I've just got myself a lovely red piece of paper from the MOT man

Failed on emissions because it's been standing for 6 and a half weeks while I was in Oz.

Fast idle test results were:
CO: 0.531 (0.3 limit)
HC: 46 (200 limit)
Lambda: 0.999 (0.970 to 1.030 range)

Natural idle was fine.

Now I put this 100% down to the time it has been standing for and if I were to drive it for a week or so I reckon it'd pass no worries, but I'm not gonna drive it for a week witrh no MOT.

Does anyone disagree and think it may be something more sinister? or a knackered sensor (possible I know, but unlikely bearing in mind the more likely cause)

Either way I have booked it in with a "friendly" mot place for a test tomorrow so it's not a big deal (apart from the £44 I'm out of pocket) but just wondering what others think.

P.S. England sucks

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JDM ST205 (286bhp and 281lb/ft)
JDM ST202 (Finally sold )
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 5.7L V8 (See my website)

i have found that in the past alot of mot testers don't do the test right to start with.

take the car for a good hard run and keep the revs up so every thing gets hot. proper hot.

and most cars will pass.

the other way around it is to get an invoice made up for a replacement engine fron an older model ie if yours is a 96 have it put as a used engine from a 1990 model.

it's the engine they are testing at this point of the test and the emissions relate to engine year not vehicle year most wont know if this is right or wrong and will test it as a 1990 car. say good buy to that cat.

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1990 JDM ST185 Grey.
ST205 head gasket.
ARP head bolts.
ST205 Koyo Rad. (almost)
Front mount intercooler.
Colder plugs.
3" decat pipe.
4 Branch manifold.
Nitrous Oxide Steroids for Cars!

Ooooh, I like that plan

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JDM ST205 (286bhp and 281lb/ft)
JDM ST202 (Finally sold )
1982 Pontiac Trans Am 5.7L V8 (See my website)

Agree with Midnite that you really need to get everything good and hot before testing. Quite often it takes several goes to get a stock ST205 under the emission thresholds.

When I bought my blue ST205 back in '97 it had been left standing for a while and the dealer actually paid for a new cat to be fitted to get it through the test .....and I of course didn't know any better then

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Don
GT4DC Chairman
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four ST205WRC JDM 269bhp @ 0.9bar
1994 Toyota Celica GT-Four Special GT 590bhp @ 1.8bar
1989 Van Diemen RF88/89 Formula Ford 1600
2008 Nissan Patrol GU 3.0L ZD30DDTi 154bhp