I hate emmissions testing. I had to take my car in for its biennial emmission testing the other day (every 2 years in MD). They put it up on the treadmill and started driving away. (I got to listen to my rich tone of my WSP and Magniflow setup) My hydrocarbon level was just over the limit 1.000 allowed 1.0102 was my reading. Everything else was good. Then I was going to go retest today and my battery light and brake light came on so I decided to wait.

 

o2 or try getting the car nice and warm before you go in

 

I got an o2 sensor from you about 2 months ago. I was leaning towards the latter but when my battery light came on I decieded to wait.

 

how's your catalytic converter?
might try cleaning your EGR valve, it helped my emissions - mainly in the NOx levels though

also, battery + brake light = alternator problems. Go to autozone and get it tested free.

 

i tought it was Batt + ABS + check engine light or sutin. i remember it was 3 different lights in my when my altinator went.

 

alot of things, can be indicitave of a bad alternator

 

Try seafoam threw the PVC hoses it will smoke really bad for awhile. There is a really good post somewhere in here about the procedure. Also try some fuel injector cleaner I have had friends use other additives what work well also. And make sure your engine is hot because a cold engine will give off higher emmissions. You are so close and I would hate to see you spend more money only to not pass. I hope someone can give you the link to the seafoam because alot of people use it on this forum and had terrific results .

 

i used the chevron and it gave me great results. theirs no write up on how to clean a vg egr so im making my own..it will be ready by this sat morning

 

MrGone is the Seafoam king. I think he runs that stuff through his car every couple of weeks just to cheese off his neighbors. He can tell you the proper procedure.

Internetautomart was onto something about getting your car nice and warm. A long time ago (when I had a crap car and had to pass emissions) I would usually fail once. Then, I would drive the car up to the mountains and get it really hot and stop by DEQ on the way back. Passed every time.

 

Dont they open the hood and put a big fan up to the engine to prevent it from getting hot?

 

yes, a good point. go to a place that doesn' do it, i guess. go to a garage that smogs, drive up, ask for motor oil or directions on how to get to omaha, look in the garage and see if they're using a fan.

 

I think what he really meant was to make sure it's at least up to steady operating temp. For example, I can get mine emissioned 2 blocks up the street, and if I just drive straight there, it wouldn't even be warm yet. So, I usually drive around for 15-20 min just to make sure.

 

The fan is so the car has a good stream of air passing over it (for overheating and air consumption purposes). What you are "getting warm" is your catalytic converter -- I believe it's operating temp is around 600 degrees. You should drive around for 15-20 minutes before you go for the test, and keep the car idling until it is time for the car to go on the rollers. Otherwise, the cat may cool down.

 

Thanks Guys for all the comments. I will go and get it taken care of after I get my battery/alternator taken care of.

My Cat is 1 year old, my O2 sensor is a few months old. Might clean out the EGR and put in the PCV valve that I have been meaning to put in for a while too and try again.

 

After the O2 replacement, the HC values were worse. i guess it's Cat time.

 

what I do before emissions is change the spk. plugs and gap them right (.45-.50) , recheck the timing and pore in Lucas fuel treatment into the tank. and go for a spirited drive and about 2 blocks before I drive the car in 2nd gear and engine brake with 2nd or 1st . so by the time I pull in my cat is nice and hot and crackling so it will stay hot longer as it waits to be tested (if they busy).

 

It was the cat. All was well after that. So well that I could have put a mask from the exhaust to my face. :P