KEEPS FAILING SMOG!!!

[StryfeS13]

Fully rebuilt KA24DE, new pistons, rings, head, etc.

It keeps failing NO, but it passes HC and CO with flying colors.

I'm getting a code 32 for EGR, but I can feel the diaphragm moving when the car is revved...and if i squeeze it, the car stumbles and dies. So how could the EGR be bad?

I'm also getting a 33 for front o2 sensor, which I will replace today. Can a bad O2 sensor cause the EGR light to come on?

Just a bit of info...my NO levels are 1394...the max allowed is 700.
Modified by StryfeS13 at 10:19 PM 3/30/2010

[seang]

Well, the EGR valve itself might not be bad; but it is regulated by the BPT valve, and I think some electrical relay, I'm not exactly sure. You would have to look at the schematic in the FSM. If BPT valves throw their own codes when they go bad, then I could be wrong. I'm not an emissions control guru.

[locoluna825]

If the egr valve is opening around and above 2000 rpms then it should be working. get a longer peice of vacuum tubbing and get a vaccum tester on it to see if it holds a vacuum and stays open.

[Wc240]

check the egr solenoid, bpt valve, bpt hose,if you have a vac gauge, hook it up (with a t fitting) then go for a drive to make sure all is good. clean out the ports in the intake, could just be a low flow problem

[StryfeS13]

I found out that I had vacuum lines routed wrong....but I doubt that will fix my problem. I am very negative towards everything that has to deal with this 240, since nothing ever goes right.

[locoluna825]

Yea, Those are your idle air and swirl valve control valve soleniods. that might..... through a code. not to sure myself though. Considering its not technicaly part of your EGR system. but the mixed vaccum lines may cuase a disturbance in the force.
Modified by locoluna825 at 8:17 PM 3/27/2010

[StryfeS13]

Well, the EGR valve itself might not be bad; but it is regulated by the BPT valve, and I think some electrical relay, I'm not exactly sure. You would have to look at the schematic in the FSM. If BPT valves throw their own codes when they go bad, then I could be wrong. I'm not an emissions control guru.

There is an ECU code for the BPT valve, and my ECU isnt throwing it up. I think my high NO could have been the O2 sensor and improperly routed vac lines.

If the egr valve is opening around and above 2000 rpms then it should be working. get a longer peice of vacuum tubbing and get a vaccum tester on it to see if it holds a vacuum and stays open.

I can feel it open but just barely. I dont have a vacuum tester..can I just get a long vacuum hose and suck on it, and see if it stays open? While the car is off of course.

Yea, Those are your idle air and swirl valve control valve soleniods. that might..... through a code. not to sure myself though. Considering its not technicaly part of your EGR system. but the mixed vaccum lines may cuase a disturbance in the force.

I would imagine that the vacuum lines being routed wrong would pose a problem.

[locoluna825]

I can feel it open but just barely. I dont have a vacuum tester..can I just get a long vacuum hose and suck on it, and see if it stays open? While the car is off of course.

yes, you can. lol i actually dont have a vacuum tester myself and thats EXACLTY what I do. you made me LOL. suck on it and feel for the egr valve to make sure its holding the vaccum vacuum.

[StryfeS13]

yes, you can. lol i actually dont have a vacuum tester myself and thats EXACLTY what I do. you made me LOL. suck on it and feel for the egr valve to make sure its holding the vaccum vacuum.

haha, ill try it out and update.

[StryfeS13]

Yes, it holds vacuum.

It also holds vacuum while the car is on and at 2000 rpms and up.

[locoluna825]

Well if thats working then your BBT valve should be fine as well. But you can still test it if you want.

When there is vaccum coming from the bottom hose of the valve, no vaccum should get throught the two hoses on the top of the valve. and when there isnt any vacuum at all. air should be able to pass through the top two hoses of the valve.

How new is your rebuild. did you install the engine/ wiring an vacuum line yourself or did a shop do it.

[StryfeS13]

Well I put my car up on jack stands and drove it for 10 miles...no CEL came up.

Does the directionality of the catalytic converter matter? Maybe I have it on backwards....lol?

[Wc240]

yes it matters, there should be an arrow on it. but your passing on the other gasses, so it cant be on backwards. have you tried testin g?swapping the the egr temp sensor(if its a cali model)whats your 02 and co2 at?

[StryfeS13]

yes it matters, there should be an arrow on it. but your passing on the other gasses, so it cant be on backwards. have you tried testin g?swapping the the egr temp sensor(if its a cali model)whats your 02 and co2 at?

what way should the arrow point to? The inlet or outlet?

[locoluna825]

the arrow indicates the exuast flow. so out it goes

[StryfeS13]

Well...took it back in today.

Failed again and came out as a gross polluter. Failed every test you can think of, even the gas cap!

Funny to think that two days ago it passed HC/CO and everything else except NOx with flying colors. Maybe it was the smog shop i went to this time.

Selling the 240, definitely. Nothing but a money pit.

