Failed ITV (Spanish MOT)

lazza · Unread post by **lazza** » 03 Jun 2010, 08:45

HI Forum

Well i was hoping to write to everyone asking for assistance getting my air conditioning working in 40 degrees heat-- but looks like i'l have to suffer that a little longer!

The Spanish ITV guys failed the Xantia for 2 reasons.

1. There is too much play or "silent block" in the steering.. although on the technical sheet he mentions shock-absorber fixing.. which is confusing the garages. The ITV guy told me that it was just a rubber part in the steering that needs replacing, costing around 8 euros.

2. He said that there was alot of oil under the car.. and oil dripping. However the car loses almost no oil whatsoever.. and it's all i'm sure from past leaks. Anyway he ordered me to get it cleaned, and see where the oil is coming from.

So I'm in a bit of a tricky situation- my car has failed because the engine is dirty ? and for some problem in the steering that has been ill-specified.

Any suggestions, particularly on what the steering issue could be... much appreciated

Thanks

Larry

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 03 Jun 2010, 09:46

Larry i would think the steering problem could well be a rubber bush attached to the lower arm of the suspension.. I could be wrong though.. It's a common failure and would cause movement of the wheel when he checks it.. the bushes are cheap (there are 2 on each side of car - a front and rear one)
they are quite hard to replace unless you have access to a Press.. A new arm with both bushes already on would probably cost around 40-60 Euros..
The other likely item is the track rod end... another cheap part and quite easy to fit (You need to be careful when removing the old one.. count the amount of turns to get it off and put the new one back on the same) You will need a ball-joint seperator for this job.

suspected Oil leak.. the only way really is to clean the engine (or pay someone to do it) and then keep an eye out for the leak.. He may even pass the ITV just if it's all clean

John

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 03 Jun 2010, 12:42

What sort of steering play - Actuall play when you TURN the wheel left to right, or is the steering wheel got "Up and Down" movment play in it inside the car???

The up and down movment IS an easy fix after removing the steering wheel, and indicator and wiper stalk house..

Paul

lazza · Unread post by **lazza** » 03 Jun 2010, 13:06

HI, thanks for your replies

I think it's to the left and right that he was complaining about.

From what I understand now from the technical point he's made is that it could either be the steering sytem, and/or the shockabsorbers fixings

would that make sense?

citronut · Unread post by **citronut** » 03 Jun 2010, 13:21

may be the tester is not familiur with the way the strut top's/sphere's move from side to side whilst the steering is being turnd from left to right,

other wise bi would say its a lower arm bush

regards malcolm

Unread post by **citroenxm** » 03 Jun 2010, 15:19

Its McPhersion setup! If he knows anything about steering geometry Hydraulic Citroens OR NOT the "McPhersion" setup is supposed to have the upper movement!!

Look at a Normal car, they do it the same, but they dont have a large upper part under the bonnets that emphersie the movement so much! (The large upper part being the Sphere mount)

Paul

lazza · Unread post by **lazza** » 03 Jun 2010, 16:25

wouldnt surprise me if the guy is a bit clueless, seeing as he failed the car for it being a bit dirty

Well i will take it to a Citroen garage tomorrow and see what they say.. the trouble is here, you cant just take it to another garage, you have to show that the work has been carried out as it's all heavily controlled here

wish me luck! and thanks for your advice

Larry

JamesQB · Unread post by **JamesQB** » 04 Jun 2010, 00:37

I can't believe that they actually found anything wrong! Most of the time, after waiting for 40 minutes in the paralysing heat queuing up (why don't they adopt the UK system?), the actual test carried out was a joke, making it blatantly clear that it was merely a convenient money-making scheme for the government, rather than anything to do with safety or for the good of the public - which about sums Spain up. Bounce up and down on the plates, use brakes and handbrake on the rollers and a few seconds looking under the car, then light and indicator checks and off you go.

Saying that, I made the mistake once of taking my car to a different ITV station, one in Benidorm which wasn't local to me but convenient for an appointment within a week instead of a month away. They were much more thorough and even checked engine sound levels. Worried me since I was used to the normal joke test that was almost a guaranteed pass as long as they had your cash!

Can't you clean the engine up, and then take it to another station and claim you changed the steering part yourself? At least then they'll either pass it or give you a better explanation of what's wrong. Bear in mind the cursory glances they gave my cars never revealed any issues so I don't know much about the protocol after they find a problem, like being able to take it to another ITV station...

cox377 · Unread post by **cox377** » 04 Jun 2010, 13:02

Are you sure the leak isn't coming from the fuel system. Maybe the veggie has sprung a leak. I have a veggie leak and it makes the belly of the engine very black oily.

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 04 Jun 2010, 13:46

Homer · Unread post by **Homer** » 04 Jun 2010, 20:37

JamesQB wrote:about sums Spain up. Bounce up and down on the plates, use brakes and handbrake on the rollers and a few seconds looking under the car, then light and indicator checks and off you go.

I can remember MOT tests like that over here.

The place I used to use would do a "proper" test on an unfamiliar car but if you brought the same one back a year later you were unlucky if he could be bothered to put it up on the ramps.

ifred · Unread post by **ifred** » 05 Jun 2010, 06:35

lazza wrote: So I'm in a bit of a tricky situation- my car has failed because the engine is dirty ? and for some problem in the steering that has been ill-specified.

Sorry to say the spanish ITV can be very illogical a friends car failed beacuse he still had the spot light bracket still on? and rear passenger windows tinted even the local garage was confused with both of them.

You might just give it a clean and take in back in I bet you they pass it

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Failed ITV (Spanish MOT)

Failed ITV (Spanish MOT)

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