I now live in an area that has emissions and since my sticker on the old plates has expired I need to go get them done. My question is what do I need to know going into this? I have bad oil burn off at start up. I know bad valve seals. I also have a bad sulfer smell when driving, only happens once in a blue moon. I have a new O2 sensor so that isnt it. The cat may be bad not sure, and my exhaust has just been welded recently so that isnt leaking because I would smell it all the time. Will I fail with the bad seals? I just dread having to sink a whole bunch of money into the car just because of emissions. I am a broke, drunk, college student, that cant really afford thousands of dollars in repairs just yet. Thanks for the help.

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As the great Al Bundy once said.
"Hooter, Hooters yum, yum, yum, Hooters, Hooters on a girl that's dumb."

 

As long as you can pass the visual inspect all you should have to do is replace the cat, maybe;(bad sulfer smell), change the engine oil, and put in a bottle of fuel antifreeze(basically alcohol). The engine emissions are designed to function best with the engine temp around 220*.
I am assuming that your inquires are for a third Gen F-body..........

 

Yea Bro Im sorry it is a 89 IROC. Can I get the fuel antifreeze at a parts store?

 

Valve seal shouldn't be any problem since your engine will already be running and warmed up when you get there. Just take it and get it tested and don't worry about it, if it fails you can always take it back, and then you'll have some numbers to point you in the right direction.

-Jeff

 

I just got mine smogged yesterday. With 215,00 mi on the original engine the valve seals are getting pretty bad. sometimes there's a cloud of smoke when i start the car. I passed. so as long as the temp is at that 220* on the guge it should be a problem. just give it a tune.

James

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1985 Z-28 305 TPI
215,000 mi. Original Eng.

 

Oil will have little effect. What does is running rich or lean, that will make you fail. If the o2 reading is high (above 2%) and you dont pass, the cat is toast.

 

Thanks fellas I will be taking it in tomorrow if I have time. I have a feeling that I will be getting a new cat but I dont want to fork out the dough, but if it will make the car run stronger I guess I will have to.

 

I think I need a new O2 and cat. Had a major tune up done only 3 months ago.. guess who failed last month =/

 

just be glad u dont live in california

 

DRY GAS....DRY GAS....DRY GAS....like JP84ZROC said. Dry Gas is Isoprol alcohol. It burns so clean and quick compared to gasoline. I have passed with cars in the past worse than what you have. What you need to do is run your tank to less than a 1/4 full. Get about 15 bottles of dry gas and pour it in. Then drive around hitting the brakes taking some turns to get it to somewhat diluted; alcohol has a lower specific gravity than gas, so do it right before you pull in to get inspected. Also, make sure your vehicle is running HOT, this will ensure combustion and dilution of Hydrocarbons. You will PASS with Hydrocarons to spare!

 

is it actually called DRY GAS? Where can it be bought from?

 

Make friends with one of the fellas at the inspection station

 

You may not have to spend all that much after all. In North Carolina, I belive the most you will have to spend is $70 on repairs.

I would run a few gas tanks with a can of Emmission Pass in it to help burn some of the carbon out a week before the test.

Make sure the car isn't give codes, like for an EGR.

Make sure the car is warmed up really well.

My wife's Grand Am changed by 40 points between test once. The car had dirty conventional oil in one year. I had the car tested with the like 7,000 miles on the oil. It scored 52 on emissions. They next year the Grand Am had Mobile One in it and it tested at 12.

Good Luck, next month my RS which tested 195 (warmed up and clean oil) last time. This time going to be harder. Car has 202,6xx miles on it.

 

Is that stuff you guys are talking about at a local parts store? Someone has to tell me because I want to pass the first time.