MOT pass or fail?

[biosbill]

Hello,

Been welding up our little 200 today. Im used to Lr's with nice thick metals, even my disco which I called "thin" is thicker than the foil they've used for the outer sills on the rover. I expect 0.8mm or thinner.

Anyway, found some material, cut it out and MIG welded it in, then cleaned up and primed. I know the photos arent great, but how many people think this's MOT'able? Its meant to be "fully seam welded" so I have, but the weld doesnt have a perfect bead like I usually like to see !

Also managed to weld an old biscuit tin to some 0.8mm sheet, with a gassless mig: clarke 130EN. Full penetration and no holes...is that good going? I was impressed!

Cheers,

William

 

[Chickenjohn]

As long as that is not a hole at the bottom, that will be a pass. Much better than a hole in the sill! I would paint the area with seam sealer and then give it a few coats of the same paint used on the sill- a rattle can would do.

It is very difficult to weld thin metal- I use Malcolms thin metal pulse technique rather than going for a continuous bead on thin metal.

 

[biosbill]

Hello,

No I dont think its a hole, probably a bit I just didnt paint too well. If there was little holes would they be a fail? Just wondering really, like a little gap between weld beads, not big enough to get the wire through....

Cheers, I think ill probably do so, then it shouldnt look too bad, just got to find something thats a similar colour!

So do I, that was all done using a pulse technique: wouldnt have been able to keep a continuous bead going.....before you say so: yep I know it STILL looks crap!

Cheers,

William

 

[Chickenjohn]

Dont be to hard on yourself, it fulfulls the purpose of getting another year or two's motoring out of the old banger!

Actually, it looks like you had to fill holes with weld that were blown at the edge of the patch. The metal might still have been thin here. A good idea when welding sill holes is to cut the patch and hole an inch or two bigger than the rust hole! There will be more rust and thinning of the metal on the inside of the sill for an inch or so around the original rust hole as sills rust from the inside out. Hence- a good idea to cut a bigger hole than you think you need to make sure all the rust is cut out.

Then the welding will be neater. No worries though if you don't like it just grind down a bit more, though who is going to see underneath the sill like that???

 

[R BEADLE]

id be upset if id did not pass , its not the most beautiful in the world but its safety we are concerned about , not cosmetics . I've been out with some plain ugly birds but they were as safe as houses if you know what i mean ? pmsl . i wouldn't under seal it until after the mot though as the tester will think your hiding something , under seal covers a multitude of sins and there more than likely to hit the chassis all the more harder . just be honest with them .

 

[michael1703]

looks as though the shielding gas was getting blown away, looks porous from what i can see of the welds

 

[Barking Mat]

Im not sure where british mot standards are at nowadays, but if its not thirty cms from a suspension bracket it's ok isnt it? how many old bangers are full of body filler anyway? What structural use is 0.8 mm steel anyway? Cover it in paint, then drive through some mud......

 

[biosbill]

Hello,

Cheers for all your posts. In response:

I do agree that I probably should have cut way more out, im gradually learning that, and when welding on the disco I do so, makes the welding sooooo much easier! Still I didnt want to go hacking it about too much.

As you say, loads of bangers out there with horrible newspaper and filler jobs so I hope that it'll be ok like that.

Reason it looks crap, porus, holes, whatever you want to call it......its done gasless . I know you'll moan, but I cant really afford all the other bits at the moment so thats how it'll have to be!

Its because its within 30cms of a seatbelt mounting that it failed, but its ridiculous as you say: its made from 0.8mm steel, and is only an outer cover to the structure inside. But I guess a rules a rule and you cant make exceptions. Theres no mounting for the belt, its all mounted to box section inside, 0.8mm would tear straight through anyway! Still...done now!

Cheers,

William

 

[gary b]

If you took to where i get my MOT done you could have a floor pan missing and he would not notice lmao bless him

 

[biosbill]

If you took to where i get my MOT done you could have a floor pan missing and he would not notice lmao bless him

Tehe, I did actually think this when I took my old LR through, but they didnt seem too bothered. Seems a little stricter this time round!

William

 

[pedrobedro]

A friend of mine always used to send his wife to take the car for the MOT. He told her to wear a short skirt and stand next to the pit. It never failed.

 

[BIG JAY VTR]

i used to be an mot tester and id pass that with no quibbles, round here there are a lot of diyers who will weld there own motors so iv seen some good bad and downright ugly that repair aint bad realy for a 130 gasless, i used a clarke 90 en with a cooling fan fitted on gasless for years was under powered for chassis repair really but spot on for body pannels

 

[biosbill]

Cheers, thanks all. I think from what you say it looks to be ok. Id much rather do it myself as, without "tarring all with the same brush" lots of garages just whack on the £££ as soon as they mention welding, and often its no better than what you do at home anyway...

William

 

[jono49]

Comply

I started this way bothering about the contiuous weld etc. Pulse welding is the way to go, Alway's make the patching area that bit bigger than the corroded area, and if you blow an odd hole on the edges leave it, flatten the weld a bit and seam sealer the perimeter and treat with underseal (Blacklash) remember it's an older vehicle it only needs to comply with MOT reg's and not a full blown restoration!!!!!!!!