Hi every one,
OK, I traded my daily driver toyota pick up for a 92 cavalier v6 3.1.
I took it through air care and it failed, had an error code 32 - EGR, so I put a new EGR in and a o2 sensor while I was at it and took it through again, yes you guessed it....failed again. It cleaned up the NOX but the HC almost doubled, now I get an error code of 45. I had a buddy plug in his scanner and everything apears normal, the only thing he is questioning is the MAP sensor, it shows 12 lbs of vacum at idle and when you rev it up it drops to about 8 lbs and stays there instead of coming back up, but when he put his mechanical vacum gage at the sensor it is showing 19 lbs at idle.
Any ways that is it in a nut shell, if any emision experts have any ideas please let me know.

thanks
Charles

 

Sounds like you need a new map sensor.

 

check that vacuum tube to it first

 

OK,
we put in a new map sensor and it read the same, the vacum line going to it reads 19 lbs so it is getting the vacum.
All other sensors apear to be reading normal.
I have it booked on monday at a air care certified shop that has the big analyzer set up and the exhaust analyzer.
He said it will cost $69.95 for the diagnosis. I figure it probably is cheaper and less head ache this way.
I can't wait to see what the problem is.
I will post the end results in case someone gets the same problem.

Thanks

 

I might just do that w/mine when I get tags for it. $70 is a decent price, same as most dealerships too.

I can here it now "Well, mr. ____, the first problem we encountered is that you don't infact have a 2.8l engine, it seems to be different"

 

Well, I have to pass the same aircare test as you, and I have no problem with my '86 2.8. If your HC are high, you are likely running too rich, or there is a problem with your ignition, and you are not burning properly. That's a good place to start. Good luck. Also, you might want to try uping your idle. I think the max is 1100rpm (did you fail the idle or drive test?).

 

You're running rich, hence the code 45.

#1 These motors are notorious for injectors shorting internally but you can't test them without pulling the upper plenum.

#2 The Fuel pressure regulators are known to leak and fuel gets sucked through the vacuum line and into the intake causing flooding/rich conditions.

#3 You shoulda kept that truck. If it was a 22R those things run forever.

 

Thanks for all the replys.

In response to 'camaro_junkie", sorry but it is not the same test as you, being a 1992 or newer: it is the test that is good for 2 years, it is way tougher! They simulate real world driving on the dyno, take it up to all different speeds, up to 90km/h, if it were the old test it probably would have passed, I got a history report from air care web site, and it passed every year until the new test, now it has failed since. The idle is about 850, the test is all driving pretty much.


CaliCamaroRS: for your #1 and #2 reply, is there any way to check these? or will it show up on the analyzer on monday?
as for #3: as for the Toyota.....it was a 87 with a 22r with 286,000 kms on it with a Maaco paint job, I had it for sale for about 2 months and only had 2 people look at it, the regular cab was way to squishy if you had 3 people in it you could barely move and with no canopy in the rain it had just enough room for my lunch box thermos and daughter.
So I'm quite happy with the cavalier, more room, comfortable, fully loaded, the car is imaculate inside and out original paint no rust no accidents. Once it is air cared I will be happier.
Thanks you guys for the replies it's nice to know there is somewhere to go with my troubles, that isn't $60 - $90 bucks an hour, and actually get some ideas! not: "Bring it in and we'll check it out for you"($$$$$$)
Anyways, now I'm rambling......I will do a little poking around on the week end but I think or I hope monday will tell?

Thanks again
Charles

 

You can't test the injectors without pulling the upper plenum off. It sucks. If you do pull it off you can Ohm check them with a regular DVOM. Also you can buy an "Injector tester" to test injector balance and votage drop. The injectors can physically leak as well. A fuel pressure gauge is your friend.

For the regulator, when they leak it's usually accompanied my hard starting when warm, stalling, rough on startup, black smoke out the tail pipe. If you pull the vacuum line off of the regulator and fuel comes out, it's leaking and needs to be replaced.

 

well,
when he had it on the analyzer after a while it would start surging, he noticed the computer dumping way too much fuel into the motor then after doing that it would pull too much fuel out, so way too rich then way too lean.
and it seems the thermostat was stuck open, and the cat was toast. So after changing the thermostat and the cat, he cleared the codes and had run it for a while and it didn't act up again, and how it was the readings were excellent.

He thinks I should run it through and it should pass, but if it starts acting up it will probably fail, if it fails he thinks I should change the computer, it seems to be interpreting things wrong and reacting a little odd, but when it isn't acting up emissions are low.

So I guess I will run it through tomorrow and see!?? anybody have computer problem in their car similar? if so did you change the computer ( or is it properly named the drivetrain control module?)

 

Yes it passed today.
I guess the computer wasn't acting up so I got a pass.
So the egr cleared up the NOX, and the cat along with the new thermostat cleared up the HC. and the o2 sensor didn't hurt any either.
Check out the progress and changes in the report, the top 3 are mine, other one is the previous owner.

Thanks once again for the replies and advice.

Charles

:lala:

 

congrats , now come down here & get mine to pass. Stil has that damn black smoke out the tail pipe.

 

Wow, that's a remarkable improvement. But you can still do better. You should work on her a little before you have to put her through again, make sure she doesn't try to go back her old tricks. Congrats.