Passed Smog, just bearly

TType85

TType85

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Joined
May 25, 2001
Got my car through the test-only station today. Put on the stock air cleaner assembly, fp reg, downpipe, cat, breathers fill tube and TT Emissions chip. It squeaked through.

15mph was at 1479rpm
25mph was at 1444rpm

%CO2 was 14.2
%O2 was .2

HC
15mph 72 (max 88)
25mph 71 (max 71) :eek:

CO
15mph .16 (max .55)
25mph .04 (max .41)

NO
15mph 6 (max 768)
25mph 0 (max 649)

What would cause the HC to be higher? I know they lowered the limit a lot, but this is too close. I want to make sure on my next test it passes.
 
HC's is unburnt fuel, Misfires or running rich will cause this. Where the spark plugs stock or colder range? Gap?

Also, just an FYI, the smog test is designed to help you pass as much as possible. Once you hit 15/25mph it will begin to monitor the emissions. Usually emissions start high and slowly go lower and lower. Once the test sees that you are with in specs (ie Pass) it will move on to the next portion of the test. Most people think it will test at say 15 mph and it will just sit there and wait until you fail or go above the max so it could fail you. Not true. If the HC's are at say 90 during the 15 mph test it will keep monitoring until A) you get withing limits or B) you exceed the amount of time it gives you to be in those limits (I think its 90sec). A lot of people think they just passed with a 71 out of 71 and they got lucky but truth is you where probably around 80 and it just dropped to 71 right before time expired so it passed you.

If you noticed clean unmodified cars will hit the 15 mph test and be dead center or low on the readings and 5-10 seconds later it moves on to the 25mph test. Your car probably got into the 25 mph test and it sat there for like 30-60 seconds trying to get below the max before time was up. Just some info for you. Hope this helps!
 
my1stgn said:
HC's is unburnt fuel, Misfires or running rich will cause this. Where the spark plugs stock or colder range? Gap?

Also, just an FYI, the smog test is designed to help you pass as much as possible. Once you hit 15/25mph it will begin to monitor the emissions. Usually emissions start high and slowly go lower and lower. Once the test sees that you are with in specs (ie Pass) it will move on to the next portion of the test. Most people think it will test at say 15 mph and it will just sit there and wait until you fail or go above the max so it could fail you. Not true. If the HC's are at say 90 during the 15 mph test it will keep monitoring until A) you get withing limits or B) you exceed the amount of time it gives you to be in those limits (I think its 90sec). A lot of people think they just passed with a 71 out of 71 and they got lucky but truth is you where probably around 80 and it just dropped to 71 right before time expired so it passed you.

If you noticed clean unmodified cars will hit the 15 mph test and be dead center or low on the readings and 5-10 seconds later it moves on to the 25mph test. Your car probably got into the 25 mph test and it sat there for like 30-60 seconds trying to get below the max before time was up. Just some info for you. Hope this helps!
Click to expand...

Yeah, the 25mph took a long time. I knew it would be close.

The pugs are one heat range cooler than stock so that could be part of it, stock gap. Will put that on my list for next smog check.
 
I would make sure to put the stock heat range and gap on the spark plugs. Also make sure the stock temp thermostat is in and the car is nice and hot! Plus since it is tested at cruising speeds 15 and 25 mph (as apposed to acceleration) make sure your EGR is hooked up and working.
 
Chris,

How big is the cam in your car? Added duration and overlap increases HC's also.

Neal
 
I think it is a 206/206 or maybe a little bigger. I am trying to remember between my old car and this one. I know the motor I put in my old car was a 206/206, this one may be bigger.
 
Passed Smog, just bearly......

