I failed the Az emission test

[aahsac]

According to the slip they gave me, excerpt below, the fail was because of the idle. This test is idle and in gear. I thought that might be a problem before the test. I have the idle set a little fast in neutral because when you drop it in gear it really idles slow and you can hear it start to load up a little, as if the choke is slightly closed (which is isn't).

The car runs great. The timing is set by ear, the balancer has slipped on this engine. It's a new engine with less than 2,000 miles on it. It has a 73 head but I have the original 1969 carb on it, not a great fit but it doesn't have a vacuum leak. It has a Clay Smith H-264-12 cam and long tube headers.

I guess my first step will be to go get a vacuum gauge and set the idle mixture.

 

[ludwig]

They got smog standards for a '69 car in Arizona? It's probably running cleaner now than it did stock in the year it was sold.

Back in the 80's, we had an Armenian-owned garage in the neighborhood that did smog inspections along with mechanical repair. The state had mandated a sealed box smog tester so that no one could fiddle with the works while it was testing and he had one at his location.

One year, wifey's 72 Pinto failed the test so he ran it again and it passed the second time without repairs "We can't change tester box," he explained to me. "So I put my hand here and put my hand here on car. It works now. Just fine for test."

Maybe you need a different smog station.

 

[Bort62]

Looks like you are rich at idle. No big surprise, especially Sans catalytic converter.

 

[BIGREDRASA]

I feel like I'm stuck on a theme. Try changing your PCV Valve, & see what that does to your idle. We've had a lengthy series of posts on the impact of the PCV & vacuum. http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=52370&highlight=

 

[aahsac]

You know BIGRED, it can't hurt anything o replace the PCV. The PCV is most likely the original from 69 and it was one gunked up motor when I got it due to lots of coolant in the oil.
And now that I think of it I recall seeing the PCV knocked loose out of the valve cover once and it didn't seem to adversely impact the idle. It may be completely blocked.

 

[MustangSix]

The conundrum with idle testing is that best idle is almost always going to be rich. To get the HC anc CO readings down, you'll probably have to turn the idle mixture screw in until the engine idles like crap.

 

[fordconvert]

You running manifold vac for the timing? Try switching it to ported, the only change should be at idle. Once off idle it should be pretty close to manifold so it should not hurt your loaded test. I seem to recall that one of the reasons for ported vac was idle emissions. If that works it will be an easy fix after you pass.

As long as the PCV valve is in place removing it from the valve cover should not change anything short term. Removing the valve from the vacuum line should lean things out because it will no longer be the controlled vacuum leak it was designed to have. Same thing if its plugged things will go rich because they were expecting some extra air from there.

 

[rbohm]

8) the first problem you have is that the idle speed is too low. you need to set the idle speed with the trans in drive, and the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged. as for the actual speed, get it up around 900 rpm in drive, since the state doesnt, and cant, mandate what the idle speed should be. also as jack stated lean out your idle mixture. you have too much fuel going in and not enough air. one more thing, fill the tank about half full with E10 gasoline, and then add about 2 gallons of ethanol to the tank before you hit the inspection station again. the ethanol burns much colder than gasoline does and wont be read by the emission sensors. also make sure your choke is standing wide open when you have the car retested.

the other option is to sell the 69 and buy a 66 that way you dont have to go through emissions ever again. or you can relegate the 69 to occasional use, insure it with classic car insurance, and have a later model daily driver. that way you also dont have to run the 69 through emissions testing.

 

[LaGrasta]

my Dad lives in AZ. He still has a 1978 Chevy van that he bought new. In order to get it smogged, he drives it to the smog shop, opens the hood and leans it out so bad it will barely run. He takes the test, passes the test, then in order to drive home, readjust the carb to practical driving measures.

 

[mustang6]

the first problem you have is that the idle speed is too low

Not sure where you are getting the idle speed, it's not displayed on that form. Perhaps you are reading the idle 685 HC PPM and confusing that with 685 rpm?

since the state doesnt, and cant, mandate what the idle speed should be

In WA state they sure do- if your idle is not under 1000 rpm (edit: I've since confirmed it is 1100 RPM) you will automatically fail the idle test.

I agree with the others that you need to lean out that idle, even to the point of it running crappy. Retarding the timing will also help, as well as those lighter fuels/additives. When you finally pass you can set everything back to where it runs best. If all else fails and you still don't pass, see my emissions-related post in the thread http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24259 for another approach that worked when I got into an emissions-balancing jam.

 

[rbohm]

the first problem you have is that the idle speed is too low

Not sure where you are getting the idle speed, it's not displayed on that form. Perhaps you are reading the idle 685 HC PPM and confusing that with 685 rpm?

since the state doesnt, and cant, mandate what the idle speed should be

In WA state they sure do- if your idle is not under 1000 rpm you will automatically fail the idle test.

I agree with the others that you need to lean out that idle, even to the point of it running crappy. Retarding the timing will also help, as well as those lighter fuels/additives. When you finally pass you can set everything back to where it runs best. If all else fails and you still don't pass, see my emissions-related post in the thread http://fordsix.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=24259 for another approach that worked when I got into an emissions-balancing jam.

you missed the fact that he stated that he had to raise the idle speed a bit in neutral because the engine would otherwise stall when he put it in drive, which means he set the idle speed wrong in the first place. this also means that the idle speed is still too low. as for washington state mandating the idle speed, where in the law is it? if the law does not specifically state what the idle speed should be, then the emissions people cant fail you based on an idle speed above 1000 rpm.

