VA Smog Saga - Conclusion (Good/Bad)

jonroe

Registered User
For those of you who have followed my saga since August 2, here is the conclusion.

I FINALLY passed yesterday 8/21 but it was a long strange trip indeed. Let me recap. The following is only dealing with the NOx test as there were no troubles on other tests.

Baseline from 8/11/2000 (two years ago, TOTALLY STOCK)
-- 25mph test: 584ppm, limit 751ppm
-- 15mph test: 450ppm, limit 829ppm

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

First test this year on 8/2/2002 (modded exhaust, intake)
-- 25mph test: 737ppm, limit 773ppm (just passed)
-- 15mph test: 857ppm, limit 853ppm (just failed)

Second test this year on 8/12/2002 (various gasoline cleaners, octane booster, top engine cleaner, water wetter)
-- 25mph test: 908ppm, limit 712ppm (failed badly)
-- 15mph test: 1138ppm, limit 786ppm (failed badly)

Third test this year on 8/14/2002 (NEW 3-way CATCO cats)
-- 25mph test: 710ppm, limit 712ppm (just passed)
-- 15mph test: 1119ppm, limit 786ppm (failed badly)
(I'm very suspicious that this test was conducted VERY POORLY by the tester)

Fourth test this year on 8/21/2002 (NO FURTHER CHANGES)
-- 25mph test: 522ppm, limit 712ppm (passed easily)
-- 15mph test: 599ppm, limit 786ppm (passed easily)

YOU TELL ME WHAT THE F**K HAS BEEN GOING ON????????

The final passing test was conducted by a third shop (one shop did first 2, a second shop did #3, and the third shop did #4) under very clear instructions from my exhaust mechanic about proper warm up, cat temperature, higher rpms during the test, etc. He never believed that the 3 previous tests were done properly.

Just look at the variations apparently mostly due to inconsistent adminstration of the test!!!!!!!!!!!

This all cost me about $84 for the 4 tests plus $75 for cleaner treatments plus $375 to put on the 2 new cats totalling $534!!

At least I'm done for two years BUT at an apparent cost in further investigation-work.

As I left the shop yesterday to finally take my baby home after the ordeal it RAN LIKE S**T under boost and still does right now. As soon as I hit over about 4psi boost it starts missing and bucking like one or two cylinders are mis-firing. I hits well up to about 4psi boost but then runs like s**t above that.

I talked to the mechanic - I really don't think this is a coincidence - it must be related to the testing. At the moment we think it may be a fouled plug or two from the top engine clean that's causing the high boost miss. These are new plugs from December with about 6000 miles on them. I have NEVER EVER had this thing miss under hard boost before.

As you can maybe tell I'm a little weary of the whole thing which is not over yet.

Any suggestions on the boost miss given recent history????

Thanks.

Jon
 
sounds like you might have a really bad leak in one of your intercooler tubes. that's what mine did when the lower one was about off of the intercooler.

jeff
 
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