Yes, ULEZ is clearly a simple money raiser. On the current criteria, running costs were expected to exceed income by 2026, so I’m sure we’ve got more to look forward to.
In the absence of full Euro 4 compliance, TfL will accept NOx emissions info supplied by a manufacturer in the form of a Certificate of Compliance. Seems to have been quite a popular thing - eg lots of non-Euro 4 petrol BMWs are compliant.
The TfL database is still flawed - their information is taken from the DVLA, but with their own updates and amendments.
Re LPG conversions (and engine swaps, cars with added emissions equipment etc) - when there’s no manufacturer emissions data, the only option is to complete a full rolling road emissions test somewhere accredited by the Vehicle Certification Agency. I’m not aware of anyone having done it on an individual basis, because it’s going to be very expensive; there are recognised retrofit schemes which have been approved - eg for Puma Defenders, but the conversions are not cheap. In TfL’s wisdom, motorbikes can be individually exempted after a rolling road test at an accredited garage.
ULEZ isn’t concerned with CO2, the only relevant metric for petrol cars is meeting Euro 4 levels of NOx emissions (0.080g/km or less) - hence why the Thor 4.0s are compliant at 0.051g/km.
Thanks - I will keep an eye out for a decent 1997 one.
Are the petrol GEMS fuse boxes interchangeable?
No XP support? That’s a shame as the only Windows thing I’ve got (just used for other car diagnostic stuff) is still on XP. Back to the drawing board…
Thanks - I’ve used the RSW basic EAS software before on my LSE.
Thanks, I’ll have a look - fortunately, airbags seem to be one of the few things that aren’t going wrong…
Will a standard OBDII scanner read specific ABS and HEVAC error codes on a GEMS 4.6? Not with the car to confirm.
I know Nancom is the usual answer, but I’m hoping not to have to spend £500 if I don’t need to…
Luton fire was started by an early diesel L494 RR Sport, wasn’t a hybrid.
My intermittent tailgate button was down to a cracked connector clip on the end of the loom. (Also have tailgate top corner drips to sort).
The post-2018 facelift cars use ultra-wideband keys which can’t have the signal recorded or relayed - so the thieves use CAN injection (on L494/L405s, they chop a hole in the right hand side of the tailgate to access specific CAN bus wires, then connect an electronic device which communicates with the various ECUs by injecting fake messages to convince the car that the correct key is there).
Problem is that for several thousand euros you can buy an OBD dongle that can programme a new key even if the alarm’s active - just pick the lock and a few seconds later, you’re away:
A few have gone from around me in town - think there are methods to physically prevent the tailgate cut CAN injection thefts, but you really shouldn’t have to…
Appreciate this is possibly against the DIY ethos of the site, but a combination of lack of facilities, ULEZ and logistics means that I could do with finding a well-priced, no-nonsense mechanic to get some P38 things sorted (before I cut my losses!).
Among the multitude of the usual P38 problems, I’d like to find someone to do the front ball joints with a proper press tool, ABS sensors/further investigation and, possibly, blend motors. Car is in Yorkshire, I can travel if it’s financially worthwhile. Any recommendations?
Sticking the P38 on a classic policy was around a third as much as the lowest comparison site quotes (and with agreed value etc) - as for increases this year, the best online quote for a four-year-old L405 was £9k - they really don’t want the business!
Thanks - wheel refurb and new tyres next up, so I’ll see what that does before unbolting anything else…
First long trip in the P38 today (to somewhere I can work on it) - it has a fairly bad vibration above about 55 mph, strong enough to rattle everything that’s loose and shake the passenger seat very noticeably. It doesn’t seem to be coming from the front axle (no steering shake or vibration, definitely not death wobble), and feels too strong for an unbalanced wheel or bad tyre; does it under acceleration, cruising and when lifting off, and coasting in neutral doesn’t stop it. It possibly eases slightly at around 80 and gets worse beyond 90. No evidence of a binding brake, and both engine and gearbox are smooth, with no untoward noises.
Aside from an unbalanced/misaligned prop or a bad UJ, any guesses for what to look at? I’d hoped to dismiss the flex plate given it still does it when in neutral.
A thank you to Martyuk for getting the latches and filter to me next-day when he had far more important things to be doing.
Thanks Marty, very useful - interested if you do have any latches.
That makes sense, thanks.