is! I have been told that on the next revision of the V5 there will be a section for modifications.

[Zuhayb]

A member on this forum mentioned, you can fit a somewhat cover to hide the dpf. Most garages won't be able to notice if the dpf has been removed. 

Mines been removed.

[nick74]

For anyone who's DPF has been removed it might be an idea to get your car MOT'd this month or next before this new part of the test comes in.

 

You can MOT your car any time you like (ie you don't have to wait for the old MOT to expire first) and that would at least give you almost a year to see how the new test will be implemented, and decide what to do from there.

[fordfan]

A MOT tester will have a good idea as to whether a DPF has been removed or not.  The photo below shows an exhaust tail pipe from a 21,000 mile diesel car with a DPF.

 

 

The inside of it is completely free of soot and it was backed up by a smoke test result of 0.01/m, which in my experience is a little on the high side as usually on that particular type of car I can't get the smoke meter to register anything.

 

Smoke limits for a turbo diesel are:

 

upto 01/07/2008 3.50/m

after 01/07/2008 1.50/m

 

Whats to stop a new substantially lower limit coming into force for cars from a certain date?, 0.5/m would likely weed out cars without a DPF.

 

If a tester suspects that a DPF has been removed and does pass the benefit of any doubt to the vehicle presenter, there's nothing to stop him voicing his concerns as an advisory, which would then be on the vehicles permanent MOT record.

[gadgetman]

Someone mentioned decats which I think are also being checked from next year?

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Link?

[gadgetman]

Link?

Was either in one of the other threads on this or via a forum someone linked to.

[@Lee]

For anyone who's DPF has been removed it might be an idea to get your car MOT'd this month or next before this new part of the test comes in.

 

You can MOT your car any time you like (ie you don't have to wait for the old MOT to expire first) and that would at least give you almost a year to see how the new test will be implemented, and decide what to do from there.

I thought the earliest you can present your car for MOT was ~ 1 month before it expires?

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

I thought you could test it as early as you liked but you'll only get 1 month extra on the MOT so it'd run out 13 months from test date. 

[XLBaconDoubleCheese]

Was either in one of the other threads on this or via a forum someone linked to.

 

I'll have a look about, cheers

[silver1011]

Removing the DPF isn't illegal.

 

It just means you might have an issue come MOT time, but that wasn't ever disputed, even before this thread.

 

It is also worth noting that garages that offer a DPF removal service often also MOT cars. Go figure.

 

The DPF on my vRS, Scout and Superb are all but hidden from view and therefore it is only possible to make a brief examination of its appearance. If the weld is on the back of the DPF then any MOT tester would continue to be non-the-wiser.

 

Also as previously mentioned a sooty tailpipe isn't the for the sole reserve of non-DPF cars. The DPF on my vRS was on its way out and that had a sooty tailpipe.

 

An advisory or note on the certificate wouldn't be a concern either. If the car is old enough to warrant a genuine DPF removal then any future owners will be relieved to see the expense of removing it won't be theirs.

 

Cars that have had their DPF's removed will continue to pass MOT's. Had I kept my PD170 vRS I'd likely have been forced down this route too.

 

Skoda need to look at reducing the part cost of a replacement DPF. The best part of a £1,000 is profiteering. Until this price comes down then older cars will continue to have their DPF's removed.

[rwbaldwin]

...Removing the DPF isn't illegal.

It just means you might have an issue come MOT time...

see link in post #1.

'The filters need to be ‘regenerated’ regularly through burning the soot to gas at a very high temperature, leaving behind a residue. If not carried out properly, regeneration can lead to a build up of soot, which can affect performance. This has led to some diesel vehicle owners opting to remove the filter, which makes their car illegal for road use.'

[Llanigraham]

Removing the DPF isn't illegal.

  

 

Sorry, but you are wrong.

Check The Construction & Use Regulations.

[silver1011]

It is only illeagal if the vehicle no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet.

 

Removing the DPF 'may' contravene these requirements but not always. It will vary vehicle by vehicle.

 

Therefore removing the DPF itself is not illegal. It only becomes illegal if the vehicle then fails to meet the emissions standards set when it was approved.

Edited 6 December, 2013 by silver1011

[gadgetman]

It is only illeagal if the vehicle no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet.

 

Removing the DPF 'may' contravene these requirements but not always. It will vary vehicle by vehicle.

 

Therefore removing the DPF itself is not illegal. It only becomes illegal if the vehicle then fails to meet the emissions standards set when it was approved.

Nope, it's illegal.  Someone posted the regs earlier in one of the other threads.  If your car doesnt meet the published CO2 levels, which are also on your V5, which a DPF removal wont, you have broken the law.

 

According to the Department for Transport, it is an offence under theRoad vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations (Regulation 61a(3)) to use a vehicle which has been modified in such a way that it no longer complies with the air pollutant emissions standards it was designed to meet. Removal of a DPF will almost invariably contravene these requirements, making the vehicle illegal for road use.