2nd Generation Specific (1986-1992) 1986-1992 Discussion including performance modifications and technical support sections.

newbie can't pass emmisions....help

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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 11:48 AM
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newbie can't pass emmisions....help

i just bought a 1986 gxl n/a for $2400. it has 77000 original miles with a replaced motor that's got 16k on it. i have over $10k in reciepes of stuff being replaced. when the guy doing the inspection lets off the gas and the rpm's srop to idle. there is a slight erratic hesitation that happens right before it drops to idle. it happens around 1000-1100 rpm. what could it be. i don't want to get rid of the car but if it won't pass emmisions i might give it back to the guy/ hence the lemon law. what should i do or what could it be???i need help quickly, my 30 days are up sat.!!!
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 11:58 AM
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Number 1, unless you purchased the car with a guarantee in writing stating you can give the car back, you're done, as the lemon law applies to new vehicles, and not used vihicles which are sold as is. Especially a 19 year old vehicle. Why did the vehicle fail. Do you have the numbers? Is all emissions equipment in place?
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 11:59 AM
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You have $10,000 in receipts for stuff bought for that car and you cant get it to pass emmisions?! Why the hell would you sink THAT much money into a car trying to get it to pass emissions?! I sincerely hope that was a typo!

On the subject...when my dad was trying to his 7 to pass emissions on Northern VA, if you showed receipts for a certain dollar amount for stuff bought to help pass emissions, then they would pass it. Dont know if they do that where you are, but you can call and ask.

Also, there are several threads about passing emissions, so try searching first for "emissions".
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 12:00 PM
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use the search button, its been covered too many times to count, get your idle fixed, drop a bottle of 90% Rubbing alcohol in the tank and go again
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 01:27 PM
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in MA you have 7 days to get the car inspected and if there are repairs needed that cost over 50% (I believe) of what you paid for it you can get a complete refund, new OR used. Also, if you spend $200 or more at an authorized repair shop to fix emissions (parts & labor) and it still doesnt pass you can apply for an emissions waiver and not have to pass for another 2 years. For an 86 you only need one more test before its exampt anyway, so just go get a new cat put on and you're good for emissions for the life of the car. It will never need to pass again.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 02:31 PM
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^^ wait wait you mean there's a point where you dont have to go to somg anymore, i thought it was B/s?
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 02:52 PM
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Originally Posted by emac
in MA you have 7 days to get the car inspected and if there are repairs needed that cost over 50% (I believe) of what you paid for it you can get a complete refund, new OR used. Also, if you spend $200 or more at an authorized repair shop to fix emissions (parts & labor) and it still doesnt pass you can apply for an emissions waiver and not have to pass for another 2 years. For an 86 you only need one more test before its exampt anyway, so just go get a new cat put on and you're good for emissions for the life of the car. It will never need to pass again.
Yup, it's something I didn't know, but it's 10% of the price.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 02:55 PM
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You can get a Gallon of denatured alcohol for about 10 bucks at home depot
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:04 PM
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Does your state have visual? If not try this:

https://www.rx7club.com/2nd-generation-specific-1986-1992-17/how-pass-emissions-state-no-visual-not-use-alcohol-404646/


And I'm a big advocate of NOT using alcohol, terrible idea in my opinion.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:10 PM
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Originally Posted by staticguitar313
^^ wait wait you mean there's a point where you dont have to go to somg anymore, i thought it was B/s?
In WA we have to have all emissions equipment hooked up and working and have to prove you spent $150 or more on fixing emissions and still fail and you can get a waiver. So for $165 you don't have to do emissions. I am not sure how long the waiver lasts, they don't say anywhere. I live like 40ft outside city limits so I don't have to test anyway

Oh, and cars 25 yrs or older don't have to be tested at all, so a couple more years and you can hook up that afterburner and burn rubber pellets


EDIT:

20 seconds on google
http://vehicletest.state.ma.us/faqs.html#waivers

http://vehicletest.state.ma.us/gener...l#usedcarfails

Last edited by Oxbrain; Apr 5, 2005 at 03:16 PM.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Oxbrain
In WA we have to have all emissions equipment hooked up and working and have to prove you spent $150 or more on fixing emissions and still fail and you can get a waiver. So for $165 you don't have to do emissions. I am not sure how long the waiver lasts, they don't say anywhere. I live like 40ft outside city limits so I don't have to test anyway

Oh, and cars 25 yrs or older don't have to be tested at all, so a couple more years and you can hook up that afterburner and burn rubber pellets


EDIT:

20 seconds on google
http://vehicletest.state.ma.us/faqs.html#waivers

http://vehicletest.state.ma.us/gener...l#usedcarfails
WA State waiver is good for only 1 year.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:26 PM
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So what exactly is the problem? Its failing for a stumble? Or is it failing for HCs?

What EXACTLY is the problem?
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:35 PM
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I cant believe that no one else has commented on the "$10k" he has in reciepts for trying to pass emissions!

He could have bought his own inspection station and passed his own car for that much!!! [/sarcasm]
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 03:47 PM
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Originally Posted by xtremeskier97
I cant believe that no one else has commented on the "$10k" he has in reciepts for trying to pass emissions!

He could have bought his own inspection station and passed his own car for that much!!! [/sarcasm]
erm, I didn't even notice that bit.
http://vehicletest.state.ma.us/gene...ml#usedcarfails

call the number they list there, I'm sure they can help you out.

Originally Posted by dDuB
WA State waiver is good for only 1 year.
I still dont have to pass

now I just need a car worth driving...
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 04:32 PM
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Probably 10K worth of parts/LABOR over the life of the car. Just can't get anyone to work for free anymore.

If you don't see the price of a catalytic converter in those receipts, then you might consider a aftermarket one.

