I've been trying to cover all the possible fail points and to this end, I trailered the car to have the noise level checked, and the emissions set up on a rolling road. Lucky I did because the noise level at 4500rpm was 104db and the emissions way over, twice as much CO and 4 times the allowable limit on HC. Unfortunately, the place with the rolling road not only did not have the software to do any setting up nor did they have the correct plug to interface with my ECU. On checking with GEMs, the ECU manufacturer, they confirmed that my unit was an early one running on DOS and would have to be returned to them for upgrading. I then trailered the car to the place that had made the exhaust system and left it there for them to address the noise issue. This will mean a new silencer, the largest that will fit in the sidepod, which will hopefully do the trick. At the same time, they are going to fit a lambda sensor port so that the the emissions at tickover and low revs can be continuously trimmed. Meanwhile, I have sent the ECU back to GEMs for the upgrade. Time is closing in to SVA date and all of a sudden I am no longer in control. I'm in the hands of GEMs for the upgrade, the exhaust people for the silencer and the rolling road people for correct emissions. Will it be ready in time or will I have to rearrange?

I'm sure this is quite a common story pre SVA but I've gone from "All under control to It's a roller coaster ride".

John

hi john whatever you do just let sva know within three days and you dont lose anything

Almost at the same stage as you. Going to test my noise levels this weekend and then need to get the emissions checked - however I have not yet had the courage to post the sva application.

good luck

Paul

Thank you zxrlocost for the advice and to you Paul for your good wishes. Likewise to you when your SVA comes around. Can't help but get a bit nervous, our workmanship is going to be checked and put under the spotlight.

I had thought that all was ready when I put in the SVA application and it was only an after-thought to have the noise and emission levels checked. Before I had read the manual, I thought, being an old block it would go through on "No smoke" but sadly it's not old enough- 1981.

Nothing is easy is it?

atb

John

Things are getting back on track thanks to some amazing service. First from GEMS www.gems.co.uk for upgrading my ECU and returning it to me inside two days. I posted it to them on Tuesday and received it back today, Friday which I think is incredible. The second is the firm who is working on the silencer, Powercraft Automotive in Paignton, http://www.powercraftengineering.com/. I delivered the car to them on Tuesday and they are awaiting the ECU so that the engine can be run and noise tested with the modified silencer. I shall run the ECU over tomorrow and hopefully the car will be ready on Monday.

So, in this day and age of complaints and bad service it is really nice to report something good for a change.

John