--tom

Just to tell you all what happened next. The car is a write-off, the engine rings are knackered and so is the engine, everything covered in oil. Volks mechanic tells me that the 1.4s lupo engine is a disgrace, terrible track record for doing exactly what mine has done. The model has been replaced with the "FOX". Stay away from it.Anyone near manchester wants to make me an offer for a car in good condition, but no engine.

Thanks for the replies everyone and Lal for staying with me. here are the MOT results as far as i can read this almost invisible printing: failed CO content after 2nd fast idle excessive o.38% " hydrocarbon content after 2nd fast idle excessive 300ppm lambda pass 1.022 What is oil cleaner? what is petrol injection cleaner? is this the stuff like Redex? how do i go about cleaning the throttle? Where is the throttle? Will a fresh diagnostic tell me anything new?

Thanks anyway. Researching i've come up with: lambda sensor/probe ecu air flow sensor knock sensor overfueling clogged injector ( use injector cleaner) CAT - presumably catalytic converter in the exhaust system The oil option is interesting in that at the MOT they had to add oil on finding that the engine was almost dry.

Whaddoyaknow... the "insert holder" above the ashtray pulls out and after shining a torch down there what do i see but exactly as your pic describes it - the purple diagnostic connector. Monday it goes in for another diagnostic. Now why main dealer mechanics should claim the diagnostic point couldn't be accessed i dont know - possibly they were incompetent. What to do about the emissions is the next difficulty - any suggestions would be welcome

I posted a reply 30 mins ago and then went to look at the car dash ref. your kind pic. The reply seems to have disappeared, anyhow, the only piece of plastic that i can pull out is the ashtray itself, behind which is an "empty" square/oblong shaped port. No wires or cables are to be seen or felt. Next to the ashtray is the cig. lighter that remains in place when i remove the ashtray. What is the next piece of plastic console/dash that can be removed without creating a dockyard job.

Just a hole, there's nothing to grasp on to or hook out, merely a bit of spongy padding. I can feel bunches of cable but they are not free floating or loose. I've only removed the pull-out ashtray does anything else come out without dismantling the console or whatever?

Thanks for replying, i did take it on a hard run and added some kind of solution to the petrol ( Redex?) but i stll got the dusty emmission when i high revved it.The diagnostic point has indeed disappeared from it's secure point behind the ashtray - who's resonsible i dont know!

x-reg 1.4s lupo 70,000 miles had mystery emmissions failure at high revs.on MOT. No garage, including volks main dealer, has come up with a reason/solution for the high emmissions. Last mechanic to look claimed that the "diagnostic test point" had "fallen" behind the dash and now it was not possible to test the diagnostics. The car is normal to drive, no lights or smoke. Any similar experiences or suggestions?

Lupo 1.4s X reg 70,000 miles failed MOT due to emmissions on high revs. Diagnostics and various examinations by two garages ( incl. Volks Dealership)were inconclusive as to why high emmissions. Last mechanic to attempt a view tells me that the diagnostic "testing point" has "fallen" behind the dash, so it's now no longer possible to properly test the engine.Perfectly normal to drive, no lights or smoke. Any suggestions or similar experiences would be welcome. Offers so far: replace engine - £1000 - 1400 £100 for breakup value.