Grizzly bearly or Black bearly?:D
 
With only 71 H.C. indicated there is nothing wrong with your car. There is something wrong with our smog program. They seem to fail to understand that something must be burned to create energy. What is totally unfair is when these cars were first released . They had to pass then strict standards for the time & keep changing the rules. There is an effort by this administration to get all the old cars off the road similar to Japans rules so you have to support the democrat agenda & one of it chief financial benefactors the auto unions. Every time a new car is sold jobs & tax's are created. Pretty soon you're car will be relegated to some museum unless they decide to impound & crush it first. Enjoy it while you can & oh yes do vote for Obama's reelection.
 
turbolou said:
With only 71 H.C. indicated there is nothing wrong with your car. There is something wrong with our smog program. They seem to fail to understand that something must be burned to create energy. What is totally unfair is when these cars were first released . They had to pass then strict standards for the time & keep changing the rules. There is an effort by this administration to get all the old cars off the road similar to Japans rules so you have to support the democrat agenda & one of it chief financial benefactors the auto unions. Every time a new car is sold jobs & tax's are created. Pretty soon you're car will be relegated to some museum unless they decide to impound & crush it first. Enjoy it while you can & oh yes do vote for Obama's reelection.
Click to expand...

Yeah, one of the reasons I want out of California. I came to an agreement with my wife that we will stay till my nephews are older. 10 years and I am out to another state that is not so, um, democrat. I didn't vote for that fool the first time and I sure as hell won't vote for him this time, although it doesn't matter with this state...
 
I know, ever since Obama became president this entire state has went to **** and SMOG has been a real PITA! Before him ,when Bush was president, oh man life was great! SMOG was a joke, and I never ran CATS on any of my cars! ****, we just bought a new car off the lot and went straight to the chop-shop to rip the cats right off! Awe man life was great 4 years ago! LOL

I knew this would eventually get political by some old timer. I think we should get rid of all SMOG and all health regulations! Just like Mexico does! Man I love going down to TJ on the weekends and run my cars without caring about pollution!... What? the car has a misfire? **** it, their aint no smog rules here! LOL..... What, that diesel truck is running rich as hell?, who cares! That aint affecting my breathing!....What? Some 17 year old kid wants to run his ricer-car rich as heck cause he thinks its faster? Who cares!!!! That black smoke coming out his pipe is proof the horsepower has doubled!!!

I think the formula the gov uses is = more people= more cars= less land= more pollution per sq foot. Yeah Texas has little SMOG laws but your neighbor is like miles away not like here where we had idiots trying to mod their cars and end up causing more pollution than horsepower gains. Only about 10% of the people that mod their cars actually know what they are doing! So sad......
 
my1stgn said:
I think we should get rid of all SMOG and all health regulations! Just like Mexico does! Man I love going down to TJ on the weekends and run my cars without caring about pollution!... What? the car has a misfire? **** it, their aint no smog rules here! LOL..... What, that diesel truck is running rich as hell?, who cares! That aint affecting my breathing!....What? Some 17 year old kid wants to run his ricer-car rich as heck cause he thinks its faster? Who cares!!!! That black smoke coming out his pipe is proof the horsepower has doubled!!!

I think the formula the gov uses is = more people= more cars= less land= more pollution per sq foot. Yeah Texas has little SMOG laws but your neighbor is like miles away not like here where we had idiots trying to mod their cars and end up causing more pollution than horsepower gains. Only about 10% of the people that mod their cars actually know what they are doing! So sad......
Click to expand...

I love when people automatically go all the way to the "Let's get rid of all the smog and health regulations". I would not want to get rid of all smog and health regulations, I want a more sane approach to them. Sanity is something these greenie zealots that run CA don't have a lot of.

The formula the government uses has a lot more $ in it. How much does it cost to have a part certified through CARB? Who benefits when you buy a new car? It stopped being about the enviroment a long time ago.

Lou is right, these cars are 25 years old and they are tightening down the standards on them. That is wrong.
How much smog are they getting rid of by making it harder for our cars to pass?
How much enviromental impact does that new car they want to force us in to cause compared to the smog avoided by forcing these cars off the road?
How about we have limited use plates like other states for cars that see under a certain milage per year and have more lienient standards for them?
How about if I have my 3" DP with a CAT that it doesn't get questioned as long as it blows under the required number?
How about if I put long tube headers on a car with cat's and blow clean being legal?
I throw a LSx motor in the car with all the smog stuff (my 2001 Z06 didn't have a EGR or smog pump), toss a turbo on that and blow clean why isn't that legal?
Why isn't it smog leagal to run a alky system on my car?

