Blog post: MOT

Why is it that no matter how carefully I prepare things for MOTs that
The Gods always conspire against me?

So the K1100 got a pretty good going over during the winter:
- Full service (everything)
- Replace caliper seals and pistons (actually new caliper bodies to,
well new to the bike)
- New tyres
- etc. etc.

Come the day of the MOT, having left the bike standing for a week or so
in the garage I start it. It starts to drip petrol from under the tank
onto the engine. The drip speeds up. Whoops. Petrol running
everywhere... deja vue of GT750 igniting under similar conditions...
Turn engine off and mop up petrol.

Inspect tank and what's happening is... petrol pump inside tank
pressurises fuel, fuel comes out spigot thing from tank into rubber pipe
(pipe effectively 'crimped' onto spigot with OEM pipe crimp thing).
Inspection shows pipe has cracked internally and petrol is running back
up crack and dripping off underside of tank. Removing 2 inches of pipe
fixes this.

However... why does this have to happen on the day of the MOT when I've
only got a few minutes to fix rather than in the preceeding weeks when I
had lots of time?

Suppose it might be worth replacing all rubber pipes as a precautionary
measure... next year.

 

not just me then...

You gotta laugh...manically.

 

I thought you had to swear?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique,
typed

But clearly, not to snip.

(And yes, I did note that you did, burnt. And I thank you for it).

 

Sods law innit.

If the bike is old enough for a fuel pipe to let go I would be rather
concerned about brake pipes etc.
Time for all new pipes before something nasty happens.

Memo to self - Suzuki books says replace all pipes at seven years
regardless of mileage.

 

I feel you pain. Having agreed last week to part ex my cage for a newer one
I suddenly relaised that the MOT had run out. However, as it has been
regularly serviced and maintained I had no worries about it passing an MOT.
I was due to do the exchange the next day so I arranged for my local garage
to do an MOT. It passed on eveything...except one number plate light. They
tried putting a new bulb in for me but it still didn't work. So I too it
home and had a look. The connection to the bulb holder seemed to have
corroded through. So I checked the other one to look at the connections.
Whilst inspecting the other (working) bulb the bulb holder for it collapsed
as it had also corroded through. The first one took 5 mins to fix by
soldering in a wire bridge. The other one that had been working took ages
to sort out. In the end I had to solder wires on to each end of the bulb
and stuff it back in. Fortunately the bodge held up long enough to pass the
retest the following morning but i could really have done without the added
stress.