Failed MOT on corrosion and emissions

[birch]

i have a 1993 8v gti 2E with 150000 on the clock, cars a real looker in metallic grey but.........

1. Exhaust emits dense blue smoke at idle

2. Exhaust emissions carbon monoxide content content after 2nd fast idle excessive

    FAST IDLE           LIMIT                      READING
          CO                Max 0.30%              0.53%                 FAIL
          HC                Max 200ppm            96ppm                 PASS
          Lambda         0.97-1.03                1.02                     PASS

   2nd FAST IDLE     LIMIT                       READING
         CO                Max 0.3%                 0.51%                 FAIL
         HC                Max 200pm               84ppm                 PASS
         Lambda         0.97-1.03                 1.01                     PASS

   Natural idle
         CO                Max 0.50%               0.47%                  PASS

    i had the stem seals done about three months ago on the advice of local garage to reduce oil usage and exhaust smoke!
    the new stem seals did reduce the exhaust smoke slightly but car stil burns 1 litre of oil in 750 miles ( VW say that if the car
    uses less than a litre per 600 miles then its within their recognised limits )
   
    The car also needs £250/£300 of welding to both front sills and both rear wheel arches!
    MOT tester said big problem is the dense blue smoke ( looks better on a hot day but was cold weather today and looked bad )
    Is it time to let it go?
    Scrapyard offered me £150 if I drive it to their yard or £120 if i want to take full magnex stainless off and they will fetch it!

    Any thoughts?
   

[Wayne]

I suspect you have piston ring trouble, £120 is not a bad shout for a 1993 when you look at the work needed.

[chrisford_vw]

Got to agree with Wayne to be fair the shell and the engine sound like they are on the way out. One or the other and fix it both you might as well scrap it and get another one

[VW BUSH]

Bin job

[gti gaz]

put the exhaust on gaybay and get shot dude 

[Edwh0re]

Agree with Wayne, sounds like your piston rings have seen better days. 

As for a litre every 600 miles, I top mine up every 6-8 weeks, usually less than a litre, and the car will have done 2.5k-3k miles or so in that time, on a (now) 185k engine.

Take anything off of it worth flogging, and send it over the bridge imo.

I understand, however, if you are massively attached to it, but be prepared to spend a fair bit of money getting it up to scratch.  Ask yourself is the car honestly worth it?  And are there more bills on the horizon?  Aside from the welding, you are probably going to be best off dropping a second hand lump in rather than getting the engine you have stripped to have the rings replaced (and who knows if there is anything else...).  And then you can never tell if a second hand lump is going to be much cop.

[birch]

I have had the car ten years and really dont want to let it go, went back to see the garage that did the stem seals and they have managed to (reduce) the 'blue smoke at idle' problem a little, will take it back to MOT tester to see if he would be happy to pass the smoke issue? i have a brand new CAT ready to go on which im hoping would reduce the fast idle CO emissions to pass. 90% of the underside of the car is solid and the pantwork is really good, sills need welding and small amount on rear inner wheel arches but 90% solid. really dont want to let it go! thanks for advice, will let you know what happens!

[Jasikasisback]

man i have a feeling that they will not pass the car if it needs welding and you go back without the welding work done...where you located?

[birch]

think your probably right, im in stoke on trent. really dont know what to do, if i got the welding done then couldnt get it through smoke/emissions test i'd be really pissed off!

[negawsklov]

Im after an exhaust... let me know the outcome