And you NEED to look at the FAIL figures on the emissions test and tell us what the fail figures were compared to what the PASS figure should be.

Last edited by HAILERS; Apr 5, 2005 at 04:41 PM.
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Old Apr 5, 2005 | 05:41 PM
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thats why i love florida no emissions
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 01:56 AM
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^screw you 'Floridians', lol.

Yes, posting the hard data of the emissions test would help us in aiding you with your problem...
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 03:51 AM
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i dont understand why its soo hard to pass, my car passed WELL below, with all emissions equipment intact, no alcohol or additives in the gas, i dont feel like setting up the scanner is i'll type out what i got:
Measured in Grams/Mile
..............................My emissions-----Applicable Standard----Result for this pollutant
Hydrocarbons-------------0.43-------------------------1.60-------------------------PASS
Carbon Monoxide--------5.72-------------------------15.00------------------------PASS
Oxides of Nitrogen-------1.34-------------------------2.50-------------------------PASS

yeah . . . . . how the hell did i manage this? oh yeah . . my catbacks are kinda rusted and have holes . . . . . . they never noticed . . . . i'm sure thats not the reason i passed, but just the reason i passed with flying colours . . . . probably won't now that i have the bonez single cat, and intake . . . you think?

Last edited by staticguitar313; Apr 6, 2005 at 03:54 AM.
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 06:54 AM
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Here's my 87 from a couple of years ago. Stock emissions equipment with a new cat from the year before.... http://www.teamfc3s.org/forum/attach...&postid=381380 no leaking pipes etc. No alchohol etc. But working acv. And in spite of what the document says about it being an automatic...it ain't no automatic, never has been, never will be.

Last edited by HAILERS; Apr 6, 2005 at 06:58 AM.
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 02:01 PM
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Originally Posted by HAILERS
Here's my 87 from a couple of years ago. Stock emissions equipment with a new cat from the year before.... http://www.teamfc3s.org/forum/attach...&postid=381380 no leaking pipes etc. No alchohol etc. But working acv. And in spite of what the document says about it being an automatic...it ain't no automatic, never has been, never will be.

Wow....you passed with flying colors too! Nice.
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 02:37 PM
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ya see its not hard to pass a 13b with flying colours, if only i could get a 20b to pass . . . . .
i dont think visual would be hard mot of the time they just glance under the hood from that i saw
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Old Apr 6, 2005 | 05:38 PM
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you should live in Vermont, older cars are exempt from emissions. I have no problems.
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Old Apr 8, 2005 | 07:46 AM
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let me clear things up!

before i got the car, hte previous owners put of 10k in new parts in over the period of it's life. full exhaust was replaced. yesterday i took it to Autex, a mazda dealer and he's 99% sure there is something wrong with the CPU. i called the guy i bought the car from and he said i can either give the car back for a full refund or he has a spare 86 CPU sitting in his garage. he owns multiple other rx7's and siad he's not trying to screw us over and he'll give us our money back if we want.
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Old Apr 8, 2005 | 08:11 AM
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Try the CPU if he is willing to GIVE you the CPU at no cost. It's worth a shot I guess.
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Old Apr 8, 2005 | 08:25 AM
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Parts swapping to fix something isn't cost effective.

There is a free factory service manual online and free. It gives you procedures for checking the emissions system.

See if the acv diaphrams are good/bad by putting a piece of vacuum hose on the nipples above the acv, and sucking on them to see if they will hold a vacuum. Won't hold a vacuum? Bad acv.

At idle, fully hot engine......see if those two vacuum hose are indeed pulling a vacuum at idle.

Make sure the water temp switch at the bottom of the radiator is connected. No connection? Then the Relief solenoid won't work as it should. The Relief solneoid controls a function of the acv.

Pull the large hose off the bottom of the acv and check for airflow at idle. Large airflow? Then the acv diaphram or the Relief solenoid signal isn't getting to the acv.

Just a whisp of air out that port? Then rev the engine above thirty eight hundred rpm. Get a large airflow? Good.

Rebuilt engine?????? Did little Jimmy ******** put the front rotor housing where the rear should go or use just two front rotor housings or two rear rotor housings? Have fun trying to get that car to pass. Not saying it can't happen, but he's just trippled your problems.

On the whole its simple. Just three/four things to examine. The ACV, the Relief and Switching solenoids, and a water temp switch at the BOTTOM of the radiator, and if a rebuilt engine check for the F and R on the rotor housings to see if they are where they belong.

Not to rag on some auto tech who is working on a nearly twenty year old car, but he should KNOW what is malfunctiioning. But then again the customer probably won't want to pay for the time it takes him to diognose the car at fifty bucks an hour.

P.S. A new catalytic converter does wonders even for a half *** emissions system. Bolt on device. Just a main catalytic converter, not the whole smear. Righty tighty, lefty lucy. Catco.com I think.

While here.......about the ECU (ECU) not CPU, please..........two things in the ECU will effect the emissions that can be checked out easily. You know when you set the tps using one of those bug lights on the green check connector? How the two bug lights come and go as you turn the TPS screw?? What makes the lights come and go is a ground from the ECU to those two lights. Not only is the ECU sending a ground to those two bug lights, but it is also sending a ground at the same time to the Relief and Switching solenoids. And as you know, the Relief and Switching solenoids control the relief and switching diaphrams inside the acv.....therefore it can be determined if the ECU is good/bad by seeing if the grounds are coming and going.

EDIT: I forgot to mention the two solenoids screwed into the acv. They are not relevant to the emissions test. The front one is disabled at the first twenty thousand miles of the cars life.....the rear one only opens when in fifth gear. So neither are relavant

Last edited by HAILERS; Apr 8, 2005 at 08:31 AM.
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