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Potential emissions tricks, worth trying???

  • Thread starter Thread starter kdog_x
  • Start date Start date Aug 5, 2004
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kdog_x

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Nov 12, 2001
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Aug 5, 2004
#1
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #1
I've seen two tricks that look like they might be worth trying, can someone point out if you see any potential problems I would have trying these.

1) Pull the SPOUT connector so the car will run at 10* and not get any computer advancement
2) Pull the power to the #1 injector so that on that stroke the car would just force a bunch of compressed air out from the combustion chamber. (Haven't tried this yet to see if the car will run to 60mph -- Would it be better to pull the wire to a different cylinder?)

Any ideas?
 
J

jerry beach

Founding Member
May 20, 2002
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Aug 5, 2004
#2
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #2
Those both sound like bad ideas to me. They sell cans of stuff at the autoparts stores that are supposed to help you pass. I dont know the name of it.

I am sick of seeing all those free Ipod links in peoples sigs.
If you could make $ off of that everyone would be doing it.
 

Zero_chance

Founding Member
May 29, 2001
1,244
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Maricopa, AZ
Aug 5, 2004
#3
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #3
KDog, give www.passsmog.com a look. I think its only five bucks. I havent actually tried it myself, but I think Im going to.
 

kdog_x

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Aug 5, 2004
#4
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #4
jerry beach said:
Those both sound like bad ideas to me. They sell cans of stuff at the autoparts stores that are supposed to help you pass. I dont know the name of it.

I am sick of seeing all those free Ipod links in peoples sigs.
If you could make $ off of that everyone would be doing it.
Click to expand...

I put a can of that "Guaranteed to pass" stuff a few days ago. It says to add to a full tank of gas and then wait until I get near E, and then fill the tank back up. I'm almost near E, so I'm gonna take a ride and run it till it's low. I was just looking for a little extra insurance with those extra ideas since it's the last time I can go take the test without bringing in a signed notice saying I took it to a mechanic and have had all possible repairs done.

As far as the Ipod thing goes, You don't make any money off it but if you refer 5 people they actually will send you a free Ipod, my neighbor has actually gotten one -- they make money off of the whole referral system. Anyway, you don't lose anything by placing a losing bid on ebay, well... except for your time
 

DJTR

Member
Mar 19, 2004
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OTTAWA, Ontario, Canada
Aug 5, 2004
#5
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #5
There are a couple of things that do work, like gas line anti freeze..... its alcohol..... burns clean throw a can or two of that in there and just make sure the car is good and hot drive it around at high rpm's for a while and have them test it right away. Also make sure that you have just done an oil change and put in a CLEAN or new if possible Air filter!
I got my 92 f150 to pass with 345000kms on it and it was NEVER looked after before me! It passed with flying colours after those little tricks as long as it doesn't need a tune-up and your cats aren't cooked that should pass ya!
 
D

dbizzay

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Apr 14, 2003
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Surrey
Aug 5, 2004
#6
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #6
Pull your codes before you go through, that'll give a pretty good indication of any malfunctioning sensors which could make you fail. Give the car a good tune, reset timing, new plugs, filters etc, set the TPS to .98 and turn your idel screw up til you idle at about 900 rpm to make sure you burn up all o the fuel for the idle test on the sniffer.
 

kdog_x

Founding Member
Nov 12, 2001
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Aug 5, 2004
#7
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #7
dbizzay said:
Pull your codes before you go through, that'll give a pretty good indication of any malfunctioning sensors which could make you fail. Give the car a good tune, reset timing, new plugs, filters etc, set the TPS to .98 and turn your idel screw up til you idle at about 900 rpm to make sure you burn up all o the fuel for the idle test on the sniffer.
Click to expand...

Well, I now have new converters, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air filter, oil, oil filter, timing at 10*, TPS at .97, and that "guaranteed to pass" stuff. I went and took the test again and the car got worse. I tested it right after I installed the cats and it was at 2.6, now I go back and it's 3.8. I got a 3.9 when I had no cats and no smog equipment on it. WTF!

Since I've taken it 3 times already, they wont let me retake the test unless I can come up with some receipts, but I dont know what else to buy.
 

stock50LX

Curmudgeon
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Oct 2, 2001
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Aug 5, 2004
#8
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #8
kdog_x said:
Well, I now have new converters, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, air filter, oil, oil filter, timing at 10*, TPS at .97, and that "guaranteed to pass" stuff. I went and took the test again and the car got worse. I tested it right after I installed the cats and it was at 2.6, now I go back and it's 3.8. I got a 3.9 when I had no cats and no smog equipment on it. WTF!

Since I've taken it 3 times already, they wont let me retake the test unless I can come up with some receipts, but I dont know what else to buy.
Click to expand...

Where are you??? Your car is almost stock, you should pass the test. Turn your FP down and set the timng at TDC unless you are in Calif.
 

kdog_x

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Nov 12, 2001
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Aug 5, 2004
#9
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #9
stock50LX said:
Where are you??? Your car is almost stock, you should pass the test. Turn your FP down and set the timng at TDC unless you are in Calif.
Click to expand...

I'm in Illinois, I don't have an adjustable fuel reg. though. And my timing is set at the stock 10*
 
S

SmockDoiley

New Member
Jun 14, 2003
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San Diego, CA
Aug 5, 2004
#10
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #10
Where in Illinois? Chicago?
 
