DOE test - has it got tougher?

dowtchaboy

I was devastated to have my van fail last week. Passed no bother last year with a couple of "recommendations" which I carried out. This year - it failed on FIVE points!

One is smoke level - has this been tightened up? Or is it cos the tester entered my engine as Turbo which it isn't?

He made a great deal about rust - but it was all cosmetic I.e. not structural - why is the appearance of my van a safety issue? He also says I will need to get an Engineers Report and submit it to him at the retest.

He also failed on tracking - despite 4 new tyres and the garage assuring me the tracking was fine. His note said the mistracking was "obvious".

How long do I have to retest before I have to pay the full fee again?
Is it acceptable for me to get it tested at a more camper friendly garage or am I now "in the system"?

I'm going to bite the bullet and dig deep to get all the rust done (yes I should have done this ages ago) etc but am kinda worried - I am now insured but not taxed.

Irishgoatman

HI, not sure how much help I can be but as no-one has answered yet I'll try.

At the garage I use re-test has to be within 3 weeks. Date should be on fail sheet.
Regardless as to whether it makes a difference or not, they should not have tested as a turbo if it's not. No new rules to my knowledge, and I try to keep up with changes.
With the tracking I would go back to the garage who put the new tyres on and querie it with them, see what they say.
With the rust I was told years ago in the U.K. when just generally talking with a tester, that if the rust , although cosmetic, was in a place, now this will sound silly but true, that it could cut a person if you knocked into him/her then it was dangerous and had to be fixed!!.
I don't think there is a system as such yet so I think you could go and place if you are going for a full test again.

Best of luck.

dickwod1

I'm no expert on this either, but to me it sounds like the tester is being a bit of a d!ck!

Why would you need to get an engineers report and give it to the DOE tester? - makes no sense at all and seems bizarre

A simple oil and oil filter change may sort out the smoke

If its due an oil change I'd say change the oil/filter and bring it somewhere else for a new test (if it passes great if not use it like a second opinion)

Whereabouts are you based?

dowtchaboy

dickwod1 wrote: »

I'm no expert on this either, but to me it sounds like the tester is being a bit of a d!ck!

Why would you need to get an engineers report and give it to the DOE tester? - makes no sense at all and seems bizarre

A simple oil and oil filter change may sort out the smoke

If its due an oil change I'd say change the oil/filter and bring it somewhere else for a new test (if it passes great if not use it like a second opinion)

Whereabouts are you based?

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Cork.
OK it's probably due an oil change anyway, so I guess I'll do that plus filter, and I have a tin of some magic anti-smoke stuff from a previous van I can add to the diesel. Never noticed a trace of smoke though - cleaner than your average Mercedes car diesel in my opinion!

(Irish boatman?! Spellcorrect of Irishgoatman!) thanks - I've since heard from one garage owner that ever since the Meath bus accident report where the DOE tester was criticised for not spotting structural rust that the testers have been hyper about any rust. Dunno how true this is.

Reason I changed from the guy who passed me last year is (a) he has a reputation for revving the engines to crazy levels and being kinda rough to campervans and (b) he handed me mine back with a broken fan belt which I then spent an hour changing in the rain in front of his garage.

Irishgoatman

Let us know how you get on.

Yes it is Irishgoatman. Same as a shepherd but can't afford sheep!.

corkbuoy

dowtchaboy wrote: »

Thanks for the replies.

I'm in Cork.
OK it's probably due an oil change anyway, so I guess I'll do that plus filter, and I have a tin of some magic anti-smoke stuff from a previous van I can add to the diesel. Never noticed a trace of smoke though - cleaner than your average Mercedes car diesel in my opinion!

(Irish boatman?! Spellcorrect of Irishgoatman!) thanks - I've since heard from one garage owner that ever since the Meath bus accident report where the DOE tester was criticised for not spotting structural rust that the testers have been hyper about any rust. Dunno how true this is.

Reason I changed from the guy who passed me last year is (a) he has a reputation for revving the engines to crazy levels and being kinda rough to campervans and (b) he handed me mine back with a broken fan belt which I then spent an hour changing in the rain in front of his garage.

I have had mine tested (1998 Ducato ) in Riverstick for the past three years and never had any worries when it was being tested, didn't rev it unduly. Mine is over 3.5t so tested on the HGV line. Also saw a number being tested on the LGV line and again they did not seem to abuse the vans in any way. Never failed yet, so good for another year now. Its LHD and they even reposition the beam benders for the light focus test.

dickwod1

Keep in touch and let us know what the outcome is ... good luck.

paddyp

Tracking is done static if you have soft or worn bushings, ball joints etc. it will toe in under load. If its a ducato the front bushings are probably fecked their only a few euro. Sounds like the guy was a prick. Doe testers revving the crap out of engines is usually to try to get it to pass smoke test by raising the temperature so it might have been borderline last time check the air filter also. If you drive like a grandad all the time diesels get dirty they need a good hot blast every now and then to clear the soot in the exhaust and cat and burn off soot deposits.

dowtchaboy

Well- she passed no problems.