Your never going to stop the 17 year old or the Diesel driver they do that anyways, always have and always will.

CA isn't Obama's fault, CA has been a loony bin for a long time. There is a reason a ton of businesses have moved out of CA, most of them have to do with the state government.
 
TType85 said:
I love when people automatically go all the way to the "Let's get rid of all the smog and health regulations". I would not want to get rid of all smog and health regulations, I want a more sane approach to them. Sanity is something these greenie zealots that run CA don't have a lot of.

The formula the government uses has a lot more $ in it. How much does it cost to have a part certified through CARB? Who benefits when you buy a new car? It stopped being about the enviroment a long time ago.

Lou is right, these cars are 25 years old and they are tightening down the standards on them. That is wrong.
How much smog are they getting rid of by making it harder for our cars to pass?
How much enviromental impact does that new car they want to force us in to cause compared to the smog avoided by forcing these cars off the road?
How about we have limited use plates like other states for cars that see under a certain milage per year and have more lienient standards for them?
How about if I have my 3" DP with a CAT that it doesn't get questioned as long as it blows under the required number?
How about if I put long tube headers on a car with cat's and blow clean being legal?
I throw a LSx motor in the car with all the smog stuff (my 2001 Z06 didn't have a EGR or smog pump), toss a turbo on that and blow clean why isn't that legal?
Why isn't it smog leagal to run a alky system on my car?

Your never going to stop the 17 year old or the Diesel driver they do that anyways, always have and always will.

CA isn't Obama's fault, CA has been a loony bin for a long time. There is a reason a ton of businesses have moved out of CA, most of them have to do with the state government.
Click to expand...


Yeah your right. I take back what I said. The reason you just "bearly" passed SMOG is not because the mods you did to your car increased your pollution, but its cause California and Obama are just f^cking with you. I never had a problem with SMOG so they must just like me! =) Good luck to you!
 
my1stgn said:
Yeah your right. I take back what I said. The reason you just "bearly" passed SMOG is not because the mods you did to your car increased your pollution, but its cause California and Obama are just f^cking with you. I never had a problem with SMOG so they must just like me! =) Good luck to you!
Click to expand...

Yes, I realized my spelling mistake, see post 7 & 8.

No the reason I barely passed is beacuse they have changed the standards to try and get the older cars off the road. With 1986 standards the car would be well under. I don't have issues running a cat, my EGR is functional, as is the evap system. I do have issues with the way the state government handles these things.

If your GN never had an issue getting through smog, whoever you took it to is not doing their job. Have you had to go Test Only yet?
 
TType85 said:
I love when people automatically go all the way to the "Let's get rid of all the smog and health regulations". I would not want to get rid of all smog and health regulations, I want a more sane approach to them. Sanity is something these greenie zealots that run CA don't have a lot of.

The formula the government uses has a lot more $ in it. How much does it cost to have a part certified through CARB? Who benefits when you buy a new car? It stopped being about the enviroment a long time ago.

Lou is right, these cars are 25 years old and they are tightening down the standards on them. That is wrong.
How much smog are they getting rid of by making it harder for our cars to pass?
How much enviromental impact does that new car they want to force us in to cause compared to the smog avoided by forcing these cars off the road?
How about we have limited use plates like other states for cars that see under a certain milage per year and have more lienient standards for them?
How about if I have my 3" DP with a CAT that it doesn't get questioned as long as it blows under the required number?
How about if I put long tube headers on a car with cat's and blow clean being legal?
I throw a LSx motor in the car with all the smog stuff (my 2001 Z06 didn't have a EGR or smog pump), toss a turbo on that and blow clean why isn't that legal?
Why isn't it smog leagal to run a alky system on my car?

Your never going to stop the 17 year old or the Diesel driver they do that anyways, always have and always will.