S

SmockDoiley

New Member
Jun 14, 2003
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Aug 5, 2004
#11
  • Aug 5, 2004
  • #11
register the car somewhere else in Illinois and dont worry about it. My car is crazy and I live in Illinois and I dont have to smog it. Also, get it dynoed so you know what your FP is and timing and stuff.
 
D

dbizzay

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Aug 6, 2004
#12
  • Aug 6, 2004
  • #12
Hmm...could be bad rings? Does the car smoke at all?

Also, I still don't know if you've pulled your codes? This will tell you if your emmissions system has any failing components. A bad EGR of thermactor won't make your car run like ass, but might throw you into emmissions trouble.

How bout vaccum leaks?

I've heard of people passing with the spout out, but wouldn't try it personally.
 

shttygtstang

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Aug 6, 2004
#13
  • Aug 6, 2004
  • #13
wow man i feel bad for ya i see your post on corral to that sucks buy some fake stuff if you need to get reciets you can make a reciet on your pc common think did you plug you smog lines back in
 

kdog_x

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Nov 12, 2001
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Aug 6, 2004
#14
  • Aug 6, 2004
  • #14
Well, I don't really need the lines that go to the back of the heads, but if I take it to a mechanic I know that'll be the first thing they tell me I need (especially since it's throwing a code). So I'm going to go to the boneyard tommorrow and pick up those lines. The only other thing I can think would either be that charcoal canister (do they go bad -- any tests?) or maybe one other thing.

I know when you take your test they tell you to turn off all accessories cause it'll throw the test off. Should I pick up a stock fan and pull my black magic electric one back off? I know that draws alot of power, but I didnt really think it would effect emissions -- but then again I'm running out of options. No vacuum leaks as far as I can tell though, sprayed with some WD-40 and didnt notice any differences.

Oh, and yes I'm near Chicago. I need to move to southern Illinois

As far as making receipts goes, I have to have a shop's address and tel # on any receipts. If I made one up, it probably would get ugly if they called.

One problem I did notice was that like 5 of my spark plugs came loose on me. I tightened them all down good the first time (I'm sure) and I rechecked them right before the test, but I don't know why they came loose in the first place -- should I retap the threads for them? Anyone know what size tap I'd need for this?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but this $#!+ is driving me crayC
 

shttygtstang

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#15
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ok can you drill small holes in you exhauts so theres more air .......damn smog nazis
 

kdog_x

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Nov 12, 2001
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Aug 6, 2004
#16
  • Aug 6, 2004
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shttygtstang said:
ok can you drill small holes in you exhauts so theres more air .......damn smog nazis
Click to expand...

With the amount of unburned fuel my car is kicking out I would need some pretty big holes.

The funny thing is I figured out my gas mileage and I'm getting almost 21 miles to the gallon. Hard to believe you can get such great gas mileage when youre kicking out 4 times the limit of unburned gas.
 

Zero_chance

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May 29, 2001
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Aug 6, 2004
#17
  • Aug 6, 2004
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KDog, have you checked the solenoids that control the thermactor system? There are two of them on the backside of the passenger fender well. Figured out yesterday that the solenoid that controls the vacuum to switch from heads to cats on my car is burnt out. Theyre only like $23.00 and my 44, 94 codes are gone now. Im still waiting to put my cats on and get it inspected though.
 

kdog_x

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Nov 12, 2001
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#18
  • Aug 6, 2004
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Some progress...

Zero_chance said:
KDog, have you checked the solenoids that control the thermactor system? There are two of them on the backside of the passenger fender well. Figured out yesterday that the solenoid that controls the vacuum to switch from heads to cats on my car is burnt out. Theyre only like $23.00 and my 44, 94 codes are gone now. Im still waiting to put my cats on and get it inspected though.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I checked the solenoid, it was working just fine. I went and got the steel lines that run to the back of the heads since I was planning to go get an emissions inspection done today (that'd be the 1st thing they would point out for sure).

Anyway, For $80 they told me that they couldn't even do the tests on the car. They said the fuel injectors are all jacked up, said sometimes they stay open, sometimes they dont open at all. They wanted $150 to do a fuel injection system cleaning, but I figure since it's about $250 to get a full set of injectors I'd probably do that instead (Since they usually tell you they need to replace a couple of them anyway cause they're too clogged.)

Is there any way I could test them to see which ones are working. I know I could soak them in mineral spirits or something, but that won't really tell me which ones I need to replace. IS there a way to do this at home or should I just replace the whole set?
 

86Cobra

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Jun 6, 2000
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Aug 6, 2004
#19
  • Aug 6, 2004
  • #19
Pulling the plug on an injector is actually a very good way to help pass. It just turns one cylinder into a big air pump. Been there, done that, it works.

Pulling the spout is also a good idea.

Those things being said, there's no way you should have problems passing with a stock motor like yours. You've got some issues. If your injectors are bad and dumping fuel that would obviously be a problem.
 

kdog_x

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#20
  • Aug 6, 2004
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so I suppose I have to get a new set then? There's 100k on the old ones, how long do they usually last, also is there any steps I should take to insure that the new ones have a long and happy life?

ps I'm gonna change the fuel filter when I do this.
 
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