SVA ( Single Vehicle Approval ) Report September 2002

Although I live in reading I booked my SVA Test at the Watnall Vehicle testing Centre in Nottingham, a long way to go, approx 150 miles but there was a method in my madness.

About 1 year ago a friend of mine, Pat Puxley took his Locost Car there to be tested for two reasons, 1. The test centre know the Locost Cars and 2. Stuart Taylor Motorsport are just around the corner so if need be, repairs could have been done there.

My feelings were the same as Ian Gray of Stuart Taylor Motorsport is very friendly and helpfull.

The test was booked, £150 fee for this and posted to Vehicle Inspectorate head office, within 3 days the test centre telephoned me to book. I had said on my form not before 1st September so we agreed that the 4th was a good choice. this would give me 2 weeks! to finish the car, I had been saying it was almost finished for months! The truth be known I was not really ready for it but the 'kick up the butt' did help.

There were some late nights of hard graft on the car to get it presentable, all I could do is hope it was all right.

So...to the day, I loaded the car onto the trailer at 10,30pm the night before ready to leave for Nottingham (M1 Jct 26) at around 5am leaving enought time to get there for a 9am appointment, i was actually at the test centre at 8.30 leaving enough time to unload and compose myself.

My nerves were now getting the better of me, this was it...test time. My tester ws Nick Wright (same as we had a year ago) this made me feel a little better knowing how he works.

He introduced himself then drove the car around the test centre to the weighbridge first, he was gone about 10 mins then returned putting the car into the SVA lane of the test centre, where he had a general check around the car, switches controls etc. then I was asked to remove the bonnet and he checked the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which I had stamped into the main chassis in 2 seperate places.

Next he checked the speedo was correct on the rolling road, this was ok low down with a little bit of a drift at high speeds, but was acceptable enough to pass. Unfortunatly my day suddenly didnt look so good, as he shut the car off it started to throw water out of the radiator... a bit too hot on the rolling road. we let it cool down with the aid of a big fan but had developed a misfire....headgasket was my thought.

Well he carried no with the test checking all the lights,the front indicators were too far inboard and the reflectors were a tad too low, probably due to having a full tank of fuel since putting them on!, he then checked for edges on the outside of the car, the exhaust clamps had to be turned around so they were below the floor line and this didnt matter, He then told me about the dangers to others with an uncovered boot/axle space, he wanted this to be covered. Then onto the front, I was sent a letter from the vehicle inspectorate explaining that if anything was covered it would fail as it is not durable enough and the part it is covering cannot be tested, so not having my suspension covered this also failed! trackrod end, top balljoint and headlamp brackets.These were to be covered in Heater hose and cable tied on as mentioned by the tester.

Next he checked inside the cockpit area, where he got stuck under the std Ford Sierra steering wheel, he then said that aint staying in there long is it? he found a small edge on the inside of the passenger side of the car and this could be covered with neoprene foam tape.

The car was then driven onto the ramps where I sat in the car while he had a good shake and pull underneath, found a wire a bit loose, needed clipping back, asked me to pull handbrake on and off and pump foot brake, this was all fine.

next was the headlamp beam....this was adjusted by him and didnt prove a problem.

Emmisions.....Oh dear, firstly again the car over heated while waiting with a horrid misfire, the emmisions were sky high so I tried to tweek the idle mixture on the Weber 40's but dropped the screw driver under the bonnet, the tester reached out to get it at badly burned his arm on the now very hot exhaust manifold! my day is getting worse!. We stopped the car realising there was something very wrong and went on to do the brake test, I sat in the car and did as I was told, all seemed ok, I had set the Bias to the front then locked it, He then sat in and checked how much effort was required to work the brakes, he used what he called a pushometer! a small load cell that was attached to his shoe and measured the efficiency of each wheel, there was a little difference side to side but passed test.

There was no noise test carried out at this test as the engine was now sick, he would do it on retest.

With the car now failed after 2& 3/4 hours it was time to put the car back on trailer for the long journey back home to put it right.

Was I dissapointed? NO, i knew now that the repairs would not be a problem and the car was soon to be approved.

As soon as I got back to work next day I rang and booked a retest, Wednesday 11th Sept...under a week to go, I put everything right, sorted the emmisions and rough running etc made a cover fir the rear of the car.

This time the test was at mid-day so had to leave around 8.30, foggy morning but at least it was dry again! getting there with an hour to spare this time,got car off trailer and put it in SVA lane once more. Andy was the tester today, he came out with his check sheet and looked only at the regions it failed on last time.

This took about 10mins this time, last 2 things emmisions....sailed through this time then onto noise, which hadnt been tested yet. the limit is 101db at .50m and 45 degree angle from tailpipe, almos t unbelivably the little 1300 Xflow was producing 105db! not good as the limit is 101db, we tried all sorts to sort it, made sure revs were spot on because I didn't fit a rev counter to it yet. This was now looking to be a problem........then Andy suggested i go to Stuart Taylor Motorsport down the road and get a restrictor for the tailpipe.

So, a short trip down the road with the car to Ian's place, where we stuffed a reducer up the exhaust, went back to te centre and yippee! passed at 100db@4250rpm.

As i write this the car hs been inspected by the local VRO and he is sending out the registration documents on tuesday.

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