Hey all,
My 81 just failed smog :-(
Looking for opinions before I go back to another facility (the test-only guy was not very helpful, I think he's in cahoots with the repair guy who referred him, not that I'm cynical or anything )
So, I'll just throw out the numbers, and see if anyone has advice/comments
CO%
15 MPH .94 MAX .93 25 MPH .99 MAX .73NO(PPM)
15 MPH 1300 MAX 1097 25 MPH 1117 MAX 927Any help appreciated. I'm in the SGV area of So. Calif. if you know an honest shop
Sorry to hear of your smog check results. Generically speaking it might be a couple of things. Regarding CO: Sounds like a weak catalyst to me . Re. NOx: The EGR valve may not be flowing enough gas.
BTW, What were the measured amounts of CO2 and O2?
Homer ...{º¿º}...
Just a general note on this for folks new to California.
Don't ever make your first visit to a "Test Only" facility even if the DMV required a TEST ONLY place on your registration renewal. If you are required to certify at a "Test Only," first go to a regular full-service smog station, get the car "voluntarily tested" and, if necessary, fixed (or fix it yourself) before you go to the TEST ONLY station for certification. One clean test without problems should get your car off the DMV's TEST ONLY list for the next go-around. This 2-step process will cost you an extra $ 35 to $ 50 bucks but save you mucho time.
"Test Only" places are where DMV sends cars or engine types that are suspect (age of car, high mileage on last test or resale, prior "major polluter" status, engine type with history of problems, etc.). The Test Only outfits were a creation of the Sacramento politicos to spread the money around to businesses with no talent, tools or repair license. It was a means to attract capital investment to pay for the dyno/wheel load equipment a dozen or so years ago. Now we are stuck with it. Strictly a rip-off at smog time!
Sorry if some reader runs a bunch of "Test Only" shops. JMO
a convertor will more than likley fix your problem, modern three way convertors do reduce NOX
I took my 77 in to a Test Only shop and had them do a test run on the car before they hooked up to transmit to the State (California). The cost was an extra ten dollars. I figured the car would pass okay, but I wanted to be sure first. The Test Only center will do a test run, but if the car doesn't pass, they aren't equipped to tell you what the problem is. I just do it for the insurance factor that if for some reason the car doesn't pass, the information will not have been passed on to the State. If it is, the vehicle is classified as a "gross polluter" and you have to have it tested every year for a while.
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