CA SMOG Test Failed

[areznik]

Guys,

My Q45 '94 is almost at 160K and running strong except for the SMOG that I failed this morning . Here is the link for the printout they gave me http://iupost.com/smog.jpg. I will probably go to DMV to ask for 30 days extension as my registration expire in 5 days.

The fail is on "NO (PPM)" at 25mph where the max allowed is 683 and my Q has 846. What is NO (PPM) is? What can I clean that can directly improve this metric?

Thanks,Andre.

[maxnix]

Nitrous Oxide Parts Per Million.

Ohm test your knock sensors. Any BG44K lately? How's the EGR valve and the rest of the intake path?

[areznik]

Hey,

Had my last BG44K in it probably ~2K miles ago, its been about two months since then. I am usually very consistent with BG44K, put it in every 4K or 3 months, whichever is coming.

I am planning to work on the car this weekend to get it ready for a re-test.

Andre.

[Q45tech]

Clogged up EGR passage into plenum and or defective EGR system.The only system that controls Nox.

[3Q Jay]

EGR. you didn't read my recent smog post?

zerothread/346148

[areznik]

Over this weekend I cleaned EGR, TB, MAF and took it back to the test center. Now, it passed all emissions but these guys told me that my timing was off by a lot and that my PCV system is leaking air and for that they can't pass me. I was extremely mad because they did not tell me about it the first time ... . Do I have to have all these in perfect shape for the smog test even if my emission is good??

From my gut feeling I do think my timing is off because I hear that rumbling noise that is very typical of mis-timing but is that supposed to be part of the smog test??

If I do need to adjust the timing, I read in Q45.org about method B but could not understand how do I use the wire to check the angle of the CAS ... . Any clarification here would be great

Thanks,Andre.

[maxnix]

Maybe Wes can help you in person?

Can't imagine it can be more than a couple degrees off and still run worth a darn.

[3Q Jay]

Over this weekend I cleaned EGR, TB, MAF and took it back to the test center. Now, it passed all emissions but these guys told me that my timing was off by a lot and that my PCV system is leaking air and for that they can't pass me. .

good job on getting things cleaned up.you should verify your timing for your own peace of mind, but.....i've done smog 6 times on the G50s and FY33, and never, not once has someone tried to check the timing. i seriously doubt that they would know how, after all there is no plug 'wire' to clamp onto.

you prolly want to replace your pcv valve (likely dealer only part at this point, but IoS keeps them on hand), and the expensive a$$ s-hose ($17 at last check) that connects it. i find that those s-hoses get pretty spongy from previous owner's bad habots (and could leak).

[areznik]

I moved to California (need to update my profile) about two years ago ... Wes face-to-face is not an option anymore.

Went to local Auto Zone and bought the timing light ... found the marks on and adjusted the CAS so that the timing is right in the middle between those 5 marks (I think it is 15 degrees as stated in the manual). The cars has no power after I made this change . Under WOT it barely gets me going ... this must be timing because I have not changed anything else.

How is that possible? I double checked to make sure that the timing has not slid after I drove ... it is in the right position (right on the 3rd mark from left). Any thoughts?

Worst case I can do SMOG test and then adjust the timing back but it does not make sense that my car drives like this under proper timing.

[maxnix]

Did you have a real tachometer? When did you last change your filters?

[areznik]

What do you mean by real tachmeter and what would I need the tachometer for in setting the timing? My idle in drive is ~600 and in park ~700 rpms. Actually after I adjusted the timing I felt the rpms went down (like the engine slowed down in idle) but computer probably made an adjustment with idle vavle to keep the rpms at the right level. The air filter is in decent shape and the fuel filter was replaced maybe 20K ago. But why would it matter if the car drove great with "retarded" timing and now drives like crap with proper timing? Is retarded timing suppose to improve performance??

Thx,Andre.

[3Q Jay]

you may have just set your timing to 10deg, not 15.there is one notch that is more evident than the others, that is the 0deg or TDC (top dead center) nothc. so, 15 deg is actually 3 notches away from the 'big' notch.as i recall, there is one notch for 5deg ATDC, and 4 or 5 notches on the other side (20 or 25 deg BTDC). you want 15 deg BTDC at hot idle.

[maxnix]

Dash tachometer is not accurate enough. You need to use a larger dial with more gradations tachometer instrument.

[Q45tech]

When setting static advance, you MUST disconnect IAC electric connection to avoid ECU changing idle speed. Make sure coolant is at 174F as ecu starts fiddling when coolant gets above 195F and especially above 200F.