Failed Emissions.......MISERABLY.

[Pick]

OK, I am lost.......this past week I failed emissions with a 6.X reading on hydrocarbons on an allowable of 0.X. The only other reading that was out of the green was the CO2, and it was only over by 0.002ppm.

So, I guess my question is: Where do I start looking to diagnose the problem quickly?

 

[Ttype83]

I would look at your catalytic converter first, it's suppost to reduce hydrocarbon.
2st would be the air pump system, is it still working and connected right? It also reduces hydrocarbon

I don't have a cat on mine, I'll be moving there next month.
What kind of problems will I have with emissions?
Shoot me a email want to talk shop and/or homes

 

[b4black]

I failed once. New O2 sensor and all was well.

Hydrocarbons in the exhaust are unbrunt fuel. (Too rich.)

Something else to try is some alcohol in the gas. It burns much cleaner than gasoline. That is why the EPA has metropolitian areas run 10 % ethanol. HEET is methanol. A bottle when the tank is low should help considerably.

I think there is a product called GTP (Guarentee To Pass) for emissions. I'd bet it is simply alcohol.

 

[Pick]

Thanks for the help! It hasn't been running any richer than normal lately, at least not to the point that it is noticeable. (in smell or gas mileage)

This is the first time it has failed emissions, it has always breezed through every previous test.

I do some checking on it tonight and see what I find.

 

[gofstbuick]

Pick,
Can you provide the exact readings for HC, CO, CO2, Nox and O2. I've noticed our cars run excessively lean. Even to the point of lean misfire. Do you live in a conty that uses a dyno (ASM) test? Cuz if you are not, then there won't be nox results. Because our cars are fuel injected, the O2 sensor must be pretty accurate. The O2 more than anything else helps the catalytic converter work more efficiently. By accuracy regarding the O2, crosscounts is an inaccurate (outdated) check. You need to know if your O2 sensor can respond from full rich to full lean and visa versa in less than 100 millaseconds (for each direction). This is the most accurate method of checking your O2 sensor. Also, your O2 sensor may be bias either lean or rich.

 

[unboostedV6]

Just want to point out that Pick's car is CCC Carbureted, not fuel injected as stated in the previous post. O2's are still important as well as rich-lean stops on the M/C solenoid and accordingly, M/C dwell at idle. Idle speed must be set to spec - not too low - to prevent lean miss. GB

 

[gofstbuick]

Oops, sorry, I didn't notice the year and was reading from recent post. Providing all the emission results will still be helpful.