420A Failed Smog

[NorCalDubber]

I have a 1998 eclipse gs with dc headers and aem CAI. Before I went to smog I changed my plugs (gaped .05), cleaned intake filter, changed oil, and used sea foam earlier in the week. Can anyone interpret my smog results? Since the headers are not CARB legal I have to install the stock ones, will that make a difference? I already fixed the PCV. I did warm up the car for 15-20min on the freeway and the tech also left it idle for 10 min.
Thanks!!

Sorry the scan came out light
@15mph CO2=14.6, O2=0.3. HC MAX=60, Measure=168. CO MAX=0.53 Measure=0.25. NO MAX=459, Measure=703 FAIL

@25mph CO2=14.8, O2=0.0. HC Max=43, Measure=43. CO MAX=0.51, Measure=0.07. MO Max=746, Measure=257 PASS

 

[sek_phok]

Check your oxygen sensors, throw on the stock header. The pvc is hilighted for a reason check that out.

 

[tonyspyder]

looks like regular smog failure . if you did the seafoam, changed oil, etc still no pass can be only 2 things. cat bad or the motor needs another seafoam . heres 2 thing everyone does to pass smog gurantee on stock cars. 1 run you car on the freeway 25 to 30 mins 75-80 i mean smashing it. keep the engine on even when you get to the smog station. this will make your cat very hot and somehow it makes it pass smog. 2 go buy crc gurantee to pass and follow instructions. try the number 1 first. you'll thank me later. but back to what caused that, my best guess is use 91 chevron if you're already not. seafoam the gas tank the intake mani etc. what ever affect the engines performance. last check your timing. but my money is on the cat. just take the easy way out and run the car 80mph on the freeway and go smog. good luck

 

[NorCalDubber]

I got a bottle of G2P ass last ditch effort. What about changing spark plug wires? When I did the sea foam I didn't a crazy amount of smoke like I thought I would, is the PCV vacuum hose the right spot pour?

 

[93_tsi_fwd]

Put stock parts back on and run straight 87 octane.

 

[lauj2gdsm]

i failed smog 5 times.. after many tries and switching many parts. put in 2ounce of acetone for every one gallon.. passed. secret revealed.

 

[DSM1G90]

The acetone trick does wonders in a lot of applications .. one of them is the increase in gas mileage. But 2 ounces per tank is all you need.

Acetone is very corrosive and will eat stuff up if used too much, esp at one time - worse than alcohol.

But true .. any NT motor should use 85/87 octane due to the low compression these motors contains.

Anyone shooting 90 plus in an NT is just wasting money ... and a tuneup needed.

-DSM

 

[TrevorS]

FWIW -- the NO2 result suggests an EGR issue, not a cat issue. Are you certain your EGR system is entirely stock?

 

[NorCalDubber]

I think my EGR valve works. I revved the engine and saw it open and close so I am assuming that it works, I did notice I was a bit low on coolant. As far as I know it's stock I bought the car used with the mods. If I had a bad 02 sensor would I get a CEL? I'm trying to track down a stock exhaust manifold and down pipe. Thanks for all the help.

 

[NorCalDubber]

Any way to tell if my EGR systems is bad?

 

[mitsubishikid]

I just past my smog test with my mitsubishi wagon.
here are some things I looked at before the second test
[my first test failed due to too high a nox reading]

make sure you tps wires are not damaged, also make sure the tps is adjusted prpoperly.
a snapped wire on the tps can cause the nox to go up on a smog test.

Get a can of carb cleaner and a new egr gasket and clean out the entire intake/egr valve.
get a new pcv valve and get a new pcv hose for it.
also [if your car has one] check the thermo valve.
change spark plugs [I used ngk iridiums].
replace o2 sensor.
chang oil and filter.
inspect fuel injector seals and o rings.
air filter replace or clean [if re-usable].
test/replace [if bad]spark plug wires.
test engine coolent temp sensor.

and check all your vacum lines make sure there are no cracks or holes in them and that they are properly conected, if you find any bad ones replace them.

use the garenteed to pass additive, and if after all this it fails buy a new catalytic converter,this should be a last resort since most smog falures are due to sensors and not the cat.
or at least that is what I have observed.

cause just buying a new cat blindly alone will hide all the other things that are more likely wrong with your car.
i checked with a local muffler shop and he said he would charge me $180 dollars to replace my cat.
I went home and found a spliced tps wire, fixed it myself for $10.00
retested and passed the test.
I also replaced a majority of the parts listed above, or I tested them.

I hope you pass your smog retest.

p.s let us know what caused the failure, or what made it pass.

 

[DSM1G90]

Mine passed with flying colors last week. I was told that my Laser is one of the cleanest 22yr old cars to come through the line on a sniff test.

I just did an oil change, tune up with .028 plugs, added a catch can in the main PCV system and capped off the EGR valve with a sheet of tin cut to match the pattern to act as a blockoff plate and bolting the EGR valve back on over top of it.

Used 87 octane.

Did the test from doing a half hour drive on the freeway at 80mph-definitely got the thing super hot.

We don't have to worry on NOx readings, just HC and CO readings.

 

[mitsubishikid]

Well if you were living in California dsm1g90 your car has to have its Hc, Co, and Nox measured if any of them are over the limit then your car will fail the California smog test.

Not meaning to state the obvious, but if we take a second look at the ops smog check work order
His Nox is 356 over the passing limit and his Hc is 108 over the passing limit, so if he lowers both of these numbers by at least those amounts in the 15mph test he will pass the emissions test.
it would seem he already has just barely passed the 25mph emissions test though.
and he still has to address the other visual inspection issues as highlighted on the work order above.

 

[talon2gbuyer]

California smog tests suck my left nut.

 

[rcarbajal4]

California smog tests suck my left nut.

That's why I pay to play . Easier than having to scavenge for stock parts every smog test.