Overheating Again

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I can't find any info on proposed changes to the UK MOT that will check for the presence/operation/removal of a EGR system. All I can find is:
Other items – such as headlamp bulb and unit incompatibility, headlamp levelling devices and illegal engine ‘chipping’ – will need further thought before we can get a workable solution for MOT stations.
At present, engine chipping is not illegal, but VOSA seem to think it is. There are legitimate instances where a cars ECU requires it's injection/ignition maps altering, I run a Lotus Elan SE which is tuned and I remapp it to suit. This isn't illegal activity. Nor is plugging in a tuning chip, whether it was internally in the ECU on my GEMS RR, or an external chip on my Freelander TD4. In any case, how will an MOT station know what was standard on a vehicle, what's been added/altered? The internal chip or a re-flashing upgrade isn't detectable in maost cases, even with dealership diagnostics.

The head lamp thing is about the fact that the EU says all vehicles fitted with HID headlamps MUST have self levelling lights. If you fit an HID conversion with no self levelling it will fail the MOT. As for the Range Rover there is a line of thought that says the vehicle self levels so that would be ok. And pass the test. For instance a Range Rover fitted with an HID conversion and coil springs would fail. Because there is no self levelling. One on air would pass. As you say the equipement required to detect a remap or soldered in chip would be prohibativly expensive. The PSI or any other plug in mod would fail. Because they can see it. Petrol cars chips maybe easier to detect on the emissions check than diesel, were the only thing tested for is smoke. My DSE is internally chipped and passes smoke test with ease. Just how they are going to detect a blocked off EGR defeats me. The EGR mainly only works when the engine is cold and the test must be done with engine at normal operating temperature. So as long as the EGR appears to be there i cannot see a problem. If someone buys a kit off eBay with a straight connector then maybe it would fail. Because of a none approved mod.
 
I'm taking this thread way off topic......

I understand the requirement for some of the proposals, how many times have you been blinded by an old Corsa with aftermarket HIDs? So agree, they should be made illegal. However, there are some cars with factory fitted HIDs that have no self levelling system, a friends Subaru comes to mind. I think it has manual levelling AFAICR. The only way to check an EGR system is functional is to take it apart. There is no way to check it is actually operating unless they can plug into the diagnostics and manually overide it, and in many cases, there's no way to see it operate. Removal of the system may be obvious, but many cars have engine covers now, my Disco TD5 for example, making cursery examination hard, especially as some removal kits are replacemnt straight through pipes with blocked exhaust ports. Can't see this happening. Then there is the "illegal" chipping. Why is VOSA saying it's illegal? It's not. And again, if an external chip is neatly installed, detection can be hard. There is talk about that as in some countries modification to any part of a car will be illegal unless that part is certified. These countries don't allow kit cars to be registered, and I presume historic and classic cars are a mindfield. Will that happen in the UK just so the EU can be made happy with UK conformity? This is a subject close to my heart, as I build and drive kit cars, and enjoy turning my Lotus and modifying diesel engines.
 
I'm taking this thread way off topic......

I understand the requirement for some of the proposals, how many times have you been blinded by an old Corsa with aftermarket HIDs? So agree, they should be made illegal. However, there are some cars with factory fitted HIDs that have no self levelling system, a friends Subaru comes to mind. I think it has manual levelling AFAICR. The only way to check an EGR system is functional is to take it apart. There is no way to check it is actually operating unless they can plug into the diagnostics and manually overide it, and in many cases, there's no way to see it operate. Removal of the system may be obvious, but many cars have engine covers now, my Disco TD5 for example, making cursery examination hard, especially as some removal kits are replacemnt straight through pipes with blocked exhaust ports. Can't see this happening. Then there is the "illegal" chipping. Why is VOSA saying it's illegal? It's not. And again, if an external chip is neatly installed, detection can be hard. There is talk about that as in some countries modification to any part of a car will be illegal unless that part is certified. These countries don't allow kit cars to be registered, and I presume historic and classic cars are a mindfield. Will that happen in the UK just so the EU can be made happy with UK conformity? This is a subject close to my heart, as I build and drive kit cars, and enjoy turning my Lotus and modifying diesel engines.

It is as you say a mine field. There are thousands of kit cars/modified cars in this country. If this is done retrospectivly it would cause havoc. Even if they said no mods after a certain date, that would also cause havoc. After market tuning parts is a multi million, if not billion pound industry in GB. So i cannot see the full EU requirements being brought in and closing that down. Unless they introduce a money grabbing scheme were you have to take your car along to a testing station and pay fee to get mods certified. Don't put that one past them. I can understand the HID lamps thing i am sick of being blinded by the bloody things even when they are on dip, and i drive a Rangie. What it must be like for a driver closer to the ground i can only guess. If a car coming towards you with these things goes over a speed bump you are momentarily blinded. I personally think they are a hazard to driving. Others will disagree no doubt.

PS Chips are not illegal now but will be if the new regs are brought in.
 
I have now removed my PSI powerbox and am thinking of selling it and getting the ecu chipped before these new regs are introduced (if they ever are). Question for wammers, with the PSI Powerbox you get something like turbo lag until you reach 2500rpm then you get a surge of power, is it the same with a re-chipped ecu?
 
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