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Technical => Engine Tech => Topic started by: imadork8317 on April 25, 2005, 07:53:21 PM

Title: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: imadork8317 on April 25, 2005, 07:53:21 PM
im running 267 HC, 0.08% CO, and 430 NO at 15mph.  174 HC, 0.03% CO and 540 NO at 25mph.  Plugs, wires, cap, and rotor all good, both cat converters replaced 3 years ago.  Help! how do i lower the HC?
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: 5.0willgo on April 25, 2005, 08:04:06 PM
Is there any way to get a waiver? Reason I ask is because I've replaced about everything on my car emissions wise(before I got the h-pipe) and always had high HC readings. The car just barely passed with the previous owner but I've had no luck. I need to go within the next two weeks but I'm already prepared to fail the test. I'll have a heartattack if it does pass. The waiver gives you basically a "get out of jail free" card that lets you go until the next test. I couldn't figure out how to get the HC's lowered so I gave up. Thing is in Maryland, you have to do $500 dollars or so worth of emissions work to obtain the waiver.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: dominator on April 25, 2005, 08:52:05 PM
Disconnect your pcv valve from the rear of the intake and remove the brass filter from the base of the lower intake,it's probably clogged(not many people know this filter exists).I do emmison tests,and when my last 5.0l failed 2 years ago i removed the clogged filter and disconnected my pcv just to be on the safe side and it passed with flying colors.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Pr0jeCt on April 26, 2005, 01:23:39 AM
why get it tested..i dont get it?
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: bduly on April 26, 2005, 01:48:07 AM
State laws.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Pr0jeCt on April 28, 2005, 02:39:58 AM
some states require smog testing?..wow i didnt know that... how often do they ask you to do it?
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Haystack on April 28, 2005, 03:09:39 AM
every time that you take the car in. Here you are required car insurance, and your car will not pass unless your power sterring works. you also can buy smokes until you are 19, and beer is only 3.2%
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: amooset on April 28, 2005, 04:04:00 AM
Quote from: Haystack
you also can buy smokes until you are 19


Then they cut you off?  :giggle:

Emissions testing must suck.  I'm sure that none of the cars I've EVER owned would have passed.  I'm basing some career decisions on whether or not where I move has emissions testing, I love my smog pumping machine just the way it is.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Nate on April 28, 2005, 08:49:58 AM
and what magical land do you live in? where ever it is, ill move their to avoid haveing to "convince" somebody to pass my car...

Quote from: Pr0jeCt
some states require smog testing?..wow i didnt know that... how often do they ask you to do it?
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: baylensman on April 28, 2005, 09:44:03 AM
had to do the emmission thing twice a year when i lived in PA had to do it when i moved to FL but they have since rescinded.
Same litany as always wehn dealing with this, check ALL vacumn lines. check all sensors, new filters, try new plugs. Have had a decent running car with good plugs fail inspection then change plugs and pass. even though the car didn't seem to run and different. Also high HC readings at the tailpipe means that the HC's are going through the cat.....which can clog if run that way too long.This can lead to porr performance or waiting for tow truck.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Bird351 on April 28, 2005, 09:49:23 AM
Quote from: Manson
and what magical land do you live in? where ever it is, ill move their to avoid haveing to "convince" somebody to pass my car...


So you're moving to Florida soon?
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Nate on April 28, 2005, 10:40:15 AM
i plan on moving eventualy, hopefully to va or georgia, then i can pop in and bother ya'll for beer LOL
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Bird351 on April 28, 2005, 10:54:58 AM
Georgia is still something like 300 miles away from me. Long way to go for a beer. :p
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: bq93 on April 28, 2005, 11:13:43 AM
When I had similar problems I think it turned out to be my MAP sensor.  Luckily I have sinced moved to a county that doens't do emissions testing. :evilgrin:
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: 87Redbird on April 28, 2005, 11:28:14 AM
Here's another tip you can try, it's related to the PCV issue.  Change you oil RIGHT before you go to the inspection station.  Older oil contains HC'c from blowby.  Eventually the levels get high enough in the oil that the sniffer can pick them up.

Just a tip passed on from a mechanic neighbor.



Good Luck!
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: EricCoolCats on April 28, 2005, 11:34:57 AM
Some states will sell some stuff in a bottle that you dump into the fuel system right before an emissions test. The companies that make this stuff guarantee that you'll pass. That's a last-ditch effort but if you have access to it, it's a cheap fix.

You can retard the engine timing down a few degrees (say 6 degrees vs. the stock 10)...that will help you burn leaner. Also, how are your O2 sensors? That would be the very first thing I'd check...
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: merccougar50 on April 28, 2005, 12:45:54 PM
Mix some ethanol (alcohol) with the gas.  It will burn cleaner regardless of what is wrong with your car.  However this will not fix the problem, not is it really cheep, unless you have connections  :rolleyes: .
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: NorCalAeroCoupe on April 28, 2005, 02:48:58 PM
Make sure you change your oil before the smog test...it makes a big difference...also make sure you've had the car running enough to get it up to a good operating temp.
Gt to do it every other year in California but,no safety inspection at all......go figer..
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Funky Cricket on April 28, 2005, 04:47:39 PM
michigan is the magical land of no car laws. VIN = registration and insurance. no VIN, go pay for a Rebuild VIN at the Secratary of State (DMV), 75 bucks later and they assign you one with a minimal (very minimal) inspection, mainly is it in one piece and most times not even that detailed, from the county police/sherrif's.

Good luck passing. these things aren't made to pass inspection.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: tstone on May 02, 2005, 01:52:49 PM
Is your thermostat working properly?  When I had a 180 thermostat my LTD failed HC at 3x the limit.  Bumping timing down only made it worse -- 5x the limit.  With a stock 197 and stock timing, it passed with flying colors.
Title: Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help
Post by: Bird351 on May 02, 2005, 02:04:14 PM
Inspections? What are those? :evilgrin: