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Smog?

S

SVTDEMON

CEG'er
Joined
Jun 13, 2008
Messages
203
Location
San Diego,CA
Anyone have any tricks to lowering Hydro Carbons? I am getting screwed and the smog shop says it is a Catalytic Converter. I don't know what to do? :mad:
 
Don't have testing here but we do have E-85 at pump. It is an oxygenated fuel from the alchohol and naturally runs leaner. Would this in a mix or straight E-85 help? Would running it for a couple of tanks clean anything out with its solvent properties?
Did you seafoam intake and run an injector cleaner?
 
If California uses the tailpipe tester with the car on dyno rollers. . . I say someone test with a shot of nitrous. Afterwards ask to see the dyno numbers.
 
Are you running it and getting the cats hot before the test? People have passed with just a magnaflow hiflow cat.
That and/or intake clean.
 
I just watched Wheeler Dealers and they were fixing up a green 4.0 JAG. He hooked up a machine that has 2 bottles on it that runs through and cleans exactly what you need done to your car. Check out the vid on youtube and maybe you can have that same process done somewhere.
 
SVTDEMON said:
Anyone have any tricks to lowering Hydro Carbons? I am getting screwed and the smog shop says it is a Catalytic Converter. I don't know what to do? :mad:
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HC's are usually a result of either running rich or having a bad cat. I have zero experience with these cars though so I do not know what might cause them to run rich. One thing I've heard to check if a cat is bad is to warm the car up and see if you smell anything like rotten eggs from the exhaust. Also, how does it drive? if there is any WOT hesitation I might suspect the cat might be clogged and that will certainly make it fail.

aboythatskates said:
you can throw in some 115 octane to burn any •••• out too
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I'm not sure this makes sense to me? Octane rating just means the fuel burns slower to prevent pinging, nothing to do with it burning hotter.

blu_fuz said:
I just watched Wheeler Dealers and they were fixing up a green 4.0 JAG. He hooked up a machine that has 2 bottles on it that runs through and cleans exactly what you need done to your car. Check out the vid on youtube and maybe you can have that same process done somewhere.
Click to expand...

Yes I've seen that episode, but as one other member on here mentioned somewhere its probably wise to remove and clean your oil pan and your valve covers before you run a chemical solvent through the motor cause it can knock bigger particles of gunk loose from those surfaces into the oil and clog up oil passages.
 
I know it sounds ridiculous but use the product "guaranteed to pass''. It works wonders. Put it in with a full tank, run the car hard for that tank then refill it. Make sure ur car is really warm before the test and try it, it should pass man. Mine did with no precats and the original main cat
 
Klasky24 said:
I know it sounds ridiculous but use the product "guaranteed to pass''. It works wonders. Put it in with a full tank, run the car hard for that tank then refill it. Make sure ur car is really warm before the test and try it, it should pass man. Mine did with no precats and the original main cat
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It might work but it might not. It really depends on how far out of whack your air fuel ratio is. I've even tried mixing straight alcohol in the tank and had it not work sometimes. But might as well try it. Sometimes its necessary to cheat the smog before you have the time or money to actually fix the problem.
 
What were your CO levels, and does your car run rough at all?
I usually test a catalytic converter with an infrared thermometer. Run the car at 2500 RPM for 2-3 minutes straight, then check the temperature of the exhaust pipe ahead of the cat, and then the temperature of the cat. The cat should be significantly hotter than the pipe leading into it (300º F. or more hotter). If the two are close to the same temperature, the cat isn't working.
 
XR4Tim said:
What were your CO levels, and does your car run rough at all?
I usually test a catalytic converter with an infrared thermometer. Run the car at 2500 RPM for 2-3 minutes straight, then check the temperature of the exhaust pipe ahead of the cat, and then the temperature of the cat. The cat should be significantly hotter than the pipe leading into it (300º F. or more hotter). If the two are close to the same temperature, the cat isn't working.
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Nice, that's a really smart idea actually I'll remember that. Good lookin out :)
 
I do apologize my cpu took a dump on me. I have MSDS headers(no precats) I did just replace the CAT with a CA Legal one, which i didn't have to do, because it was a federal Car to begin with. I did warm up my CAT on the first smog when i failed. The only thing I am over on was HC, so I opted with replacing the CAT. 168 $ from CA Legal Catalytic converters .com


I will go get some guaranteed to pass, and throw that in before I test again.

The car has new plugs, and wires, Fresh oil, and a NEW CAT now.

I have even heard running a lower octane fuel will lower the emissions?
 
XR4Tim said:
What were your CO levels, and does your car run rough at all?
I usually test a catalytic converter with an infrared thermometer. Run the car at 2500 RPM for 2-3 minutes straight, then check the temperature of the exhaust pipe ahead of the cat, and then the temperature of the cat. The cat should be significantly hotter than the pipe leading into it (300º F. or more hotter). If the two are close to the same temperature, the cat isn't working.
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CO was Perfectly good, only HC was off :(
 
i was in the same situation.... i cleaned a sticky egr valve, replaced the cat, and the the smog shop warm up the cat....
 
The CA smog test program just changed on January 1st. It is tough, but I have a multitude of vehicles and have done everything imaginable to ensure my cars were not polluting. Whenever my regular smog tech has indicated I needed a cat, he was 100% correct. Every time. I spent thousands of dollars on one vehicle over two years, and ultimately, one cat was EMPTY, all material having burned out, and it was so close to passing, off by one point, that I did not believe it could possibly be the cat. They are guaranteed to last 50K miles, but after that, they can be suspect, especially if exposed to large amounts of raw fuel during tuning. An SVT cat is not that expensive. Go for a hi-flow replacement and relax at your next test.
 
Or just swap your de-cat and regular cat back and forth. I have a dummy cat that I use normally then I just put my regular cat back on. I also have no pre-cats. Put in a bottle of guaranteed2pass in before the test and it passes EASILY, everything below the average.
 
Yeah I have the CA legal Cat, opened up both ends, 3in in 3 inch out. so I guess it is high flow now LOL @ Unpolire

I am thinking about just removing the cat, and putting it on before I go smog, it should last 20 years that way :)
 
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