What to do before Emissions Test?

[camino70]

I am getting ready to take my car through emissions in GA.

It passed last year in the summer, but it has been off of the road for a few months and I was wondering if there was a list I could go through to help get the car to best case for the test...

I have a Translator +, is there any particular way I should set it up?

I have fresh plugs, wires, fuel filter, oil change and the car has been running great (knock on wood).


TIA

Ron

 

[gofstbuick]

IMHO, if it is running good, then just take it in and have it tested. It will probably pass.

 

[camino70]

I Failed!

I failed inspection today

I passed by the skin of my teeth last year and have since added a roller cam and translator + with Extreme chip.

This time around:

25 mph me allowed
H C ppm 175 152
C O % 0.56 0.97
NOx ppm 727 1082
R P M 1626 2500
CO+CO2 14.3 6.0 min

15 mph
H C ppm 159 157
C O % 0.53 0.88
NOx ppm 888 1184
R P M 1682 2500
CO+CO2 14.3 6.0 min


Last year my HC's were 152 on the 25 and 109 on the 15 with a red armstrong chip.


Any ideas or guidance? Can I lean out my fuel with the translator or use the lean cruise option?

The car has been running well, but I don't drive it much. The water temp was about 170, and the outside temp is about 40. Fuel press is 45 with line off and all the settings on the translator are no change with a 3" sensor with a regular idle, not rich or lean.

If any more info would make anything clearer, please ask.

Thanks for any advice!

Ron

How can I post those readings to appear clear?

 

[gofstbuick]

You could try adding a little fuel pressure, the CO may rise a little, but the HC may drop if the mixture is just a little lean. The richer mixture will also drop the NOx. How is the O2 sensor? If the O2 sensor is okay, then look to see if the cat is okay.
If you increase FP and both readings rise, then I would suspect that the mixture may be too rich.
If on the other hand, your lower the fuel pressure and the HC rises higher than the first test (and CO falls lower), then you are too lean.

 

[camino70]

Thanks! The O2 sensor is new and is a Denso unit.

Do you have any ideas on how to distinguish which way I should go, leaner or richer, besides shooting in the dark? Will O2 reading on the Scanmaster help at all?

How do I check the CAT? Its fairly new and I assumed that since the NOx were in line that the CAT was good to go?

Thanks again!

Ron

 

[gofstbuick]

If there is a O2 content on the emissions results, 1-1.5% O2 is lean. You really shouldn't use O2 content to determine rich, as a properly working cat will use up the O2 during the oxidation process (changing HC and CO to CO2 and H2O).
Check the cat with a hand held pyrometer. Warm the engine to cloed loop and take it for a test drive (3rd gear at 60mph) for at least 3 minutes. Immediately pull to the side if the road and check the temp on the pipe just in front of the cat and at the rear of the cat. The back should be at least 100 degrees hotter than the front. It takes energy to change HC and CO to CO2 and H2O, so if the front reads 250 degrees, then the rear should read 350 degrees or more.

 

[Bescurred]

Camino I run a shop on the west side of Atlanta, email me if you have problems

 

[camino70]

Thanks guys,
I am emailing you V8...


Ron

 

[camino70]

Hey V8,
I keep getting my emails bounced back, any chance you have a different email then listed in your member info?

Ron

 

[Bescurred]

yea sorry Lawesmif@hotmail.com

are you going to the turbobuick club meeting saturday?

 

[camino70]

I will be there!

 

[camino70]

Just wanted to thank you guys(V8 and gofst) and let everyone else know of my outcome.

I widened the gap on my plugs to .035 from .032, upped the fuel pressure to 45 on the rail.

I got it nice and hot (had to unplug the fan) and it passed with flying colors! (keeping the rpms up in second gear instead of 3rd)

HC down to 75 and 71
CO down to .53 and .51
NOx down to 512 and 602
RPMs up to 2179 and 2302
CO+CO2 fell to 13.2 and 13.4


Thanks!

Ron