Need help urgently to pass CA smog requirements.

T

The_Ghost

Registered User
Hi, I just got my SC as some of you may know and I think there's something wrong with my EGR system.

I believe my NoX emissions were wayyy up there and my car was marked as a gross polluter.
How do I get it to pass?

I believe the first step is to run seafoam, which intend to do tomorrow. Where on the intake should I run the vacuum line to the can of seafoam to?
I also think I have a very minor vacuum leak somewhere, as I idle around 1000rpm, 1500 when cold (doesn't seem to be unusual as my girlfriend's 00 mustang 3.8 does the exact same thing)

I believe my EGR system is not working correctly. I think the EGR valve may be bad. How do I check this?

Second,
I need a set of catalytic converters, I think.
How do I tell if my cats are bad?

Lastly, what other tricks can I use to get it to pass smog?

Thanks,
Ghost
 
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to check for a vacuum leak, spray brake cleaner over the vacuum line connections and around the intercooler tubes. if the engine accelerates u have a vacuum leak

Run sea-foam, on the line into the return plenum, there is a small vacuum line behind the Air Charge temperature sensor on the return plenum, a little bit to left of the bypass valve, you cant miss it.

to adjust your idle, do it from the idle set screw on top of the throttle body, if you screw it in it should bring your idle down, if it doesnt, then adjust the throttle body screw as your throttle body stop screw, might be a little open, idle on a AOD should be 500RPM, 5-speed 750RPM.

also, pull both your octane plugs, one by the EEC test connection on the passenger side fender, and the other should be by the AC COMPRESSOR, just pull them both and should retard your timing 3 degrees, enough to cut emissions by half.
 
well

most people know that warming your cats up, so they can do the job right can be essential to passing. meaning, fill her up with seafoam and drive it till near empty to get the crap the seafoam is cleaning out, and not to screw with the e test.

fill up again, if not the same day, try and do some highway/freeway driving to get that system hot and burning efficently. the cats warm up, and act as a filter, if not warm....no filtering action, or less than.

i dont have an egr, harder to pass maybe, but i passed her none the less.

cats are usually good for a very long time, so if they went bad find out why, dont replace em then replace em again in 2 months.
 
what the hell do you mean dont pull the octane plugs? how the hell do you think i passed mine, with the octane plugs everything was extrememly high, beyond high, twice the limit, with the octane plugs, both of them pulled out, i passed with flying colors...
 
Just read the link man no need to get mad at me, I pulled my plug for the first test and failed, second test put them back in and it was much better.
 
Ive heard running a little Isopropyl Alcohol in the gas tank will make your car pass smog. :cool:

- Dan
 
Where in PA are you from? I know a mechanic who specialized in getting cars to pass emissions :D

I also heard that some gasoline antifreeze or something like that can help you on emissions, im not sure.

I also think that NoX is from your combustion temps being too high. I THINK that ethanol in the gas makes it burn hotter, maybe you can find gas w/o ethanol? Id do some more research, as im not really sure.

g'luck
-Nick
 
You should only be using 91 octane on your car. Im not sure on the exact mixture, but no more than 10% of your gas tank. It will boost your octane up to about 93 or so, supposed to burn hotter and cleaner. Needs to be pure isopropyl alcohol as there are many kinds available.

If your cats are bad, replacing them would help you pass smog and your car run better also. Could be a lack of back pressure causing your EGR not to open - I had that problem on my LX and after I replaced the cats, it passed and actually ran better also.

- Dan
 
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Where would I get that type? Home depot as like a paint remover or something?

Would buying a 5-gal of bluefuel (aviation grade) help?

P.S. Right now I'm trying to find a mechanic to pass smog near Long Beach.
if you know somebody pm me.

Thanks,
Ghost
 
my car runs shiety off of ethanol 91 blend

half the gas stations have em up here.
id say use the alchohol like 2oz.
truthfully my ar couldnt pass hot, when i brought it cold, it passed?go figure, all that stuff about cats is true for most cars, but eh. and wouldnt you rather fix the problem, instead of having a mechanic pass it for a nominal charge of $250? thats what the going rate here is anyway, so says my bro and his catless saleen.
 
Nick, where will you be around 4:15-5pm tonight? I have to drop some stuff off in Signal Hill around 4:00, I may be able to check the car out while I am in the area.

Paul
 
Check the report

Ghost,
Can you post the VIR? All of the numbers are important and can be used to help figure out what is going on. High NO can be from a failure of the EGR, overheated combustion temps, overheated engine, retarded timing, lean mixture or carbon in the chamber. If operating temps are normal that narrows the field and if the HC are at all elevated we can rule out lean mixture. If the HC count is non existant it may be lean and may just need O2's. Try to post the VIR and we can take a look.
Anthony
 
Yes, I will be in the area after 3:00pm.
I will be tinkering with the car at Hopkinson Elementary School parking lot.
Since School's out for the summer it's an empty lot.
12582 Kensington Rd, Los Alamitos, 90720

it's a white S/C. hard to miss since the lot'll be pretty much empty.

Now, the dudes who smogged me said that it appeared that the EGR system has failed. I am going to pick up an EGR valve at work since I have to do some other crap to the car anyways and maybe with the new EGR valve and a run of seafoam maybe I can pass emissions whilst running on clean-burning aviation fuel.

The numbers were normal outside of NoX which was like 3500. They said the EGR system isn't working.

Thanks,
Ghost
(nick)
 
interesting

If it's just your nox, then indeed your combustion temp is too high. The most likely culprit is the egr valve. If you can get your hands on a mighty vac or similar vacum tester it is very easy to test the egr valve. With the car idling pull the vacum hose off the egr valve and install the tester to it. pump up the vacum tester and it should activate the egr valve and kill the engine or at least make it run really bad.

If nothing happens the valve is bad or the egr tube is plugged with carbon (common on newer Fords). Pull egr and repeat vacum test, look to see if pintle inside moves, if so its ok and the problem is in your tube.

Good luck.
 
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