failed CA smog and need tips to lower HC

[EnticivEclipse]

I failed the 15mph HC(PPM) MAX/MEAS = 54/75 RPM 1660

I passed the 25mph barely = MAX/MEAS = 37/34 RPM 1852

My mods in profile are current.

Please let me know any suggestions...

Thanks in advance

I have done an oil change, changed new plugs gapped at .28 and used stock wires...

Could my big FMIC be the culprit? Since the car is running at a very low RPM

 

[daves06r1]

try buying some fuel stuff at auto parts store that says it will help with emmissions or try to boost octane somehow maybe
Do they warm the car up completely before the test?

 

[EnticivEclipse]

try buying some fuel stuff at auto parts store that says it will help with emmissions or try to boost octane somehow maybe
Do they warm the car up completely before the test?

the car has been driven for about an hour, then cooled down for 5 min then warmed up again for 5 min...

I never trust additives

 

[Talesin]

Have you checked to make sure your front O2 is working right? High HCs just means the engine isn't burning clean (as opposed to high NOx, being a dead cat). Your FMIC won't affect that, nor will most of the other mods in your list... only thing I can think of is if the narrowband O2 'A/F gauge' is pulling some of the signal, might make the ECU read a little lower and throw the mixture off a bit.

Gotta really drive it before a smog test.. an hour is okay if you're boosting around, but if that's just in-town transit puttering, the system might not get all the heat in it that it needs. Then again, that's just parental wisdom, and they don't know a control arm from a steering knuckle, but they've had bits that were unintentionally true in the past.

The smog-pass additives can actually help, or adding an ounce or two of acetone... helps with the vaporization of the gasoline, allowing a cleaner burn. Seafoam can help if you have a valve coking problem that's the source (bad compression = incomplete burn). Have you done a compression test of your engine recently? A boost leak test?

 

[Loco4Life]

Compression test is a must-do if you haven't done one recently. Are you getting any strange smoke from your exhaust?

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

None of your mods should make you fail, look at mine Your FMIC has nothing to do with it as already stated.

Something else is the culprit.

When you said you were driving the car for an hour? Was it easy grandma style driving? If so, drive it hard! Thats what the guys on the dsmlink forums said, and thats what I have been doing for years. And have never failed CA smog with an array of different mods. Sometimes my car spits out straight unburned gas .

If your desperate and can't find the real problem do this:

2 gallons of Xylene to 1/4 tank of 91

It dropped this guy's HC from a failing HC 1.5828, to a passing HC .8285
And he has more mods including fuel related.

 

[Rob10_99]

Yeah go with the xylene, if that doesnt do it, get seafoam through it.

also pump up your front tires to 60-65 so the rolling resistance is less.

does your cat smell? (or your dog?)



edit:
pump them up that high only for the test, not for highway use!

 

[Burnett03]

rubbing alcohol with a near empty tank of 85 octane is your friend...

 

[romeen]

Run a can of Seafoam through your intake a week before the test.

Xylene is a great octane booster and I use it but it seems to burn dirty. I wouldn't recommend it in this context.

Add 3 oz. (90 ml) of pure acetone to 10 gallons of gas several days before you go back. Make sure that it is pure acetone, no additives like benzoate or fragrance. Most drug store brands are not pure even though they may say 100% on the front label. Look at the ingredients on the back. A good source is Sally Beauty Supply. If you're worried about damaging fuel system components you need not be. At that level of dilution you will be fine.

 

[EclipseGSX012]

HC is from unburn fuel which seems like your getting it only at idle.. make sure you dont have vacuum leak

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Us cali guys want to know what happened with your smog test? You get it to pass, if so how did you go abouts doing so?

 

[EnticivEclipse]

No update as of now. Been caught up with the warriors playoffs :-( sad ending but still proud of my them!!!

CEL just went on and I cant find my logger at the moment.
If the above does not work ill try the additives.

Also, I will be working on a little maintenance work and possibly putting my stock intercooler on and intake to get more air running through.

I should have an update on Sunday

 

[95blackGsTurbo]

Check your base timing.

