I know there are tons of emissions threads already, as I have read most of them over the past two weeks. Regardless, I wanted to share my experience.

On 11/24 my emissions inspection generated the following:

15 MPH
HC - Limit = 130 - Reading = 888 FAIL
NO - Limit = 1010 - Reading = 1021 FAIL

25 MPH
HC - Limit = 126 - Reading = 942 FAIL
NO - Limit = 919 - Reading = 857 PASS

As you can see, I failed the HC like a champ.

The cat had started to knock, so I new it was in bad shape, but I wanted to get a feel for how far off I was.

Friday night I put on a new Bonez High Flow Dual cat system, changed plugs and wires, changed the oxygen sensor, changed the air filter and changed the oil.

Today I ran the car for a while to get the cats good and hot and added 32oz of alcohol to an 1/8 of a tank of 87 octane gas.

Today's first test generated the following:

15 MPH
HC - Limit = 130 - Reading = 316 FAIL
NO - Limit = 1010 - Reading = 7 PASS

25 MPH
HC - Limit = 126 - Reading = 444 FAIL
NO - Limit = 919 - Reading = 6 PASS

I was bitter.

I told the guy everything that I had done and he agreed to run it again. This time he kept the car at much higher RPMs during the test speeds.

This time the results were:

15 MPH
HC - Limit = 130 - Reading = 81 PASS
NO - Limit = 1010 - Reading = 2 PASS

25 MPH
HC - Limit = 126 - Reading = 108 PASS
NO - Limit = 919 - Reading = 3 PASS

I wasn't bitter anymore. Now I'm set for two years, but clearly the car is still running rich.

One other item of interest is that I had terrible backfire problem. Terrible like shotgun blasts. After the stuff I did Friday night it has not backfired once.

I read that a malfunctioning ACV as well as the TPS not adjusted correctly could cause it to run rich.

Does anyone have any other ideas or other places to start. Even though I am set for two years, I would like to get it right.

Sorry for the book.

Thanks.
ck

 

Have you checked any of your error codes to see if any of the emissions equip isn't functioning?

 

The check engine light hasn't come on. Could there still be codes?

 

Yes, most of the emissions codes don't make the CEL come on, I'd suggest giving it a try and seeing if you have any others.

 

with a functioning cat, i can't imagine how bad a car would run with high 800 to mid 900 HC readings. mine were at 1300 with no air going to the cat. i don't know what HC readings a car, at 13.8(ish) air/fuel, would show, so i can't tell you how far off you'd be if your cat wsn't functioning at all. moreso, i don't know what difference a cat makes if it has no air whatsoever being fed into it.

but of course then you had the new cat. was air being fed into it? i know your numbers dropped a good amount, but you also added a bit of alcohol to the tank leaning you out some. again, i dont know what emissions (HC) a car with a non-functioning cat and a bit of alcohol would make.

whats exetremely weird to me is your HIGH NOx readings. they came down a lot, so i gues the cat was doing its job on the NOx, but up top they were WAY high. too much HC means rich and too much NOx is usually lean. strange you have both. i'm no expert, of course, but its weird to me. i think my numbers are out in my car. i have a sheet of my car running a cat with no air, a cat with air, and then a cat with air and my safc tuned at -50% and -40% (1600rpm and 2200rpm). i finally passed. NOx was never an issue if i remember right.

 

My emissions testing experience... "don't bother opening the hood or messing around under the car... its got 3,650 miles on it since the last inspection." "oh.... I guess you'll get an exemption sticker then".. "yep"

 

I did not hook the airpump directly to the cat for the test. I had the split air pipe hooked to the cat but through the stock ACV set up.

 

thats how its supposed to be. the acv sends air into the engine (i dont know its full function) and to the cat. an improperly functioning ACV could probably kill your emissions. your numbers were pretty bad for having a cat.

 

you're shitting me. that's crazy. how in the world does that work? i've heard of exemption stickers, but not in the scenario you gave. do tell.

 

from the PA DEP's emissions website..

In Pennsylvania.....
County: York
Year: 1988
Vehicle: Car
Tests: Visual Check and Gas Cap Check
Note: Brand-new vehicles and vehicles driven under 5000 miles annually may qualify for an exemption sticker. Ask your service provider for more details.
Effective: Feb., 2004


The regulations clearly state that vehicles with less than 5K miles are exempt from emissions testing, the way I read regulations is that the visual is part of the emissions inspection, therefore, is also exempt.... Now... some ******** say that its still u8nder the old saftey inspection regs that its got to be on there... HOWEVER, any newer regulation that superceeds and older regulation takes precidence... therefore, the emissions control equipment part of the old saftey inspection (visual only) is now covered by the emissions inspection regulations and is invalid.

Besides, for chysts sake, i can only drive the car 4,999 miles a year.... your average soccer mom in her godam SUV is going to belch out 50 times more pollutants than my car in a year even with smog equipment...