Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

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Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

April 25, 2005, 07:53:21 PM

im running 267 HC, 0.08% CO, and 430 NO at 15mph. 174 HC, 0.03% CO and 540 NO at 25mph. Plugs, wires, cap, and rotor all good, both cat converters replaced 3 years ago. Help! how do i lower the HC?

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #1 – April 25, 2005, 08:04:06 PM

Is there any way to get a waiver? Reason I ask is because I've replaced about everything on my car emissions wise(before I got the h-pipe) and always had high HC readings. The car just barely passed with the previous owner but I've had no luck. I need to go within the next two weeks but I'm already prepared to fail the test. I'll have a heartattack if it does pass. The waiver gives you basically a "get out of jail free" card that lets you go until the next test. I couldn't figure out how to get the HC's lowered so I gave up. Thing is in Maryland, you have to do $500 dollars or so worth of emissions work to obtain the waiver.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #2 – April 25, 2005, 08:52:05 PM

Disconnect your pcv valve from the rear of the intake and remove the brass filter from the base of the lower intake,it's probably clogged(not many people know this filter exists).I do emmison tests,and when my last 5.0l failed 2 years ago i removed the clogged filter and disconnected my pcv just to be on the safe side and it passed with flying colors.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #3 – April 26, 2005, 01:23:39 AM

why get it tested..i dont get it?

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #4 – April 26, 2005, 01:48:07 AM

State laws.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #5 – April 28, 2005, 02:39:58 AM

some states require smog testing?..wow i didnt know that... how often do they ask you to do it?

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #6 – April 28, 2005, 03:09:39 AM

every time that you take the car in. Here you are required car insurance, and your car will not pass unless your power sterring works. you also can buy smokes until you are 19, and beer is only 3.2%

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #7 – April 28, 2005, 04:04:00 AM

Quote from: Haystack

you also can buy smokes until you are 19

Then they cut you off?

Emissions testing must suck. I'm sure that none of the cars I've EVER owned would have passed. I'm basing some career decisions on whether or not where I move has emissions testing, I love my smog pumping machine just the way it is.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #8 – April 28, 2005, 08:49:58 AM

and what magical land do you live in? where ever it is, ill move their to avoid haveing to "convince" somebody to pass my car...

Quote from: Pr0jeCt

some states require smog testing?..wow i didnt know that... how often do they ask you to do it?

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #9 – April 28, 2005, 09:44:03 AM

had to do the emmission thing twice a year when i lived in PA had to do it when i moved to FL but they have since rescinded.
Same litany as always wehn dealing with this, check ALL vacumn lines. check all sensors, new filters, try new plugs. Have had a decent running car with good plugs fail inspection then change plugs and pass. even though the car didn't seem to run and different. Also high HC readings at the tailpipe means that the HC's are going through the cat.....which can clog if run that way too long.This can lead to porr performance or waiting for tow truck.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #10 – April 28, 2005, 09:49:23 AM

Quote from: Manson

and what magical land do you live in? where ever it is, ill move their to avoid haveing to "convince" somebody to pass my car...

So you're moving to Florida soon?

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #11 – April 28, 2005, 10:40:15 AM

i plan on moving eventualy, hopefully to va or georgia, then i can pop in and bother ya'll for beer LOL

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #12 – April 28, 2005, 10:54:58 AM

Georgia is still something like 300 miles away from me. Long way to go for a beer. :p

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #13 – April 28, 2005, 11:13:43 AM

When I had similar problems I think it turned out to be my MAP sensor. Luckily I have sinced moved to a county that doens't do emissions testing.

Re: Failed Smog, high HC readings, help

Reply #14 – April 28, 2005, 11:28:14 AM

Here's another tip you can try, it's related to the PCV issue. Change you oil RIGHT before you go to the inspection station. Older oil contains HC'c from blowby. Eventually the levels get high enough in the oil that the sniffer can pick them up.

Just a tip passed on from a mechanic neighbor.

Good Luck!