SMOG Test: EGR Fail
 

Before I get started, this is a California smog in an area that only requires an exhaust sniffer and visual. (no dyno)

Okay, so last year I had to get my FD smog'd and the smog tech kept failing me on the visual because he said the EGR valve would not stumble the motor. His little State book says the Rotary motor for my 1993 RX7 is supposed to either "drop 100 RPMs or near die at idle" when doing the vacuum test to the EGR valve. The smog tech suggests it may be stuck full of carbon either that or the solenoid isn't opening.

My friend and I rush home and tear the intake manifold apart to get to the valve and find a block off gasket on it. We take off the gasket create a new one and put it all back together and drive back to the smog tech expecting to get it to pass the same day. We thought wrong. This time he says the solenoid is opening but the motor is not stumbling. The tech says he can't hear any discernible noise that the motor has dropped 100 RPMs. So he says it's not working and fails me again.

We take the car back home to my garage and do our own test on the EGR valve with a vacuum pump, I sit in the driver's seat while my friend does the vacuum test under the hood. I watched the RPMs on the tachometer drop 100 - 150 RPMs each time from inside the car, each time he vacuum tests there is no real discernible noise that the motor is dropping 100 RPMs but I'm watching it drop on the gauge.

We take it back to the smog test and explain to him that we watched it drop 100 RPM's when we did our own test. The tech says "What am I supposed to do sit in the car and watch the the gauge and do the test at the same time? I should be able to hear the motor dropping in RPM or stumble"

So my question is, is my EGR valve bad? Too me it sounds like my EGR valve is passing. Should I just find a different smog tech? Is this indiscernible noise drop in RPMs normal for a rotary or the RX7?

It's important to note the smog tech guy finally got so sick of seeing me, he just finally passed it anyways (on my 7th visit to him) but I'd like to know what's going on here now that's it's time to smog again.

Thanks,
Shane
530.604.4094

sounds like the guy there is an idiot! I'd try somewhere else!

Yeah, that's the thing. People up here aren't very willing to help me. I tried somewhere else and they always have to use the wand to get the RPM reading cause of the Rotary and the radiator fans kick on at idle and they couldn't figure out why they were getting an idle RPM speed of 3000. They aborted the test and told me they didn't know what to do. LOL Ugh....

Wow - you found an anal smog tech. Most of the ones I have dealt with quickly gave up looking for the EGR when they realized that it was buried.

Find another shop. I usually pick the cheapest rattiest looking place I can find with the laziest looking techs.

LOL, yeah. I bet he loved it even more because I always got it nice and hot before bringing it in. I think he burned his hand a couple times, lol. Anyways, he was actually a pretty cool guy, just scared of the repercussions I think. And the thing is, it is a pretty ratty shop. One man operation, out of a small one bay garage. Ex-biker, even owned a CRX! He's came in on Saturday's a lot for me too. (to fail me) Not to mention his payment policy if you fail, you pay $20 and the retests are free until you pass and then it's another $20, which isn't bad at all.

well maybe he was just pissed off that day!

because...

1. It's a rotary.
2. The EGR valve is buried.
3. He couldn't hear it drop 100 RPMs.

First I would go to a different shop then get the guys license number and call the state BAR and file a complaint also the BBB if hes is a member. You should not fail because of his laziness. I would also ask for any fees you have paid to be returned. You had a failed componet and you fixed it. You can verify its operation, it is his job to have the proper equipment to perform the inspection. The egr can be operated with a long vaccum hose while he sits in the car to monitor idle or he can have someone else verify the rpm drop. If you are in an area where he is your only choice I would inform him you plan on talking with the BAR most shops hate the agency and would rather avoid any dealings with them.

http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/

To file a complaint online use the form below

http://www.autorepair.ca.gov/80_BARR...complaint.html

If I were to just "set" my stock airbox and stock intercooler in there and not really bolt anything down securely, can they technically fail me for that?

Nope, unless they are non functioning. Your smog guy is a real pain in the ass an aftermarket intercooler should be fine. I can remember for sure but I can't see any reason for it to cause an equipment failure. The stock air box will be a requirment since it is part of the emission system. Most shops will let the open air filters slide, but your guy is a "buy the book" guy. You will have to reinstall any stock components for the smog test. Good luck and let us know if you have any more probs. It's been awhile since I did smog tests but I do remember most the rules.

tell him to hook up a digital tach.

