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calling the smog gurus



 
 
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  #1  
Old August 25th 06, 08:25 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
hex
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Posts: 1
Default calling the smog gurus

hi I just failed the good ole california smog test i have a 98
civic EX manual
109K i failed with high HC tthe first time around cause i just drove
it in without doing anything
since its never failed before after failing once I did new plugs, dist
cap and rotor added 2 cans of heet to 1/4 tank of gas and ran for 15
miles on fwy prior to testing and it still failed the numbers dropped
about 30 points on the HC with the tune up but still failed
here are the #

co2 O2 HC CO


15 mph 13.7 .7 64max, test 99 .55max, test .16


25 mph 13.8 .5 47max, test 89 .54max, test .10



NO
477max , test 33
764max, test 13

had the computer scanned, no codes or pending codes engine is strong
i dont think its blow by or anything like that, dont want to start
throwing 90 dollar x2 02 sensors or 300 dollar cats without knowing
what is the cause.

any insight would be appreciated

Ads
  #2  
Old August 25th 06, 10:37 PM posted to rec.autos.tech
Rodan
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Posts: 261
Default calling the smog gurus

"hex" wrote: 98 civic EX manual 109K

Failed california smog test - high HC.

Did new plugs, dist cap and rotor, added 2 cans
of heet to 1/4 tank of gas and ran for 15 miles
on fwy prior to retest. HC was about 30 points
lower but still failed:

15 mph 25 mph
Actual(Max) Actual(Max)
CO2 13.7 13.8
O2 0.7 0.5
HC 99(64) 89(47)
CO .16(.55) .10(.54)
NO 33(477) 13(764)

No codes. Engine strong. Don't want to start
throwing parts dollars at it without knowing the
cause. Any insight appreciated.
________________________________________

Looks like it's still running too rich. If you do
decide to throw parts dollars at it, start with a
new air filter and plug wires.

Good luck.

Rodan.


  #3  
Old August 27th 06, 05:37 AM posted to rec.autos.tech
[email protected]
external usenet poster
 
Posts: 30
Default calling the smog gurus


hex wrote:
> hi I just failed the good ole california smog test i have a 98
> civic EX manual
> 109K i failed with high HC tthe first time around cause i just drove
> it in without doing anything
> since its never failed before after failing once I did new plugs, dist
> cap and rotor added 2 cans of heet to 1/4 tank of gas and ran for 15
> miles on fwy prior to testing and it still failed the numbers dropped
> about 30 points on the HC with the tune up but still failed
> here are the #
>
> co2 O2 HC CO
>
>
> 15 mph 13.7 .7 64max, test 99 .55max, test .16
>
>
> 25 mph 13.8 .5 47max, test 89 .54max, test .10
>


The high HC means incomplete combustion. High CO means too much fuel,
and high NOX emissions almost always indicate a problem with the EGR
system. In this case your mixture looks okay as it is well within the
test limits.

Adding heet (and 2 cans at that) to 1/4 tank of gas is the wrong
approach to this problem. Heet is wood alcohol, and while what you did
would likely help a carbureted engine pass an emission test by leaning
the mixture, it will not have the same effect on a fuel injected
engine. The computer will automatically adjust the fuel delivery to
maintain a stochiometric mixture by introducing MORE fuel(since your
alcohol mixture has less energy than gasoline), and thus the only
effect you've made is to cut your gas mileage and take any water in the
tank (which will be absorbed by the heet) and stick it into the
combustion chamber(wood alcohol will bind to the water and drag it
through the system), where it will not burn.

My advice: Fill up the tank with fresh gasoline to dilute the heet that
you put in there and run it through again. I would also like to see the
other numbers from your first pass through the test. Keep in mind at
109k you are probably due for oxygen sensors and a mass airflow sensor
in the very near future.

And here's the clincher...if you drove the car with a misfire for any
period of time it is also possible you destroyed the catalytic
convertor, and if that is indeed your problem no amount of pouring
stuff into the tank will get you through the test. Any shop can test
the cat with a point -n- shoot thermometer. If after running for
several minutes at a high idle RPM the inlet side of the cat is the
same temperature as the outlet side then you can safely assume it is in
need of replacement.

Good luck with it.

Chris

 




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