 

[aahsac]

I took the approach suggested by MustangSix and LaGrasta. The idle quality is really rough and at low speed cruise the car seems to surge/miss where before it really ran smooth. Tomorrow I'll richen it back up a bit.
Thanks everyone for your input and suggestions.

Image deleted by admin

 

[BIGREDRASA]

Congrats! arty:

 

[mustang6]

Nice work! You really got those emissions down.

BTW, while researching automobile emissions testing laws in AZ I found the following on a different forum:

NO NO NO!!! Arizona passed a new law that no one seems to know about! Starting February '07, if you have Collector Car insurance on a vehicle, you do NOT need an emissions test! All you need to do is bring in a copy of the proof of insurance from a reputable Classic Car Insurance company, and you are set to go! My '73 Ghia is insured under Hagerty Insurance.. costs $125 a year and no emissions test.. and yes, I live in Phoenix!

Okay, I checked into this, and that actually seems like the way to go. Thanks for informing me of this change. Of course, no one at the DMV or the emissions office gave me any such info. The insurance is about the same cost as what I'm paying now thru my other carrier, and it only has some stipulations about driving the car for pleasure and car shows vs daily driver. Not a bad deal if it gets me off the emissions hook. Thanks again

 

[mustang6]

Just a follow-up on the minimum idle requirement rbohm and I were discussing. I have seen it clearly posted at WA state emissions testing stations that your vehicle must be capable of idling at less than 1100 RPM or the vehicle will not be tested and/or will automatically fail the the idle test. rbohm challenged me to find this requirement in WA state law and I must admit that after reviewing all the RCWs I could find on the subject, nowhere could I find a specification for a maximum idle RPM. So I e-mailed my state Department of Ecology and asked them if there is someplace in WA state law where the maximum idle speed is defined, or are the emissions testing stations interpreting this for themselves. Surprisingly they actually got back to me in a day, here was their reply.

Hi Scott

Bear with me because State law merely states that Ecology shall adopt the procedures for conducting emission inspections.

Ecology has adopted rules that reference the Environmental Protection Agency rule on emission inspections that includes a requirement that the idle speed does not exceed 1100 rpm.

WAC 173-422-070 Gasoline vehicle exhaust emission testing procedures.

All persons certified by, or under contract to, the department to conduct motor vehicle emission inspections shall use the exhaust emission testing procedures described in (II) Two Speed Idle Test of Appendix B-Test Procedures of Subpart S-Inspection/Maintenance Program Requirements of Part 51 of chapter 1, Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations adopted November 1, 1992, except that the department may require that the following Acceleration Simulation Mode (ASM) test procedure replace the 2500 rpm mode of the Two Speed Idle Test. Equivalent procedures may be approved by the department.

Variations to the procedures specified may be established by the department for all or certain vehicles. Vehicles, not repaired as required by an emission recall for which owner notification was attempted after January 1, 1995, shall not be inspected until compliance with the recall is established.


Acceleration Simulation Mode (ASM)

1. Dynamometer Load: Set dynamometer horsepower load equal to [Vehicle Weight (lbs.) + 300]/300. An Environmental Protection Agency specified loading may also be used.

2. Vehicle Gear Selection: Vehicles with automatic transmissions use Drive (not Overdrive), vehicles with manual transmissions use second gear. Shift to the next higher gear if the engine speed exceeds 2500 revolutions per minute.

3. Vehicle Speed: Set vehicle speed at 25 miles per hour (mph) 1.5 ± mph.

4. Pass or Fail Determinations: Once the vehicle has been operating at 25 mph for 15 seconds, begin measuring exhaust HC, CO, and CO2, each second. The reading for pass or fail determinations is the running average of five measurements. When a final pass or fail determination is made, this mode will be stopped and the final readings recorded.

5. Fast Pass: Once HC and CO readings are equal to or less than the HC and CO standards and are within 20 ppm HC and 0.20% CO of each other.

6. Fast Fail: The vehicle will fail after 15 or more seconds of measurements when the HC reading exceeds 1800 ppm, or the CO reading exceeds 9.0 percent.

7. Full Term Pass/Fail: The vehicle will pass or fail the ASM mode after 90 seconds of measurements unless emission readings are declining at a rate that indicates that a failing vehicle will pass within the next 30 seconds. Then the failing vehicle will receive up to an additional 30 seconds of measurements before the final pass/fail determination is made.

Please let me if you want the federal rule or have any information on factory idle specs exceeding 1100rpm.

John Raymond Department of Ecology Air Quality Program

 

[SteveS]

These allowable numbers are horrible! California doesn't test anything before 1976 but when they did the standard was 120 PPM HC was the max allowable. 450 will choke you to death. When my car failed two years ago it failed because the HC at idle was 176 ppm. The fumes were unbearable. I had simply failed to do a tune up prior to the test. After the tune up the numbers dropped to 32 ppm at idle and 28 at 2500 rpm.

My test idle rpm was 768 in park. California doesn't do a "load" test in my area. In LA area they dyno test under load for emissions.

Interesting to see the differences between states. My wifes 92 Tbird tested at 8 ppm at idle and 9 at 2500 rpm. 15,000 miles on the new 3.8 V6 engine.

My car is a 1982 Cougar wagon with the 200 six and 1946 Holley carb.