passing emissions?

SteveMelchiorre":u4k02jlm said:
I passed the Idle test for HC and CO easily.

..and I passed the NOx in the Driving test but failed the:
HC - allowable 294 - reading 378
CO - allowable 3.09 - reading 8.83

SteveMelchiorre":u4k02jlm said:
I've tried to pass Air Care 3 times now. Each time I get closer but I'm still failing the Driving test for
HC - allowable 294 - reading 332
CO - allowable 3.09 - reading 6.53

SteveMelchiorre":u4k02jlm said:
My CO is currently at 4.73 and needs to be at 3.09 in order to pass.

SteveMelchiorre":u4k02jlm said:
Currently at 4.02 and needs to be at 3.09 in order to pass

You have made quite a bit of progress. You went from 2.85 time the limit to 1.03 time the limit an improvement of 116%. or more then halfing your CO output. I don't think the DUI will get you ther but if it does then Grate. If not then the last thing I would try is a Catalitic converter. You could have a muffler shop install it with flanges and remove it after the test and replace with a straight pipe.
 
Thanks for the advice.
Once the DUI is installed I plan on putting in fresh plugs an oil change and tuning it up from scratch.

Here's hoping...

Steve....
 
mustang6 - thanks for the info.
I'm really hoping that a DUI, new plugs, fresh oil and a tune up will get me to pass. I'm really close.

If it doesn't I'll try opening up a wee hole in my exhaust gasket that I had previously filled with some permatex.

Steve...
 
Quick update.
DUI arrived today!
I p'bally will not get to putting it in until the weekend. :(

Has anyone ever put one into a 69' Mustang with Power steering?
I was wondering if I'll need to modify my power steering bracket.

Steve.....
 
DUI is in!
Pretty easy job. Got it in and tuned within 2 hours.

..and if anyone is thinking to do this there were no clearance issues with the power steering bracket.

I'll run it this week and take it to emissions on Saturday.
(fingers crossed)
 
So....I'm going for the emissions test in the morning.

Current specs are:
DUI ignition
new plugs at .5
Advance at 12 degrees
idle 800rpm
vacuum at 18 with a minor fluctuation
air/fuel screw is all the way in!
--Does this sound right?

btw--If I open up the air fuel screw by 3/4 of a turn vacuum goes up to just below 20 and holds steady.

Thoughts?
Steve...
 
btw--If I open up the air fuel screw by 3/4 of a turn vacuum goes up to just below 20 and holds steady.

Leave it there. You want the highest steady vacuum you can get.
 
you can probably try 14* advance, the curve on the DUI IIRC is 24* @ 3000rpm so your safe @ 38* i believe that's the sweet spot, but still check for pings
 
If I open up the air/fuel screw this would make the mixture "richer", right?
My previous problem was too much CO.
In order to pass emissions I should have it set as lean as possible, correct?

Steve...
 
Still no joy...
Tried once with the air/fuel screw in all the way (vacuum at 18) and once with it 3/4 turn out (vacuum at 20).
Both with the following specs:
DUI ignition
new plugs at .5
Advance at 12 degrees
idle 800rpm

I pass the idle test no problem but continually fail the driving test for CO. (I also passed the driving test for HC and NOx)
This latest round for CO was:
max allowable 3.09
my reading 6.66

So more vacuum is better as ludwig mentioned but I'm really at a loss as to what to do next.
Go to a mechanic and let him have a try?
Or just put a cat on it? <-- and would this even get me past?

thoughts?

Steve...
 
If you could find a mechanic that knows what he is doing on this old stuff when it comes to emissions I think at this stage it would be well worth paying to have him make it pass. Trick is finding someone. Im sure plenty of people would say they can do it. You would think in areas where there are classic cars and testing that there would be people that would advertise they are experts at helping old cars meet emissions. Or do most people know how to work the system and get their cars registered so they dont have to test em?

Are these specs they are trying to make you meet the year and model of your car or some magic standard the set that your car would not have met when it was new?
 
Are these specs they are trying to make you meet the year and model of your car or some magic standard the set that your car would not have met when it was new?

I suspect it is some new perfected standard designed to get older cars off the road.

Californians find an alternative address in a less stringent county. If you live in LA county, you register your car to an address in Ventura county to the west or Alpine county up in the mountains close to Nevada. You might think of getting some post box address in eastern Washington state and licensing it there.

I'm only partly kidding.
 
You need to find a mechanic with an exhaust analyzer. They are a bit harder to find these days as most emissions stuff is now read through the OBD-II connection. Back in the late '80s (many moons ago), I used to work as a machanic and would "adjust" cars to pass the test. Without the anaylzer, you'll just be poke'n & hope'n. It's been a really long time but I recall retarding the timing, leaning it out and increasing the idle to get them to pass. If it's only an adjustment, it should take no more than 10 minutes max with the "sniffer".

Good luck
 
try retarding the timing ro like 4* or less if it's safe, don't driving it like that tho, iirc: you need less CO, if it burns late, and exhausts unburnt fuel/air then makes less CO

and if you really want just loosen your exhaust flange before you go in, some exhaust will leak into engine bay and not full exhaust at tail pipe, letting less CO into the reader

to pass emissions you don't need the best running combination, many ppl have changed jets, retarded the dizy, and done many other things that you normally WOULDN'T do. then pull out and retune to best performance/drivability.
 
Thanks for the feedback.

As you all have suggested, I'm looking into a few options.

One of which is registering my car in Victoria which is outside AirCare's domain.

The second is going to a mechanic with an exhaust analyzer and having him tune it to pass. I've looked into renting one of these and cannot find them anywhere...

...and I did a bit of hunting on AirCare's emission guidelines and as ludwig proposed they have been making it harder and harder each year to get your car to pass! 8 years ago my car would have passed on its 1st attempt with flying colors.

I need to do something. On the 25th of November my car will be illegal to drive in BC.

Steve...
 
they have been making it harder and harder each year to get your car to pass! 8 years ago my car would have passed on its 1st attempt with flying colors.

If that's the case, you're going to be eating dirt on that Nash Metro. With a two stroke engine and open bath sump.
 
File a 'non-operation' and re-register in January of 2012.

Sorry 'bout dat. When I go to my smog guy, if he finds anything amiss, he tells me about it and tosses me a little rubber hose or sends me over to the garage bay next door to get a tool. He used to be a full mechanic but is doing smog-only now. He lets me fix it on the spot myself, legally. Then he runs the test again.
 
this makes it sound like the passing bar won't move, but you made it obvious that it did, are they testing you accourding to 1969 standards?

AirCare Wiki AirCare tests vehicles for the following regulated pollutants: hydrocarbons (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and diesel particulate. They further claim to reduce the production of carbon dioxide as the repairs for cars that fail often also improves fuel economy. Each vehicle type and model year has its own pass/fail criteria based on the emission standards at the time the vehicle was built
 
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