MOT Failure

[Dom]

After 3 successful years of driving my 500 almost every day (except when it has broken down - perhaps half the year!   )
it has failed it's MOT on a variety of issues.

I always new I had been lucky to pass the last 3 times as it is an Italian import, still with Italian spec side lights in the indicators. They have never failed it for this reason previously, but I was lucky I guess.
What is the simplest, quickest and cheapest remedy for this problem? I am currently using the amber indicator lens covers, but do have spare white ones. Could this be a quick solution, or would it mean it would fail as the indicators would then be white rather than amber?

On top of this, it failed for the handbrake having too much travel - It is adjusted to the tightest setting and is new, but it is a 126 part - is this slightly longer hence greater travel?

Another failure was the brake pedal having too much travel - I hope in this case it may be a case of just bleeding the brakes, as I have recently put new brake pads in on the front axle. There is no leaking on the brake system, but it is still using the original master cylinder, could this be knackered? I have a spare.

The final point of failure was that something was loose on the front suspension. I have not yet seen the form as have been at work, and have just had the information passed on from my brother who took the car to testing.

Any help much appreciated as I NEED the car back on the road ASAP

Oh BTW appologies for asking for 500 advice on a 126 forum, but you guys are so helpful and incidently I do have a 76' 126 sitting in my driveway waiting to be used once the 500 is going again.

Thanks guys and gals

[126dave]

hey dom,sorry to hear your woes,
1,you could try drilling holes in the head light bowls and fitting 126 sidelights?just push fit in.

2,cables maybe streched/shoes out of adjustment?,the cables are adjusted at the hub end

3,shoes not adjusted up,are they self adjusting like 126?i cannot remember,if so,reverse a few times and slam brakes on,that adjusts them up if the mechinsim is sticky.

4,could be king pins-easy to do if you have reamer and bushes,even easier to replace with good ones complete,also could be track rod ends,replacement only solution,or shockers? easy to replace as well.

[Dom]

Cheers Dave,

when i get in from work tonight, I'll have a more detailed look at the wretched failure form to see exactly what the problems are.

Do you know if the 500R and 126 handbrake cables differ? On most the online stores they seem to be sold as the same thing.

I knew it would fail on the brakes, which is why i bought the disc brake kit as an upgrade initially, but we all know the problemos I've been having with those.

Can only get better I guess or hope!!  :roll:

[ChrisRLewis]

The front indicators must be amber unless the vehicle was built before Sept 1965. Looks like you will have to adapt the headlight for side lights like on the L and F UK models.

Brake problem is probably due to a seized handbrake cable or incorrectly adjusted handbrake cable tension curing this will probably help with the pedal travel problem.

[ger]

How about amber bulbs in the white lenses?? Or am I missing something here??

[126dave]

mick will prob send a hitman round to my place BUT,you could always rob bits from your early 126 to get the 500 mot'd?.................. :wink:,it should have steering box like the 500 right?...so a short mornings work will see complete front suspension and brakes swapped..................then fit your discs etc to the 126 as pennance for your sins  :smt003

[ger]

If brakes are all working, and the issue is travel, I'd first of all

bleed the brakes, (though if you have air in it does typically signify a leak). You should change the fluid every couple of years anyway.
Check that there is sufficient friction material on the shoes.
Check that they are adjusted up correctly

Buy proper 500 handbrake cables, (correct adjustment of the drums will also reduce travel)

For the "loose suspension thing" if its a kingpin, buy a ready refurbed unit. (When I investigated the costs, I could buy a recon unit for less than the cost of the reamer.)

Even taking all of this stuff into account, its probably less than a service on a Modern......

