Exhaust noise limits?

[Ian Anderson]

Hi John

You're certainly not considered the enemy in my books and given the chance would love to find some one like you to take the car to when the MOT's start in another 2 years.

I believe the tests are good and I am all for safety - get the cars off the road that have no brakes, shitty steering etc. (Oh and don't get me started on the East European cars over here for extended periods - how the hell can they be legal wih no tax discs etc? never been of the road outside my home for 3 years and so how could it be MOT'd in Poland or wherever?)

If I thought anything on the 40 was wrong I would spend to get it right! The car moves and accelerates so quickly that you need to know it will work correctly.

So do you know anywhere where there is a proper testing center that is run by a petrolhead that will allow the cars to be tested for things like noise etc? (Without also acting as executioner?) Sure if it's wrong it needs fixed but to impound and have to trailer home? Nah

Mini Hitler yes he was and his parting comment when the second tester came over to have a look at the 40 and asked "So Jimmy you fancy yourself in one of these?" He aswered "No they shold not be allowed on the road!" I wish I has a tape recorder going and then I would have appealed!

Ian

[john 215]

Hi Ian
Not a million miles from you,so give a call in a couple of years,would be a pleasure to test your car.Mind you the goverment want to bring in ,the first test at four years then every two years after that but thats a different story!
Cheeers John

[Paul B]

........Am I outspoken - yes - you should have seen the Mini Hitler that tested my car for SVA and he made the rules up as he went. I then played his game and put all his requirements on the car and it passed. (Does this mean I won?) The only sensible one was that the rear lights did not act as reflectors and I needed to fit some reflectors att he rear of the car. The rest was BS (For example Where in the manusl does it say the wiring loom has to be in cplit conduit? But he insisted on it even though it was a professional loom correctly loom taped!)....

Don't these sort of operations have a complaints procedure, a chain of command, written rules and regulations so that issues like this can be sorted correctly, rather than at the behest of some little hitler?

Sometimes all those guys need is a shake up and a written complaint to their boss or head office. You don't have to grovel and bend over backwards to them.

A hard slap to the head often works, but not always

[mgbv8]

A friend of mine with an MGB GT V8 conversion, has just been told by an mot man that side exit exhausts are illegal. Full stop..
Mine passes with sidepipes?
Doesnt the Merc Van have a sidepipe?
The guy did also tell him that the only MG ever made with a V8 was the MGC. Which is completely wrong.
I suggested he use another test station.

[Paul B]

A friend of mine with an MGB GT V8 conversion, has just been told by an mot man that side exit exhausts are illegal. Full stop..
Mine passes with sidepipes?
Doesnt the Merc Van have a sidepipe?
The guy did also tell him that the only MG ever made with a V8 was the MGC. Which is completely wrong.
I suggested he use another test station.

Ask to see the rules if the MOT man tells you anything you consider wrong.

Every MOT station should have the complaints form in stock too, if you think the guy is being a total cabbage.

[Ian Anderson]

John

Many thanks for the offer I may take you up on it - all things being equal in a couple of years when the MOT is due. I have heard a number of people taking the GT40's for MOT and the inspectors saying the rollers are too high for a brake test so lests go for a drive and test them on the road! Anything for a spin! If I'm up that directon I'll stop in and let up have a look / spin.

Paul
Yes I agree and that would have been my option but I needed the car passed so I could head for the Le Mans Classic last year - a complaint would have tied it in red tape for months! As I have said before judge, jury and executioner in one and the apeal is done by the same office!

No play them at their game and you win!

Side pipes? What about most heavy trucks - the pipe exits where exactly? Oh and Cobras always have side pipes? No they originated with twin pipes out the rear but the side pipes are way cooler!

Ian

[john 215]

Hi,
I can see no reason why a car with side pipes should fail,as long as they are secure ect,just because they are side pipes is not a reason for rejection.
Ian i will have our Tapley meter ready (the type of tester you use to access brake on the road)
Cheers John

[Paul B]

Hi,
I can see no reason why a car with side pipes should fail,as long as they are secure ect,just because they are side pipes is not a reason for rejection.
Ian i will have our Tapley meter ready (the type of tester you use to access brake on the road)
Cheers John

It definitly pays to cultivate a good friendly MOT man. I've had my Morris hot rod done at the same place the last two years, and the guy is in to old cars, plus I also get our two normal cars MOTed there now, and any repair work that I can't handle myself easily.

[mgbv8]

Blimey John!!!
A Tapley Decelerometer...do they still use those things?

I remember years ago when the MOT man used to take the car out on the road after the pit inspection with the Tapley in the passenger footwell.

That brings back a few memories of my old MK1 Tina...

[john 215]

Hi,
Yeah still on the list of approved equipment! We have a electronic version that we use in the case of some 4 wheel drive stuff or if the vech not suitable for roller testing,ie Daf Variomatic anyone remenber those things 2 huge belt driven drums on the back,do 50mph forward and 50 mph in reverse
Cheers John

[Paul B]

J
Paul
Yes I agree and that would have been my option but I needed the car passed so I could head for the Le Mans Classic last year - a complaint would have tied it in red tape for months! As I have said before judge, jury and executioner in one and the apeal is done by the same office!

I might be buying a hot rod 'kit car' in the near future, which has a kit car registration but has been off the road for years, so I'm thinking of building it to SVA spec, if not actually putting it through the test, just in case plod decide to make me do it at some stage.

I haven't bought a copy yet, but I'm hoping the book has all the regulations down to the Nth degree to save any fisticuffs at the testing station. Is it actually as clear cut as I'm hoping, or is a lot 'open to interpretation' by the tester?

[Ian Anderson]

Paul B

Save the £37.50
Look
http://www.rootpeg.net/SVAMarch2004.pdf

Ian

[davemgb]

Race circuits in the UK have varying noise limits, depending on their location and the event

I'm a little late to this thread but feel it should be made clear that all race circuits have the same noise limits set by the RAC MSA. Some events are exempt from the RAC MSA limits if allowed by aggreement with local planning authorities and circuit owners.

You could work on the basis that energy is needed to make noise and if that energy is escaping down the exhausts then you could be using it to go faster!

A Tapley Decelerometer...do they still use those things?

I remember years ago when the MOT man used to take the car out on the road after the pit inspection with the Tapley in the passenger footwell.

My MOT tester knows no other way to test my cars' brakes given it has a limited slip diff.

One good side to the computerisation of the mot test should have been the ending of the self proclaimer expert at the testing station inventing the rules as they when along. However it seems this was too much too hope for....

[Paul B]

Paul B

Save the £37.50
Look
http://www.rootpeg.net/SVAMarch2004.pdf

Ian

Thanks, downloaded now

[IainB]

Thanks, downloaded now

I havent opened the link at work, but I 'think' from reading the NSRA site that this has changed a hell of a lot (if it is indeed as old as the name suggests)