Went to a different test centre - and paid the full fee again, obviously.

Did a lot of work on the rust - a grand down the tubes but in all fairness there would be problems down the line on the chassis and the cab was looking pretty shabby and probably getting worse fast. €90 to Micks garage for new shocks and a bit of tweaking on the tracking ( though there really didn't seem to be anything wrong in the first place).

I did do the "Italian service" on it - drove up long hills in third gear at high revs, and between that and some Wynnes anti smoke snake oil used for a week before the test it seems to have cleared out any problem. Originally smoke figure was 3.6 - this time tester said "perfectly clean" though he didn't give me the figure. Oh I did replace the air filter though the old one wasn't all that black.

No problem with the (unchanged) leaf spring bushes this time, and no mention of requiring an "engineer's report" either. He did suggest my headlights were getting a bit foggy though and recommended doing something about it.

I then spent much longer than the test took driving to, parking at and queuing up at the Motor Tax to hand in the report, pay €6 and get a CRW handed back to me - what a stupid waste of everyone's time! I then spent more time at a Garda station getting everything copied and entered on their "Pulse" system 'cos I got stopped while not having the CRW though luckily the Ban Garda at the checkpoint was reasonable about me producing it later.

And 11 months from now back we go again!

Irishgoatman

Well done. Sounds as though you did a good job on it and now perfectly legal.

Now all you can do is hope for good weather.

Happy motoring.:)

corcaigh1

dowtchaboy wrote: »

I was devastated to have my van fail last week. Passed no bother last year with a couple of "recommendations" which I carried out. This year - it failed on FIVE points!

One is smoke level - has this been tightened up? Or is it cos the tester entered my engine as Turbo which it isn't?

He made a great deal about rust - but it was all cosmetic I.e. not structural - why is the appearance of my van a safety issue? He also says I will need to get an Engineers Report and submit it to him at the retest.

He also failed on tracking - despite 4 new tyres and the garage assuring me the tracking was fine. His note said the mistracking was "obvious".

How long do I have to retest before I have to pay the full fee again?
Is it acceptable for me to get it tested at a more camper friendly garage or am I now "in the system"?

I'm going to bite the bullet and dig deep to get all the rust done (yes I should have done this ages ago) etc but am kinda worried - I am now insured but not taxed.

Can you inform what test centre this was so i can avoid the do gooder tester working there? I have a van that needs testing shortly..any recommendations of what centre to use?

nailer8

Just so you are aware. From c 1/10 this year all test centres will be linked through a new computer system. While there is no legal impediment to you going somewhere else after failing a test the other place will know you failed and why so are unlikely to change the result unless the repairs are done.

You can only avail of the retest fee if you go back to the place that failed you.

The RSA are gone mad on rust. I find it hard to see where the safety risk is muself but thems the rules. A lot of vehicles have had to be scrapped recently due to rust After a major rust fail (eg chassis rust) it would be normal to request an engineers report.

dowtchaboy

corcaigh1 wrote: »

Can you inform what test centre this was so i can avoid the do gooder tester working there? I have a van that needs testing shortly..any recommendations of what centre to use?

PM sent.

dowtchaboy

nailer8 wrote: »

Just so you are aware. From c 1/10 this year all test centres will be linked through a new computer system. While there is no legal impediment to you going somewhere else after failing a test the other place will know you failed and why so are unlikely to change the result unless the repairs are done.

You can only avail of the retest fee if you go back to the place that failed you.

The RSA are gone mad on rust. I find it hard to see where the safety risk is muself but thems the rules. A lot of vehicles have had to be scrapped recently due to rust After a major rust fail (eg chassis rust) it would be normal to request an engineers report.

Yeah I've heard from a couple of people that engineers reports are being requested at the drop of a hat, and rust of any kind even if obviously purely cosmetic is being given as a reason for failing. Seems like the test guys are scared of any comeback and are going overboard.

paddyp

dowtchaboy wrote: »

Yeah I've heard from a couple of people that engineers reports are being requested at the drop of a hat, and rust of any kind even if obviously purely cosmetic is being given as a reason for failing. Seems like the test guys are scared of any comeback and are going overboard.

It will go the way of the uk at that rate cover everything in 4 coats of underseal.

Only 4?

Dirty feckin' road salt