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I failed Ca smog today, need help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter 92greenlx
  • Start date Start date Aug 25, 2004
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BlueThunder1988

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May 19, 2003
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Sep 15, 2004
#41
  • Sep 15, 2004
  • #41
Time to dump the 2-cat for an off-road and keep the 4-cat for test time!
 
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somersdp

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Nov 16, 2003
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Sep 15, 2004
#42
  • Sep 15, 2004
  • #42
OK, I know everyone is going to jump my $hit, but Home Depot sells denatured alcohol. Putting this in your car makes it run like garbage but everyone in my car club has used it, now Florida doesnt have emissions. The gases release by your engine still need all the egr and smog stuff, but it should pass with flying colors. Just my $.02
 
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5.0Stanger

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Waiting for the 3rd amber!
www.angelfire.com
Sep 15, 2004
#43
  • Sep 15, 2004
  • #43
92greenlx said:
I passed smog yesterday with ease! I installed the stock 4 cat h pipe and then went to the smog shop with my car running until it was time. Thank you all for your inputs and help. If I would have known from the begining that I didnt have a chance with the mac 2 cat h pipe i owuld of never have went with it still on. The only reason why i tried a 2nd time was to see if my EGR Valve, IAC Valve and O2 Sensor change did anything and it did. It lowered my numbers a lil but of course not enough. So I am now relieved and never will I go to a smog shop without the stocker on ever again!
Click to expand...

92greenlx,

Baring all of the rants in this thread, the best advice I can give you for next time would be to remember to arrive at the test facility with your car at normal operating temp. This heat is necessary for the combustion process to be as complete as possible. Out in Arizona, they have huge signs at the test facilities that say to not turn off your engine. The pamphlets that come with the emissions test notice all say to arrive with your engine at normal operating temp. My Stang always passes here, even with the E-cam and extra initial timing (which is above the 3 degrees +/- that CA allows).

You, also, have to watch out for some test facility techs that have an attitude toward people with modified cars. A couple years ago, my car was tested in CA at a rural testing facility (read: static, no load test) and the guy gave me attitude, after he obviously couldn't figure out what the timing was set at and performed the test anyway. I got the "yeah, it's a fast car and all" attitude from him, after it failed. I found out that he had caused it to fail by letting the throttle off too quickly and the computer couldn't catch up quick enough.

Hope this helps for next time.
 
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somersdp

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Nov 16, 2003
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#44
  • Sep 15, 2004
  • #44
denatured alcohol!!!
 
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92greenlx

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Mar 27, 2002
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Sep 17, 2004
#45
  • Sep 17, 2004
  • #45
5.0stanger,
Thanks for the advice and info. I did let my car get to op temp. Once I got there I also left it running. The Test Only Center I took it to was good. The guy who runs the smog machnine was really cool. I had no attitude problems with him. When I was ready to leave he said, "time to get back to work huh?" Meaning he knew I was going to swap out the h pipe again. I said yes and he just smiled. So I will continue to run my 2 cat h pipe until it's smog time again.
 
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