Russ's 2.1 SED Auto now in Mandarin

[russ92xmsed]

Lights light, washers wash, wipers wipe, wheels are round!


I'm nervous as it is my first MOT with this car.....

[captainhaddock]

and rust, kills cars Don't worry, in the UK even burned Laro's can pass MOT tests again!

[russ92xmsed]

Hmmmmm....very true. I can't say there isn't some....but I hope this wont be an issue.

Burned Laros? Errr!
I assume you mean MOT exempt rot boxes!

[CitroJim]

That's a good start Russ

Now, this is my typical pre-MOT routine..

Inside:

Seat belts, seat integrity/mountings, no play in steering column, rubbers present on pedals. ABS and airbag warning lights work properly, EML off and main beam indicator works. Instrument illumination works.

Horn, wipers and washers work OK.

All doors openable from in and out. Steering lock good.

Outside:

All mandatory lights work as normal, including rear fogs. Indicators show amber and no patches of white. Indicator side repeaters work.

Jack up front, Spin wheels. Wheel bearings OK. Shake wheel from top to bottom. No play indicates the lower swivel joint OK. Remove wheel. Check for play in drop links and track rod ends. Ensure all rubber gaiters are present on all ball joints (lower swivels, drop links, track rod end). Check for splits in CV boots and steering rack gaiter. Check brake flexi hose for splits and perishing paying particular attention to the ends. Check wishbone bushes for appearance and play.

Check brake discs for wear. Deep scoring and wear much beyond just over an mm per side a worry. Check pads.

Look at tyres tyres for wear, both normal and abnormal. Check sidewalls for splits and bulges. Check for excessive cracking or perishing. Ensure identical size and specification of tyre on each axle and tyres are correct for vehicle.

Look for oil and hydraulic leaks from all components. damp is OK, drips are not OK.

Do same on other side.

Check chassis for rust paying attention to subframes. No rust or holes within 30cm of any suspension/subframe mounting or seatbelt mounting permitted. No holes in subframes. No jagged edges that could hurt pedestrians in an accident and nothing loose and flopping around.

Check exhaust for leaks and security.

Jack up rear and spin wheels, feeling for play in bearings. Look at discs. If shiny then rear brakes are working Ok. Check visually condition of disc surfaces.

Check security of spare wheel cradle.

Look for rust on rear subframe mount chassis members.

Start up and bounce each corner and ensure nice and soft and well damped...

Stop and check you can make several brake applications with what's left in the accumulator.

Open bonnet and check for security of everything, especially battery and ensure all is clean, tidy and in workmanship-like order.

Check strut tops in usual way.

Place a £20 note in an envelope and address it "To the MOT tester"

Get through that lot and a pass will be yours.

I may have forgotten something...

[russ92xmsed]

Brilliant check list Jim. Thanks for that. I'll go through it at the weekend.

[russ92xmsed]

That's a good start Russ

Now, this is my typical pre-MOT routine..

Inside:

Seat belts, seat integrity/mountings, no play in steering column, rubbers present on pedals. ABS and airbag warning lights work properly, EML off and main beam indicator works. Instrument illumination works.
All great. The ABS is off. No airbag to worry about. Instruments work and light up well.



Horn, wipers and washers work OK.
Yep!

All doors openable from in and out. Steering lock good.
Yes.

Outside:

All mandatory lights work as normal, including rear fogs. Indicators show amber and no patches of white. Indicator side repeaters work.
all good...but headlights might be advisory due to poor light output. I am getting replacements, but not in time for the mot..

Jack up front, Spin wheels. Wheel bearings OK. Shake wheel from top to bottom. No play indicates the lower swivel joint OK. Remove wheel. Check for play in drop links and track rod ends.

Not sure. will test.

Ensure all rubber gaiters are present on all ball joints (lower swivels, drop links, track rod end). Check for splits in CV boots and steering rack gaiter. Check brake flexi hose for splits and perishing paying particular attention to the ends. Check wishbone bushes for appearance and play.

again must check. But I think okay.

Check brake discs for wear. Deep scoring and wear much beyond just over an mm per side a worry. Check pads.
front pads and discs new. Back do need doing, but fine I think.

Look at tyres tyres for wear, both normal and abnormal. Check sidewalls for splits and bulges. Check for excessive cracking or perishing. Ensure identical size and specification of tyre on each axle and tyres are correct for vehicle.
Treads all good. There is cracking in the side walls, this is my concern. Not deep. Seen much worse, but this could be an advisory. Otherwise tyres correct size ect.

Look for oil and hydraulic leaks from all components. damp is OK, drips are not OK.
There is a little seepage from two pipes in the engine bay. this might not be LHM...every bloody fluid in my ar is bright green...makes it difficult to tell. Anyway its nothing serious. No drips and no puddles anywhere else.