+1, thats a bunch of bullshit. Boy it sucks living in cali and being a car nut.

Ugh, don't remind me... that's why it's going up for sale. :(

I had similar problems getting my MX6 to pass in Yuba City, one of my co-workers told me about a shop in Orovile, I didn't do anything diffrent to my car and it passed and it only cost like $40. I will try to find where they are located if you are interested, I know it is a bit of a drive for you, but if you pass that would be worth it.

What, your house? If not, that's what you should be selling and moving to a more reasonable non-communist state. I'll never understand why people put up with California. It's full of hippy fuckers that put a socialist-democratic "big government" in place that believes if you're not driving a prius, you shouldn't be driving anything.

F California. F Smog tests. F Al Gore and his BS theory on Global warming. :icon_tup:

I'd be bitter too if I lived in Maryland.

A properly running FD with a cat will have no problem passing smog. 90% of FD smog problems in CA are due to improperly running cars. (Though in this case the OP ran into the world's most anal smog tech.)

And global warming has little or nothing to do with the smog regulations in CA. This does:

http://travelblog.bcaa.com/wp-content/la-smog.jpg

Or is smog a BS theory too?

I can't see whatever picture you posted but my theory is it's a smoggy picture of an overcrowded shit hole. Which is great! But irrelevant. This guy lives over 200 miles north, and inland from said smog area AND doesn't have any problems with his properly running FD. He should be passing, but the verbiage of an SMOG REGULATION is not only wasting his time but costing him money. This excerpt of text should, in practice, cause all properly running FD's to fail emissions simply because it doesn't instruct the smog tech to use a little common sense and good judgment (or a tachometer). Instead he has the fear of losing his shop sitting on top of his judgment.

So yeah when I see a state government playing fast and loose with smog regulations causing this guy to be harassed into selling his car I get a little verbal.

BTW, Maryland>California any day of the week. Who the F wants to be an Raiders or 49'ers fan :lol:

Yup, it's LA. :)

The California Central Valley is incredibly polluted and has close to the worst air quality in the US. It is now worse than the coastal areas.

This tech has way too much time on his hands and this situation is far from the norm. Most people that fail CA smog with an FD have a poorly running car (and getting it running properly probably saves them money on gas).

You have to be aware of what you are getting into with a modified car in California. These regulations have been around for a long time (and have not stopped California being the center of the modified car universe in the US). Mine is highly modified and I have to spend two hours swapping some parts every two years. However, there is no good reason to sell a car because of smog in California. Some people may have not the time to deal with the issues involved but that is something they should have been aware of before buying a car like an FD.

f1blueRx7: I kind of agree with what you're saying. California has it's perks and it's disadvantages. Except I do believe the planet is warming and that yes, California has a smog issue but... Northern California (Everything north of the bay area) is much like a different state than the rest of the state. It's much more rural and is most definitely the most conservative part of the state. Many of the strict gun, smog, criminal, and environmental laws are because of the crime and overpopulation issues of the Bay and Los Angeles areas. In fact, the county I live in is the only county in the entire state that allows you to get a concealed weapons permit. Most of the water in southern California is also supplied by northern California lakes. I'm not saying I don't like the bay area and southern California but Northern California is definitely a much different place and I strongly feel it should be it's own state because of how much different it is. This may be something you are unaware of. Basically everything north of the bay area is agriculture, beautiful forests with lots of skiing, camping, hiking and trails. It was actually proposed quite a while back because of the dramatic differences, known as The State of Jefferson. Northern California has more in common with Oregon than does with the stereotypical version of California.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/State_of_Jefferson

So anyways, yeah... basically what's happened is the strict smog laws of Southern/Mid CA have eff'd me. I'm a full-time student trying to juggle classes and work and an FD and just don't have time for it. The fact of the matter is the car wouldn't be so bad to own if I could just find some people that are willing to take the time to their job correctly. I just ran into a whole lot of bad experiences all at once it seems like.

ShaneFD Pics
 

Here's a pic of my current setup :)