Help Please CA Smog Fail
 

Numbers:

Idle:
CO^2: 12.5%
O^2: 0.9%
HC max: 120
HC: 360
CO max 1.00
CO: 2.89

2500 Rpm:
CO^2: 13%
O^2: 0.4%
HC max: 150 ppm
HC: 98
CO max 1.20
CO: 2.54


Both Idle measurements failed so bad they would have put me in the gross poluter catagory. And the CO on the 2500 failed aswell. I think my idle just needs to be leaned down, but if i lean it out much more than its set it starts to miss. Suggestions? I'm thinking cats, or my MAF, Please somebody help me. Please. Please. I have a fixit ticket for registration and if it doesnt pass soon im screwed, and might have to get rid of my Rex, which is the last thing on EARTH that i want.

MOve to texas.


Santiago

Thax,.. serious replies please, sorry if im kinda pissy, im in a really bummed mood. BTW egr, and acv are new, air pump works, air goes to the cats at idle, all functions of the ACV checked out ok. Before this, with the old smog system she passed a pretest with alcohol in the tank, but failed the visual on the egr, i dont know is alcohol will fix this though, and it also still has a lil alcohol left in the tank from last time ( diluted down with a full tank of gas)

Thinking about it, couldnt it not be the cats because it passed HC at 2500, and CO is a byproduct of combustion, so it sounds like at idle the cats are overwhelmed, and above idle there is just to much fuel which the cats burn and makes CO,.. i dunno,.. please soemone help.

maybe timing or fuel related sensors?? i'm in process of fixing things up to pass smog in CA too, timing is one thing i haven't checked yet, so are some of the cold start sensors (makes car run rich)

Search the Forum for 'emissions' or 'smog' and you will get a tonne of info about troubleshooting and cheating. :)

Another fine example of what a great guy you really are....No wonder you got a 3000+ post count...

Drago,

Do a search on alcohol. Some of us have had some sucess running alcohol to clean up emissions.

Jarrrett

Chill, guy. 'Emissions failure' is a subject that has seen more traffic than Madonna's panties. Santiago was making funny (successfully or not,) not cutting the guy down.

One search and drago would have had a phone book-sized pile of threads to go over. Were I in his place, I'd just be grateful not to get flamed for asking this question yet again...

Which is precisely why you guys all need to climb off the high horse...

Santiago has been flaming with reckless abandon lately, and its starting to irritate me. And this is another prime example of why.

Well, if he's been acting like a jerk I've missed it (I say humbly, especially since I'm not in the FC section everyday.) :)

No high horse here. I guess in the end I just want the guy to know that the great mystical rotary cup doth runneth over on this topic. :)

I've read all the posts on emmisions, which is why i ran alcohol last time, but it made the car run REALLY rough and miss alot, and i thought with a new ACV i wouldnt need it. I was hoping someone could interperate the numbers for me, is High CO emmisions indicative of a failing cat?

Usually, high HCs is indicative of a failing cat (running rich). Bad plugs or a clogged air filter can also cause this. Your HCs along with the COs are off the chart. If the CAT is working, and the ACV is new, either you arent pumping enough air via the air pump to light off the cats, or your ACV isnt good. Lets rule that out.

You cat would be suspect first, but nobody likes to buy new cats... Since you have an 86, you CAN trick your ACV into pumping air all the time to your cat. All you have to do is pull off the front upper vac line from your ACV and plug it off (and hide it). This will cause the ACV to pump air full time to the cat. Its good enough to lower your numbers pretty signifigantly, but your numbers are pretty high. Possible your EGR is failing, but that checkout is a PAIN, and involves removing the UIM.

What are your intentions? Do you want it to run stock and pass emissions? Or are you just interested in passing?

Jarrett

EGR is brand new, I'll try the vac line trick next time i go. All i care about is passing at this point. I think im ordering a new cat tomarrow.

Don't know if this helps since you are passing HC at 2500 RPM but new cats definitely clean up HC dramatically on a good running car. My car passed everything but HC in NY, tried tune up and 02 sensor to no avail. Changed the cats HC went down about 90%. I'm thinking yours in not running so well because of CO2 readings, I would think you are running rich.