[zer0c123]

You'll have to find an idiot to buy a car that isn't smogged at the time of sale. =

[Wc240]

by law, its up to you to smog it. unless someone buys it as is for like 200 bucks(really all you can charge) or you can diag it and fix it.\

heres what i recommend,what gas are you running?do the idle mixture/timing adjustment, check the plug gap, ALL TO FACTORY SPECS(very important)

then, take it to a shop,(repair) and have em to a cat efficiancy test( co2 cranking test, hc reduction test, nox reduction test) and see if the cats bad.

or, i advise against this but, just buy a cat and pass it. reason i advise against it is its just a band aid fix. and what ever killed the previous cat will blow that one out too.

cars are money pits, its not becouse the 240 is a bad egg. its cars in general

[StryfeS13]

by law, its up to you to smog it. unless someone buys it as is for like 200 bucks(really all you can charge) or you can diag it and fix it.\

heres what i recommend,what gas are you running?do the idle mixture/timing adjustment, check the plug gap, ALL TO FACTORY SPECS(very important)

then, take it to a shop,(repair) and have em to a cat efficiancy test( co2 cranking test, hc reduction test, nox reduction test) and see if the cats bad.

or, i advise against this but, just buy a cat and pass it. reason i advise against it is its just a band aid fix. and what ever killed the previous cat will blow that one out too.

cars are money pits, its not becouse the 240 is a bad egg. its cars in general

I am running premium gas. I took it to smog with fuel system cleaner if that matters. Where can I find out how to do the idle mixture adjustment? I searched it up and believe I found the correct tutorial but I just wanna make sure. Also, when they tested my car, the timing was at 17 BTDC, even though on my crank pulley it lines up with the 20 BTDC mark...

Also, I have never checked my plug gap, because I was under the impression that plugs came pre-gapped. I'll check it though.

[locoluna825]

what do you mean it was at 20? did you unplug the little harness at the TPS sensor and check the timing? it should be at 15 BTDC.

[StryfeS13]

what do you mean it was at 20? did you unplug the little harness at the TPS sensor and check the timing? it should be at 15 BTDC.

I set it to 20 BTDC because I read somewhere that stock timing is 20 BTDC, actually I believe I read it on here. And yes of course I unplugged it. Keep in mind I have a dual cam.

EDIT: just found it
Modified by StryfeS13 at 10:18 PM 3/30/2010

[StryfeS13]

Bump

[locoluna825]

ok so you timing is down. You fixed your 02 sensor, right? and your egr seems to be working.

Did you recently clear the memory to reset the codes? if you did, do you know you must drive that thing about 55 or more for about 20 minutes to get the ecu readjusted? before you took to be smoged.

i would have to say its the CAT then man. if you still failing

[StryfeS13]

ok so you timing is down. You fixed your 02 sensor, right? and your egr seems to be working.

Did you recently clear the memory to reset the codes? if you did, do you know you must drive that thing about 55 or more for about 20 minutes to get the ecu readjusted? before you took to be smoged.

i would have to say its the CAT then man. if you still failing

Yeah, my 02 sensor is replaced. My EGR works and I have replaced all vacuum lines going to an from it.

I did clear the memory. Clearing it is turning that screw on the ecu right? Like after you read your codes you turn the car on and turn it back and it's cleared? If so, yeah I did that. I didn't know I had to drive 20 mins.

Can I just put my car on jackstands and drive it at 55MPH for 20 mins? Cause I can't really go driving around my 240 that much...it's not insured, tagged, registered, or smogged.

[zer0c123]

I doubt there is anything wrong with the CAT since you have have high NOx. Although you failed HC on the 2nd run you might have a slight vacuum leak that will bring up HC slightly and NOx.

If you have completely ruled out the EGR system, then look for a vacuum leak. The egr system can be easily carbed up after so many years. There is the EGR, EGR-BPT, BPT-pipe, EGR pipe, and one last component that has three bolts where one bolt needs a swivel socket to get to. Also there's two gaskets that you'll want to replace if you take those components off for cleaning. I think the BPT-pipe can easily be clogged since the diameter of the tube is so small.

Also it would help if you posted up all the smog check numbers for everyone to see.
Modified by zer0c123 at 9:31 PM 4/1/2010

[StryfeS13]

I doubt there is anything wrong with the CAT since you have have high NOx. Although you failed HC on the 2nd run you might have a slight vacuum leak that will bring up HC slightly and NOx.

If you have completely ruled out the EGR system, then look for a vacuum leak. The egr system can be easily carbed up after so many years. There is the EGR, EGR-BPT, BPT-pipe, EGR pipe, and one last component that has three bolts where one bolt needs a swivel socket to get to. Also there's two gaskets that you'll want to replace if you take those components off for cleaning. I think the BPT-pipe can easily be clogged since the diameter of the tube is so small.

Also it would help if you posted up all the smog check numbers for everyone to see.

Found out one of my vacuum hoses that run under the intake manifold came off. So I replaced it. I have also replaced every other vacuum hose that looked old or crusty.

I also found out I have an exhaust leak coming from the EGR pipe where it connects to the manifold itself. I can't stop the leak, because I can't tighten the bolt all the way into the manifold...it just wont go in any further than 3/4 of the way. So how am I supposed to stop the leak?

[locoluna825]

cool, glad you made some progress. you sure you didnt cross thread it?

[StryfeS13]

cool, glad you made some progress. you sure you didnt cross thread it?

thanks

i'm sure, it's just old as f**k

[locoluna825]

Just took a look at my friends and mine. Ours dont thread all the way in either. About half way down the threads i would say... or maybe just a tad more than that and thats all it goes.

[Wc240]

I doubt there is anything wrong with the CAT since you have have high NOx.

um.. what?! lol

id still like to know what your o2 and co2 numbers are, as well as co. it can help narrow down the cat. did you ever call on getting the cat tested?