In the past, I posted about not being able to pass Illinois state emissions, even with 4* base timing and 42 psi fp. My car ran exceptionally well, but still put out 1.54 GPM HC (I passed CO with only 6 GPM under a 15 GPM limit).

I finally bit the bullet, and had a Dynomax Superflow 3" cat hooked up (The best one, according to my friend at Car-X). I had removed my A.I.R. system, including smog pump, and had base timing set at 12* and fp set at 50 psi! I'm not even sure if my EGR works .

However, after running the crap out of my car to get the cat hot, and without any fuel additives I only puffed out a 0.28 GPM HC - well under the 0.80 limit. The best thing is, I have an eliminator pipe built, so when 2004 rolls around, all I have to do is bolt up the cat and take the sniffer.

Lessons learned (with my 1990 L98 SD)
1. No A.I.R. system necessary to pass.
2. Reasonable timing (6-12*) and fp (45-50) seem irrelevant.
3. Never underestimate the power of a good catalitic converter - I shed 1.3 GPM with tuning optimized for performance, not emissions.

Hope this is helpful
Kyle

 

all you really need to pass is a good running motor with a good working cat and no burning oil......the motor in my sig passed with flying colors using edelbrock headers, NAPA cat, and a flowmaster cat-back. carb has .113 primary and secondary jets. can't remember what rods i have in it though.

 

I believe most here agree with you, however, I was referring to the later FI models wich have much more stringent emissions requirements. In the case of these FI vehicles, there are many common myths: you need the smog pump to pass, timing and fp has to be spot on, etc. I meant to give insight on how things really work.

Indeed a good running motor is the basis, but I meant to also put an end to the "Can I pass emissions with a cheap/no cat on my TPI" questions.

Truthfully, I wish I had an '82 bird reskinned with latemodel panels and a TPI dropped between the fenders. A friend of mine with an '84 can have 2.5 TIMES the maximum polloution I'm allowed and still pass (his 2.00 HC to my 0.80).

Anyway, hope I was helpful
Kyle

 

Lol its great being downstate sometimes.... we don't get tested down here ever!

 

Just curious...

Where's Granite City? Near what/where?

I'm rather familiar (well at least I thought) with the Chicago Land area, which is where I thought the only emissions testing took place.

So again... just an FYI 4 me.

Thanks,
AJ

 

i'm glad u passed emissions, but CA is the current home of the smog ***** - don't try to register that here or u'll probably cry

 

Granite City is 12 miles east of downtown St. Louis, MO

 

Huh. I would have never guessed they had emissions testing around St. Louis. I guess it's a pretty well populated area though.

You must live in the same county then, right?

AJ

 

I live in Madison county, not sure what county you're in - but I would bet you live in St. Clair county, just south of me.

 

Oh no. Not me.

I live in Iroquois County. It's between Champaign and Chicago. If you know where Kankakee is, I'm about 15 miles south of there.

The closest I've ever been to you is St. Louis on an 8th grade field trip. But that was in '85.

I've also been to Nashville, IL, and IIRC, I think Paris, IL. I used to assemble lockers in schools (part of the sheet metal trade) and we had to go were the work was. That was probably 1997.

AJ