Cheers
Gerry

[Chris Lakin]

hi Dom sorry to hear about your troubles, please dont appologise for posting 500 questions on here. We love 500's... well i do.

i have a good mechanic round here who i know, he does VW's, honest chap, under prices. So if you really get stuck i would advise taking it to someone. I've never taken my classics to him, but always tempted.

then again part of the fun is doing it yourself and learning.

regards

Chris

[Dom]

Ok, latest update - the failure form reads like this:

Reasons for refusal of a test certificate:

001   Nearside front position lamp(s) incorrect colour [1.13a]
002   Offside front position lamp(s) incorrect colour [1.13a]
003   Offside front upper suspension arm insecure (suspension bolt loose) [2.4.g.1]
004   Parking brake lever has no reserve travel [3.1.6b]
005   Brake pedal has insufficient reserve movement

Right, so these are the reasons it has failed and one I need to address ASAP. On top of this, the 'nice folk' at the test centre have also supplied me with an advisory notice, informing me of 5 other problems (not failing points though) that should be looked at soon

006   Bolt missing from o/s driveshaft (Bloody speed bumps!)
007   Slight play in n/s/r wheel bearing
008   Play in both front kingpins
009   N/S/F tyre wearing out faster on outer edge
010   Poor beam pattern in both headlamps

These advisory matters do not concern me as I have all the correct parts and tools to fix them, and of course they were not what failed the test.

So basically I now have 10 working days/2 weeks to rectify these main issues. My main question now is whether or not I should order any parts from Gerstl or whoever, as it will take the best part of two weeks for them to arrive if i'm lucky   ...the heat is on... ::

[ciaoflyer]

Hi

With regauds to your side lights i thought that if they built in the factory that way it should not be an MOT fail?

[punkydog]

I get this hassle with my old Fords and I have been pulled for them too. Unless I missed it I couldn't see the date of your car.

"If your car was first used before 1.September.65 the front indicators may be white and the rear red but cars first used after this date must have flashing AMBER lights"

I am sure that if it is an import the same rules apply otherwise folks shipping in old cars form the states or Aus would have this problem. I know they got tough with 70's models with sequential lights etc.

"To pass an MOT, a car needs to show a white light to the front and red to the rear."
"vehicles first used before 1st September 1965 may have stop lamps or direction indicators incorporated into the front and rear lamps."
To get around the sidelight issue you could fit twin filament bulbs in the existing white indicators like old fords etc.

Oddly, lights are only tested if fitted, if you removed them all and blanked off the holes it could pass the MOT as that is really just a safety check.. It would be illegal to use it on the road though.
"Side and rear lamps:

Vehicles not fitted with any front or rear position lamps (side/rear lamps) don't need to be fitted with any other lamps or rear reflectors (this covers rally/competition vehicles etc which are only used during daylight hours) but if fitted they get tested."

[Dom]

Sorry, I did forget to mention my car is a 1972 500R.
It has a twin fillament bulb under the orange indicator lens, incorporating both indicator and sidelight. I have been lucky to get away with this in the past, but now the luck is up.

I will probably try to drill sidlights into the existing headlamp bowls as Dave says, but am not too sure what to do about the wiring as it currently uses a duel fillament bulb, so is not just a case of removing and relocating the side light. What are sidelights for anyway? My dipped beam is dimmer than the sidelights of a modern car!

I do have spare white lenses, so am wondering whether painting the indicator part of the bulb orange? Not sure if this is feasable though...

[ger]

The best way forward for your lights is to retain the current orange units for indicators and drill the reflectrs for sidelights....You should be able to get the relavant bulbholder from a scrappies or one of the kitcar suppliers if you don't fancy grovelling around in the yard.

Do you have RHD lenses on the headlights? Be carefull when drilling, you can't get them anymore.....(though maybe you have LHD's, hence the advisory)

Wiring will simply be a matter of identifying the relavant wire and re routing. My 500 is also LHD so I guess I'll have the same issue.

[bis13]

if i sound like a thicko then that means i am.. but can you use two independant white forward facing lights say like a very dim spot as a side light and fix them under your bumper then just take them off again after the mot? just an idea stupid you tell me.

[Dom]

I am definitely up for temporary solutions, but I think that sidelights need to be above a certain height. What is their purpose?