Melvin the Mev Mevster Discussion Thread

250buggys

Well-known member
Hi Alan

Thanks for keeping us posted.

A bit of remedial work to keep you busy this weekend then and back on the phone on Monday to book a re-test :)

Glad you got the transporter running, that was my biggest worry not getting there as it is non-refundable after 2 days before the test. So if you miss it, it gets even more expensive. When you are driving home around lunch time for that sort of money you kind of want to be there a bit longer than just the morning! :)

I was thinking about the windscreen, it is just a tick box they want to see the right E number etc, i wonder if you can print it on a clear label and attach it in the corner or something like that?

Sound like you have a plan for the wheel arch.

Emissions, does it use the CAT from the donor?

Brake pipe weep, like you say a flare or new copper washer should sort that.

Brakes are a funny one, when you say brake tester was that their rolling road that was out of action? I remember the speedo test takes quite a whie.

When I was adjusting the Freestyle brakes, I tried to make sure it was applied on in 3 clicks like and MOT where you often fail for too much/excessive travel. I found when it held nicely it would bind a bit when off and when loosened off you had to yank it right up! Drum brakes are not much fun. On the Zero everyone uses Sierra discs on the rear, far too heavy for me, I need to find some light weight callipers but will still work with the hand brake cable. On the front I have some Elise callipers with Mondeo V6 discs.

Good work, nice winter project. ;D

Out of interest what did it come in on at the weighbridge, I am hoping for near as dam it 500Kg...
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
I know what you mean about the money, £450 started 8:15 finished 11:00 & there was plenty of talking & times of inactivity.

I thought about seeing about getting it etched on, but TBH it's not worth it, £93 delivered, just the hassle of getting the old one out & refitting, my own fault I made a presumption, rather than fully checking, if it hadn't of come with the kit I'd have bought new.

Emissions is a concern, but I'm hoping it's a simple fix, it's had new plugs, oil, brand new cat, it's starts in the button at 1400 rpm, then drops to 900 rpm which is right, but the engine has 2 engine temperature sensors, one for the gauge, the other for the ECU. as the fan is also controlled by the ECU & never kicked in (it used to) I'm wondering/hoping that when I last put the dash back in the sender wire is connected.

At Nottingham the speed test is on a set of unpowered rollers just as you go into the garage, but the brake powered rollers are as you leave at the other end. But they also have a 16% hill there which was the old way of testing lorries he just ran it up there to see if they would hold. It uses the MX5 rear callipers which are brand new, but they are pad on disc, they have a strange adjustment method, you undo this bolt, then turn a cog which pushes the piston out, but I think the issue is down to the slack in the cable, I thought I'd taken out as much as I could but clearly not. The difficulty is that the individual cables join a single & it's that one that's too long, I shortened it & used a couple of



But I don't think they held?

Not sure on the weight, but it's not going to be anywhere near 500Kg, I reckon 750Kg+
 

250buggys

Well-known member
Hi Alan

I must confess I did spend a while on the drive way with the very same diagram before I committed to drilling the holes to mount the mudguards. He brought out his big life size template, gave me the nod and put it away with no issues.

Alistair raised a good point about getting the IVA testers email address so that you can send him some photos of your fixes and get some buy in, that way when you turn up for the re-test you know he had already signed off on it.

Chris
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Chris, The last point is a new ruling that only came in Sept 2020, pretty sure it would have passed prior to that, as I made a life size template. I'll try for an email that's a good idea. He stated the tyre had to be covered for at least part of it down to the centre line, fact a 1" strip would be within the rules, but not in the spirit was what he said when I pointed it out.
 

250buggys

Well-known member
What a pain, one re test fee is bad enough when you factor in booking a transporter and a day off work.

At least you got the other bits ticked off though.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Yep, it's not too bad as we have our own flatbed, although it looks like the radiator has a slight weep as I found out the other day, time off work isn't an issue as I'll just work around it, it's the hassle of going back for something I should have fixed 'properly' the last time, ah well we live & learn
 

250buggys

Well-known member
Alan it was probably that you don't like spending money.... as you always remind me. ;D

Those cable things you posted a few posts above I have seen before, once bought a boat where the rigging was put together with those and went for a few sails in a blow, glad the rig didn't go over the side. Much the same with the braking tension forces involved in your circumstances. I can only really relate to the Freestyle and the Zero where it seems to be OK on a equal tension arrangement for both sides.

Did you get a re test date yet?

Fingers crossed you will be able to get a ride out soon ;D
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
I think it was just the straight pull on the cables that did it, I bought some of the preformed loops



The other thing I found out was my clamps were for 4mm steel rope & not 3mm which my cable is, so that probably didn't help either.

Got a retest booked for 2nd June, so not too long before I can start to argue with the licensing department
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
250buggys":32ngzt0f said:
Alan, how did you get on yesterday. All sorted?

Sorry Chris, yeah passed on Wednesday after a fright on Monday evening, we were away the week before, new cable came whilst we were away, fitted it Saturday & not sure why but decided to put it on the truck Monday night, only to find it wouldn't hold on the ramps again. It was the drivers side calliper, it would appear to adjust up, but when you really swung on it it lost all the adjustment, it did this when we first got it but then seemed to right itself. The seller sent me a replacement months ago which I never fitted as I thought the one on was now good, so swapped that out & all was good.

Just the Registration hurdle to combat now.
 

250buggys

Well-known member
That's great news, nice one ;D

Paperwork does take a while to go through, probably even longer given the back log.
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Hopefully posting papers off today, had to wait for the cover note to be printed, really was hoping to get to Kit Fest at Santa Pod, but that's 2 weeks tomorrow so that's pushing it I think. Just annoying having to pay insurance & VED for it to be sat there doing nothing
 

Phaeton

Moderator
Staff member
Think I have a set hanging around somewhere, putting on the same private plate that was on the Freestyle
 

ChaosMS

Active member
sounds like youve had fun with the filler pipe and the DVLA Alan, that filler hose looks a real mess and only after one fill!
 
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