Just bought a 87 Regal... failed emissions

A

AF1Strider

New Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2012
Hello guys I just bought a 87 Regal with a Grand National swap. I took it in for emissions and it failed. The scanmasters is throwing a code 45. Were should I start with this? Also on my scanmaster i didnt see a 02 section so im not sure what the o2 sensor is reading. I pulled the o2 sensor out and it was pretty black. Im gonna clean and see if that helps, until I can get a new one. I believe its a Bosch and from what Ive been reading they are crap on these cars and I should find a AC Delco or Denso for it. Any help will be a appreciated.
 
The car doesn't need emissions it's an antique now just needs a safety inspection. Lights blinkers horn and brakes that's it
 
Put a denso o2 sensor in it some one will chime in the correct part # I can't think of it off the top of my head
 
Here in Albuquerque, NM i need have emissions. Only place in the state that requires emissions.... The nice thing is the testing place didnt charge me they just put the sniffer in and showed me it would fail.
 
When the engine is started the Scanmaster will display O2 milli-volts on the left and retard on the right. Once in closed loop the O2 volts will/should oscillate from about 100 mV through 800 mV.

Code 45 being O2 rich error. Means that the ECM is removing as much fuel as it can (it is limited) and can't get the O2 reading low enough to create cross counts. Since the O2 sensor is black, this is likely true, IOW, the O2 sensor isn't the cause. But replacing it is always a good idea once badly covered carbon.

Where to start: check which injectors are in the engine along with what chip is in the ECM. Someone may have put larger injectors in with the wrong chip. Check the fuel pressure, stock is about 38-39 psi engine running vacuum line off.

Injectors may be getting clogged, this causes them to flow more fuel.

A Spring Cleaning is a good ides, this is listed someplace on the gnttype.org site. Basically oil change, filter, plugs, wires if needed and so on.

And welcome to the world of Turbo Buicks, high maintenance but a lot of fun when running.

RemoveBeforeFlight
 
I did change the 02 sensor.. no luck. I have checked the plugs they are ac delco r44ts, slight brown tint to them. plug wires looked good. I did change the oil, i put some 5w-30 mobile one in it with a bottle of zinc additive. They guy I bought the car from said it had a 4 stage casper racing chip. But he also said it needs a methanol kit to run it hard. I think he gave me the stock chips with it. I found them in the center console. I was thinking of putting one of them and see if it helps. Also Im gonna get a fuel pressure kit and see what the pressure is. It does have a adjustable fuel pressure regualor installed on it, so maybe it has too much pressure. Thanks for all the help so far, all of this is new to me... I was a Camaro guy before this, I sold my 1974 Z28 and bought this car.
 
AF1Strider said:
I did change the 02 sensor.. no luck. I have checked the plugs they are ac delco r44ts, slight brown tint to them. plug wires looked good. I did change the oil, i put some 5w-30 mobile one in it with a bottle of zinc additive. They guy I bought the car from said it had a 4 stage casper racing chip. But he also said it needs a methanol kit to run it hard. I think he gave me the stock chips with it. I found them in the center console. I was thinking of putting one of them and see if it helps. Also Im gonna get a fuel pressure kit and see what the pressure is. It does have a adjustable fuel pressure regualor installed on it, so maybe it has too much pressure. Thanks for all the help so far, all of this is new to me... I was a Camaro guy before this, I sold my 1974 Z28 and bought this car.
Click to expand...



If you have bigger injectors the chip has to match the injectors.
 
is there a way i can check to see if they are bigger injectors?? Because right now i dont know if they are stock or larger.
 
SOMETIMES you can tell PSI from the stripes on the injectors, depending on Mfg. you can cross-check color of stripe v. psi flow of inj.
you may have to pull one to see correct color of stripe (green & blue can look pretty close w/o good light conditions); you'll see shorthand on the board "Blue Stripe" Green Stripe" "Orange Stripe" etc in ref to inj
D o_O
 
Well my injectors have green stripes on them. My fuel pressure with vacuum line off is about 39, is that right? and with the vacuum line hooked up it drops to something inm the 20's is that right?. I took out my MAF sensor today and the filter for it, that honeycomb thing, just fell out when i pulled the K&N filter off. Also the plug for it is in line with the sensor instead of being 90 degrees out. I think it may be the wrong MAF sensor. Im going to a junk yard in the AM and will see if i find one if not ill order a new one i think. I my MAF reads 3 at idle not sure if that is normal or not.
 
AF1Strider said:
Here in Albuquerque, NM i need have emissions. Only place in the state that requires emissions.... The nice thing is the testing place didnt charge me they just put the sniffer in and showed me it would fail.
Click to expand...

I'm assuming this car won't be a daily driver.

If you put "collector car insurance" on it (Hagerty, Grundy, etc.) and register the car as a classic you won't need to emmisions test the car. It's cheaper than regular insurance and so are the registration fees.

If you have a garage and a daily driver that is insured any one of the collector car insurance companies will cover the TR.

You might have a bit of a tough time because it's a "clone" but then again, there are a lot of clone cars of every type out there (of every brand) that get by on the same technicality.
 
AF1Strider said:
In New Mexico it has to be 35 years or older to registered under historic or collectable.
Click to expand...

That sucks!

I feel almost bad enough to let you use my AZ address just to screw that bunch of self serving politicos!

I'll bet "Cash for Clunkers" eradicated way too much cool metal in your state. I know it F'd the AZ collector car market.

I'd say it's time for you to become politically active..... :D
 
Yeah, I'm not here by choice. I'm actually a NJ resident and I am stationed out here in Albuquerque. And Albuquerque is the only place in New Mexico that requires emission.
 
Ok so my injectors have a green strip and had the numbers 621031 on them im uploading a picture of them aswell. any help with what kind of injectors these are?
Injector.jpg
 
All my Green stripes were 30lb. Find someone to clean them an see if it helps. Does the car have a catalytic converter? they could be 42lb. I looked them up a well. I have to double check mine
 
Yea it has a Cat, it has a cut out right before the cat but it has one and a muffler. I punched in those numbers that were on the injector and it came back to a 42lbs injectors.. im so confused!!
 
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