The Triumph Dolomite Club - Discussion Forum

My last response on this as it's diverting the thread away from the original track.

Please have a read through the DVSA Matters of Testing for the DVSA current positions on such things.

On advisories, these will be of note:
https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/wh ... dvisories/
And
https://mattersoftesting.blog.gov.uk/gi ... ht-advice/

To quote directly: Also: But yes I'm just a random internet bloke on a forum. So yes feel free to disregard everything if you so wish, makes no difference to me.

Just make sure you have a read up of the above, directly from the horses mouth on those (and other) DVSA posts and make your own mind up...

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Current Heaps: 1968 Austin 1100, 1974 Dolomite Sprint, 1974 MGB GT, 1985 BMW E28 520i, 2000 Porsche Boxster, 2002 Clio 172 and a boring 2010 Audi A4 that keeps the wife happy!

My last post on this subject too.

I've seen the MOT business from both sides, as a tester for many years, then a regular test station customer (regular being several times a WEEK) for even more years.

As a tester, you are under the cosh from DVSA (or VOSA or whatever they call themselves this week) They like to make out they are on your side, but it's rubbish! The slightest slip and you are facing disciplinary action that can even result in your testing station being fined or struck off as well as yourself. Bosses don't like this, so "cover your arse" is the 11th commandment. (Probably the other 10 as well!)

I just read ALL of those articles suggested by SiC and in one of them the advice was to advise if someone had "for example" removed a passenger seat or fitted a sump guard (not the factory fit plastic undertrays so common these days, which is different can of worms altogether) As a customer I don't think I need to be told that i've fitted a sumpguard or removed a seat, I rather suspect i'd KNOW that already! The Carledo is missing it's back seat, but my (sensible) tester is not daft or insecure enough to feel the need to tell me so in writing! Which, IMO, is how it SHOULD be, but all too often isn't. I'd LIKE to know if a balljoint has bit of play or my brake pads are thin. Or if a small hole has grown somewhere vital without me noticing. I DON'T need to know that my car has factory sideskirts fitted. But those sideskirts can hide rotten sills, so in the spirit of CYA, a tester is almost obliged to point out the obvious!

This is even more of a problem for owners now the advisories are listed on a pass cert, not on a separate sheet that could (and mostly did) get binned. It's now also on a permanent computer record that ANYONE can access

As a mechanic, It was my unfortunate lot to have to take a lot of "near end of life" cars for MOT. Many of these I only saw once a year at MOT time and only a few got serviced even that once a year. Yet these are the cars that are MOST likely to have dangerous defects that a tester isn't allowed to find by dismantling anything. There is a common misconception that if a car has an MOT is must be spot on and nothing is further from the truth. The MOT is only a (very low) minimum standard on certain tested items. Not a substitute for proper maintainance. The general public however seem to think otherwise, whether from ignorance or sheer skinflintedness I don't know.

What I DO know, is that MOT testers walk a constant tightrope whilst being buffeted by gale force winds from 3 different directions, VOSA, (who want everything done by their illogical and often contradictory book) their bosses (who want the work) and the customers, (who don't want to spend ANY money)

So cut them a bit of slack, they are only, for the most part, trying to do a difficult and responsible job!

Steve

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'73 2 door Toledo with Vauxhall Carlton 2.0 8v engine (The Carledo)
'78 Sprint Auto with Vauxhall Omega 2.2 16v engine (The Dolomega)
'72 Triumph 1500FWD in Slate Grey, Now with RWD and Carledo powertrain!

Maverick Triumph, Servicing, Repairs, Electrical, Recomissioning, MOT prep, Trackerjack brake fitting service.
Apprentice served Triumph Specialist for 50 years. PM for more info or quotes.

As pointed out in the MOT Inspection Manual, it’s considered best practice to advise the presenter about:

- any items which are near to, but which have not yet reached the point of test failure

Like... an oil leak?

- any peculiarities of the vehicle identified during the inspection

Like... an oil leak?

- any defects on non-testable items which are found

Oooh. Like..... an oil leak?

Are you a tester SiC? Just curious.

Thanks Steve... appreciate it.

Hi All,

So, I have been busy going through the MOT and repairing it all... had the welding done, ball joints etc changed... im nearly there, just having trouble with excessive play where the steering column goes through the bulk head. It seems their is no (rubber?) surround where the column goes through the bulk head. when i push the steering wheel up and down you can see it moving in the hole and a gap. I can see there is a plate with 4 bolts on Bulkhead - might i assume i need to replace this? Problem is, the Haines manual dosent have a name for this - it just shows a picture of it as part of the Steering column/rack.

Any thoughts on where i can get a new one or at least a replacement rubber seal surround that goes in it.

(Hope this makes some sense)

Thanks

Get yourself a Superflex column bush to solve the issue.

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Mark

1961 Chevrolet Corvair Greenbrier Sportswagon
1980 Dolomite Sprint project using brand new shell
2009 Mazda MX5 2.0 Sport
2018 Infiniti Q30

This is what you need:
https://www.chriswitor.com/proddetail.php?prod=153868P

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1978 Pageant Sprint - the rustomite, 1972 Spitfire IV - sprintfire project, 1968 Valencia GT6 II - little Blue, 1980 Vermillion 1500HL - resting. 1974 Sienna 1500TC, Mrs Weevils big brown.

Thank you, and TinWeevil - I have ordered a while bunch, including your recommendation so I should be good to go.

Will keep you posted, with pictures etc.

If the bush has been missing for a while, you may find the column has turned the circular hole that the bush sits in on the plate has become keyhole shaped, in which case you'll need to replace the plate too. I have a few used ones here if that proves to be the case.