 

[Savage Talon]

Alot of you are recomending high octane fuel, I would think high octane fuel would hinder him due to a low compression engine (turbo) not burning the fuel completely. Don't you think a low octane fuel like 87 would burn better due to the lower flash point. After all he is not boosting in a smog test even on the rollers so a high octane fuel would not be needed.

 

[Cs4g63]

What I actually got told to do by the smog guy when I had a problem passing smog last year was to pull the EGR valve out and clean it completely out with brake clean. I was amazed at the fact that it actually worked. It was interesting to see how much crap came out of it during the cleaning process.

 

[EnticivEclipse]

Check your base timing.

How do i check for that?

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

How do i check for that?

http://vfaq.com/mods/wayback/BradBauer/engine/timing.html

Did you say you were going to put your stock ic and intake back on? What did you mean by to get more air running through? I don't believe this will help with smog, it shouldn't be necessary unless you go to the state ref where visual has to pass, in which case that has to be done.

 

[EnticivEclipse]

Just ran a quick log... let me know if any of you notice anything that needs to tuned.

I will be retesting the ride this weekend since i havent had time to

rm Fuel Trim 1,Long Term Fuel Trim 1,RPM,Speed,Timing,Air Temp,Airflow,TPS
00:01.79,47.15,180.0,3.0,8.0,3324.0,29.0,24.0,106.0,0.74,20.43
00:03.23,98.23,180.0,0.0,8.0,2428.0,32.0,3.0,106.0,9.55,78.98
00:04.69,95.09,180.0,0.0,8.0,2880.0,36.0,5.0,106.0,12.05,83.3
00:06.11,93.12,183.0,0.0,8.0,3416.0,43.0,8.0,106.0,14.32,89.19
00:07.55,93.91,183.0,0.0,8.0,3936.0,50.0,10.0,106.0,16.0,90.77
00:08.97,96.27,183.0,0.0,8.0,4464.0,58.0,10.0,106.0,18.45,91.94
00:10.42,93.12,183.0,0.0,8.0,4952.0,65.0,11.0,104.0,19.92,93.91
00:11.84,88.41,187.0,0.0,8.0,5392.0,71.0,16.0,104.0,20.45,96.66
00:13.27,84.87,187.0,0.0,8.0,5816.0,78.0,19.0,102.0,21.16,96.66
00:14.71,80.94,187.0,0.0,8.0,6200.0,83.0,20.0,102.0,21.47,96.66

 

[Simpleman1]

When my car failed the idle test after my 264/272 combo installed, I retarded the timing and lowered my fuel pressure a little bit. It passed after that (side effect was glowing turbo). Had it adjusted back to were it was after passing the smog test.

 

[ekanddsm]

Cali DSMer here, I would lean heavily on cleaning the egr passage, you can test the egr by pulling a vacuum line off of the valve and start the engine and use a vacuum source, Like the Bov line, and connect it to the valve, it should make it run very rough, a good clean valve should flow enough to almost stall the engine, Or stall it completley.

If that doesn't work, clean it take it apart, sometimes the passages get clogged in the intake mani.

Please post the rest of the numbers of the smog test so we can better evaluate it.
You may just have heavy carbon buildup inside the engine.

 

[EnticivEclipse]

Update: Passed my smog check with the following changes

-changed PCV valve
-coolant flush
-another oil change
-tighten a few clamps with no boost leak check(too lazy )
-drove it hard than intial test for 20 minutes
after 1500 miles later I passed at the max limits~

15mph HC(PPM) MAX/MEAS = 54/54

25mph barely = MAX/MEAS = 37/37

Thanks for the help and input guys...

I knew my baby would pass as is

 

[420aStonerBlock]

Dang i though i was close to passing when i was like .7 off! Your dead on! Lol that is hilarious.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Damn you barely passed! I still don't understand that. Had our talon with 6bolt swap evoiii, 720s, 190, full 3" turboback, etc.. Of course we had DSMLink, but the LTFT and STFT were not dialed in.