MOT and re-circ

Post by **Vart** » 14 Jun 2006 06:21 pm

evening,

does the rear wiper need to work for an MOT?

also

i can see how re-circ works by pulling the metal plate up to block the fresh air inlet, 'cept mine doesn't. there is a vacuum cause my old econ gauge worked however nothing makes the re-circ do anything. the engine did whine a bit when i turned it on but then it went away. anyone had this issue before?

Post by **Ali** » 14 Jun 2006 06:29 pm

Afaik the rear wiper isn't part of the mot, mine didn't work so I removed it and it passed fine, my mums also broke and that went though aswell, can't help with the recirc though,
cheers

Post by **Vart** » 14 Jun 2006 07:24 pm

ah good, cheers

Post by MJ » 14 Jun 2006 08:25 pm

Well as some of the 300's don't have rear wipers I'd have though it to be unfair to fail one with a non-working one.

Post by **RandomHero** » 14 Jun 2006 10:39 pm

In Holland it's like this: what is on the car should be in working order. That's more logical to me...

Post by **Carl** » 14 Jun 2006 11:17 pm

I dont think the rear wiper has to work as it's not quite as essential as the front ones! I've definately had cars that didnt have working ones that still passed.

Would probably come up as an advisory if anything

Post by **petefarrell360** » 14 Jun 2006 11:18 pm

Yeah, I think it is if it is fitted it needs to work. I could be wrong, but I didn't take the risk on one of my cars which had a cracked fog light lense being a 360 GLT. So I covered them over with plastic, no one knew they were there then! It might be something very simple for the rear wiper, as the wires going to the hatch on the opening near the hing at the top often fail.

With regards to the recirc, Chris C would probably be the man to ask as he's fitted it from scratch. All I know is one car we did have it on, it had been disabled. I would guess the main thing to go wrong is the vacuum operated piston/pump part on the side of the heater box to operate the flap.

Pete

Post by **Chris_C** » 15 Jun 2006 01:05 am

Re-circ is dead simple, basically you have a vacuum feed (same as the econ) the switch, a one way valve, then the piston.

As you have an econ gauge, try idling, making sure everything is stable, and pressing the re circ button in, the needle should go down a small amount (half a single o'clocks worth) for a second. If it doesn't you arn't getting vaccum through for some reason, if it does (which it really shouldn't, as that would prolly mean a leak of some kind somewhere, and that would mean the econ gauge would go down for a time longer than a second), the piston is not moving for some reason, prolly the bearings on the flap being tight.

Try running the re circ on the econ tapping if that still works (should be the same diameter pipe), and if you have a spare econ, put that in place of the piston. I have a feeling it could be your one way valve, its a inch long grey cylinder with an arrow on it, try running the system without if you can join the two ends of pipe.

Let us know what happens, it won't be a difficult one!

Post by **Vart** » 15 Jun 2006 12:30 pm

i'll try it with a smiths gauge i have but i'm sure i disconected the re-circ to run my vdo econ whilst i had it. the work it has to do to move the plate does seem rather a lot. might just need oiling and loosening but i'll see what happens after todays MOT.

regards

Post by **Vart** » 17 Jun 2006 04:55 pm

this may sound silly but should the re-circ one way valve open from one way? mine doesn't open either and i should have thought one side should open.

do they get stuck over time? this ones 20 years old...

cheers

Post by **Chris_C** » 19 Jun 2006 10:35 am

It should let air through one way yeah, I've never tried blowing on one to test though. Have you tried the system without the valve? All it will do is not hold the flap up when you turn the engine off.

Post by **Vart** » 19 Jun 2006 12:25 pm

i soaked the valve overnight and poked out all the filth and it all works fine.

Post by MJ » 19 Jun 2006 10:07 pm

On the subject of MOT's our 340 sailed through it's MOT and 12 month service today, only needing a new coolant tank, as this one has a small leak apparently. Havn't noticed any dripping, but I'll have a look, and a new one is ordered

Post by **Vart** » 19 Jun 2006 10:35 pm

mine ended up failing on both rear tyres, i put some spare alloys on and it passed the following day. 87% brake efficiency the machine said, 35% handbrake tho. what that means i'm unsure.....