My car barely failed the Washington state emissions test. Washington tests for HC and CO at idle and cruise (25mph). It passed everything except HC at cruise. Here are the test results:

_____________HC (ppm)___CO (%)

cruise limit:______150_______1
cruise emissions:__165______.95
cruise result:_____fail______pass

idle limit:_________220______1.2
idle emissions:____185______.56
idle result:_______pass_____pass


I just need to reduce my HC by 15 ppm at cruise to pass. What should I do? My only mods are in my sig. The CAT is only about a year old. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks!

 

Back off your timing a bit, that's all I do for my emissions. I just dial it way back till I can barely drive it and bring it in, trying not to get seen along the way It's always worked so far!

 

thats really close. if you dont wanna mess with the timing, which is probably what i WOULD do, just throw on a new pair on plugs and wires, get the car really hot and do an oil change. itll problably work. if not they have those pass emmissions in a bottle things. you can try one of those.

 

Perhaps I'll give that a try, I got no problem messing with the timing. Any other suggestions?

 

dont buy that garentted to pass emmissions crap in a bottle, just go to a gas station or any place that sells "DRY GAS" it will say it on the bottle, thorw like 3-4 bottles in and u should pass. i did last yr for NJ and i only used 2 bottles and i have no emmissions controls on my car besides the cat.

 

GO buy the emissions in the bottle. it worked for me. I have no cats, no AIR pump, and evap canister and I am running 52psi of fuel pressure and Ipassed Mass emmisions testing. I put the bottle in my tank and added just 5 gallons to it. the bottle says to add it to a full tank, run the tank out and then refill the tank. Ya right whatever. It does work, I am proof. Like I said I have no cats and I passed in Mass

 

well i think ur one of the lucky ones that it worked right for. my dad tried it on his car and it didnt pass

 

you have to read the bottle. if your engine is in good condition but has a little carbon biuldup then it will blow it out and lower the emmissions. If your engine is abused and running crappy then it shouldnt pass emmission. i think they have a point with the sniffer test...but the visual is another story.

 

Luckily, no visual here in WA!


I already put that 'guaranteed to pass' crap in, so we'll see if that along with a timing adjustment will do the trick.

 

have fun. it costed me 300 dollars in new components for my smog.

 

I have posted this before. Use 1 gallon of "racing alcohol"... not race gas, to 1/2 tank of gas.

 

I did some back to back testing with Dry Gas one time (can get at walmart for under a dollar I think) when I was trying to pass a couple years ago. It didn't solve my problem since the cat was toasted and CO was triple the limit, but it did decrease HC by a solid 30-40 points from test to test. That should take care of your situation. I poured two bottles of Dry Gas into about a half full tank and it yielded that drop.

 

what is dry gas?

 

Basically alcohol gas additive. I believe it is used to try to eliminate water that may have gotten into your gas and such (not sure).

 

Thanks everyone! I'm gonna retake the test tomorrow, I'll let ya know how it goes. Keep your fingers crossed!

 

no prob

 

Damnit! My car still failed! HC only dropped 7ppm! CO was down quite a bit though. I put that guarantee to pass crap into my tank on Friday used up that entire tank over the weekend as the directions stated. Then today, I added two bottles of dry gas to a half tank as suggested above. I didn't adjust the timing 'cause I was in a hurry and had to get right back to work. I already have the timing set at 0 degrees, should I retard it farther?

Also, what grade of gasoline should I use for the test. I have been using supreme, but in theory, wouldn't lower octane gas burn faster and thus burn more completely? Everything else passed easily, but I just can't get the HC at cruise to drop below 150!

 

I didnt say 2 bottles of dry gas, I said one gallon of "racing alcohol". Big difference. I get mine from Duncon oil supply, not a parts store.

 

He said it. If I knew where to get racing alcohol around here I would try it.

Anybody have any idea about the grade of gasoline and if that makes a difference?

I think I'm gonna put new plugs in before I test again.

 

run the car to about 1/4 tank of gas, put 2-4 bottles of drygas in and go to pepboys and pick up a bottle of Outlaw fuel treatment not fuel injection treatment, the fuel treatment. and pour all of that in the night be fore the test, also if its carbed get a can of carb cleaner and clean the carb out and give some good revs on the motor. that helped me to pass and also make sure ur cat. is good.

 

How about replacing the pcv valve or egr. And DRIVE THE HELL OUT OF THE CAR before having it smogged. Rev it like crazy. I wouldn't mess with the timing.

Akshay

 

well if you didnt pass this time and still havent put new plugs in i would do that

 

yea change ur plugs, and do and oil change also, it will help alittle.

 

definetly drive the car hard and get it nice and warmed up. then take it right in and get it tested. dont let it sit around. definetly change the plugs and oil. put a new pcv valve in and, hell, might as well throw a brand new paper air filter in just for the test.

 

Everyone failed to mention the obvious.....check you air filter, slightly clogged air filters cause rich conditions at cruise.....get a hotter spark plug and some new wires and you will be pretty close.

Kyle ASE Master Tech

 

Once again, thanks for the suggestions. I got a new K&N filter in it so that probably isn't the problem. Goin' in again Saturday. Wish me luck!

 

I always use STP fuel cleaner. And it really works great.

..Those of you say you have passed emissions without a Catyltic(sp) converter. How was this achieved?

 

why does getting it warm help?

 

burns the fuel more efficiently

 

air filter
plugs/wires/etc
fresh oil

 

gotcha

 

guaranteed to pass ......is a scam ....that is the name of the product ....not what it does .............read the disclaimer on the back ....basically it's a weezle out . All kinds of companies do that ... big marketing idea . Any how ................I flogged mine down the highway for like a min at WOT ........don't have to do that....but make sure its DAM hot .................the lady sold me my car because it wouldn't pass ....I did the above ...and it passed with flying colours. Next ....... the Cat needs to hit a certain temperature ...before it works ........also 30% of your emisions are in your oil pan ......make sure you got clean oil



let us know how you make out