Do same on other side.

Check chassis for rust paying attention to subframes. No rust or holes within 30cm of any suspension/subframe mounting or seatbelt mounting permitted. No holes in subframes. No jagged edges that could hurt pedestrians in an accident and nothing loose and flopping around.

All fine. Front subframe been treated a year ago. All good. Rear surface rust from memory. Everything else was fine. Will check over weekend. Not expecting any horrors there.

Check exhaust for leaks and security.
Good as far as I know. But who knows if it is seeping somewhere. Isn't blowing from what I can tell.

Jack up rear and spin wheels, feeling for play in bearings. Look at discs. If shiny then rear brakes are working Ok. Check visually condition of disc surfaces.
Will do! Rear disc might be getting thin.

Check security of spare wheel cradle.
Done last year. All treated and undersealed. Nice and secure.

Look for rust on rear subframe mount chassis members.
Will check. Should be fine.

Start up and bounce each corner and ensure nice and soft and well damped...
Okay!

Stop and check you can make several brake applications with what's left in the accumulator.
It's should be fine...accumulator was charged up last year.

Open bonnet and check for security of everything, especially battery and ensure all is clean, tidy and in workmanship-like order.
It is!

Check strut tops in usual way.
They seem fine. Treated up top. Treated below. No horrendous cracking. No movement upwards.

Place a £20 note in an envelope and address it "To the MOT tester"
Right o...marrked or unmarked?!

Get through that lot and a pass will be yours.

Fingers crossed!

I may have forgotten something...

[captainhaddock]

Uh, 20 pounds. Is that enough ????

Great list, so see, don't worry. It'll pass.
Don't forget to have a good look at your fuel hoses.
Dry your leaking pipes??? with some cloth before the test.
Check tyre pressures, are all bolts there on your wheels

Have a good look on the top (!) of your rear sub frame. Known to rust badly but not showing when you're underneath the car.
Double check if you've not too much engine oil. I don't know if they do the emissions test in the UK at maximum rev...you don't want to see your engine perish at the test, as has happened a good few times.
The MOT man (maybe not in the UK I don't know) needs to check the oil level but don't always do. Do you have to sign anything before that test, if so it probably states that if your engine dies, it's your loss

Piece of cake really? Good luck but I am first coming Thursday. I've plussed Jims list with checking the wheel alignment which they check here with some piece of equipment...I never really see it how they do that.
Oh and yes, check if your handbrake cables are both working - that has so far been my only XM failure. One cable was lose, 4 minute fix...but necessary retest of course.

[russ92xmsed]

Mmmm. I doubt £20 is enough..

Good list...I like. It always helps having someone else go through things. You do forget some things.

Anyway...wheel bolts present and correct. I will clean those pipes. Fuel hoses are fine. Tyre pressures I will do...they are a bit soft anyway.

How do you check you rear subframe from the top? Is it rubber bungs from the boot floor? Stupid question I know, but if it is up against the body, how on earth do you.....
I think mine has been undersealed anyway.

Yes I must check oil level. I think it might actually need topping up a bit.

Handbrake cables....I think they are okay. You never know though. I did adjust them back in september / october when i did the brakes. They aren't hanging off that's for sure... and the foot brake works!!


Best of luck Jaap for Thursday....you'll be fine. You know what your doing!!!

[CitroJim]

Excellent things to also check Jaap and another is to check the condition of the rigid hydraulic pipes, especially those prone to rot around the rear subframe. Check the coiled ones that go to the rear brake calipers particularly where they're clamped to the subframe with right-angled plates as corrosion can develop under the plates.

A good way of doing a rough test on the parking brake is to see if you can tighten the wheel bolts against it. Put the transmission into N first so you don't confuse a working parking brake with the gearbox park pawl. If you can do the wheel bolts up tight without the parking brake slipping it's working well enough for the MOT.

Anything you're not sure of Russ, photo it or describe it and we'll advise...

Tyre cracking is usually not a problem unless the MOT tester can see the underlying cords in the tyre. Minor perish cracks that cannot be opened up to any significant degree will be an advisory. It's all a bit subjective and down to the MOT tester on the day..
Same goes with brake flexi hoses. If the cracks don't expose the underlying reinforcement then they're an advisory..

Jaap, what are you doing on Thursday? Missed that, sorry. But whatever it is, all the best for it!

[beko1987]

With an excellent list like that, you're sure of a pass! Are you going to a 'friendly local chap' or kwikbodge for it? That always helps too IMO.

I'm missing a wheelbolt, better go onto ebay and hit buy it now on one of those spares listings that only list a wheel bolt before july!