CA isn't Obama's fault, CA has been a loony bin for a long time. There is a reason a ton of businesses have moved out of CA, most of them have to do with the state government.
Click to expand...


I guess my bone of contention with CA smog laws regarding these and other older, performance type vehicles is that most are driven very few miles per year. Mean Chicken is the only guy I know of in the area that uses his as a daily driver. (God less him!)

In addition, I do not believe that there is a significant enough number of 25+ year cars on the road to justify such strict measures.

I'm fortunate in that I live in Arizona and we can register our cars as collector cars and therefore exempt them from testing. We are restricted to a maximum yearly mileage limit, but it's fairly generous. Mine is 3500 miles per year.

I don't see why California could not implement such a program.
 
Yes, I have taken my car to a Test Only. I believe all our cars are required to go to Test Only SMOG. Granted the smog tech might have missed a few things, but he did his job.

Also, the way a vehicle goes on a "Test Only" list is when the show a history of increased SMOG failures. May be those failures came when the SMOG rules were easier or may be they came after they got stricker but regardless our cars became "Test Only" because they had a higher failure rate. Most cars that get modified usually increase in emissions and thus tend to end up in the "Test Only" list.

I am all for having easier regulations when it applies to me but most of these regs are because people increase emissions by modding their cars. It would be nice to have smog exempt cars if they were registered as "classics" or "low use". Just be happy that they have not made us smog pre- 77 cars!! If they were really out to get us they could easily have smog cars for those vehicles too and who is to stop them?
 
I didn't think this was going to get political and I agree that California is run by loonies in Sacramento. Lou is correct in the fact that there is an effort to legislate older cars off the road. Tightening up the emissions criteria is not the right way to do this. These cars when produced new were designed to meet emission standards of the day. Changing the standards 25 years later hardly seems fair.

I've always thought that if they want to get all the old junkers off the road all the state needs to do is implement a vehicle inspection program like states back east. More than likely the same gross polluters California is so concerned about are the cars with numerous mechanical problems making them un-roadworthy. Old car in good condition and state of tune should be left alone.

Neal
 
my1stgn said:
Yes, I have taken my car to a Test Only. I believe all our cars are required to go to Test Only SMOG. Granted the smog tech might have missed a few things, but he did his job.
Click to expand...

What fuel pressure regulator are you running? I had a TR fail visual in the past becuase of that. It really depends on how anal the tech is. I've had ones who know what the car is and let little things slide and others who refuse to believe that it is the correct engine.

my1stgn said:
Also, the way a vehicle goes on a "Test Only" list is when the show a history of increased SMOG failures. May be those failures came when the SMOG rules were easier or may be they came after they got stricker but regardless our cars became "Test Only" because they had a higher failure rate. Most cars that get modified usually increase in emissions and thus tend to end up in the "Test Only" list.
Click to expand...

I am pretty sure our TR's are lumped in with the other N/A regals, which for the most part are not well taken care of. I found a couple examples in the junk yard this weekend. I got a nice-ish rear bumper off one though, not perfect but way better than mine.

my1stgn said:
I am all for having easier regulations when it applies to me but most of these regs are because people increase emissions by modding their cars. It would be nice to have smog exempt cars if they were registered as "classics" or "low use". Just be happy that they have not made us smog pre- 77 cars!! If they were really out to get us they could easily have smog cars for those vehicles too and who is to stop them?
Click to expand...

Pre 75 cars do not need a bi-annual inspection but you do have to smog it if you sell it. I had a 1972 Mercury with a 460ci motor, when I sold it in 94 I had to smog it. The fun part was even without cats it blew cleaner than the 1985 Honda CRX commuter car I picked up.
 
Chris,

I pulled out my paperwork from when I had my car smogged last time and the limits on mine are actually tighter than yours. I don't know if your car is an '86 but mine is an '87. On my test the MAX HC limits at 15 are 77ppm and only 59ppm at 25. I'll have to check the limits on my '04 GTO for a laugh and see what those are.

Neal
 
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