I need to pass emissions...Help

[Guest the_dj]

OK, I have a question. I believe I need to be under 220 HC and 3% CO, but I may be wrong. Anyway, here's the deal:

 

As of May 1, Harris County (Houston, TX) has new inspection rules. Cars over the age of 5 and under 25 (exempt) must be run on a dynamometer while the emissions test is run...up in the air. The car I'm buying has no catalytic converter!

 

I have 1 chance to pass emissions before I MUST buy a cat converter to pass the aerial test. The inspector doesn't look for now. Anyway:

 

I WON'T BE IN TOWN. I'm sending my mom to the inspection station with the Commander 950 laptop and a saved file for emissions that she will load into the ECU for the test, and then load the normal one before she leaves to drive home. This is NOT the part I'm worried about.

 

I need to assure that whatever map I program for the test will pass emissions (sniffer only) without the cat. What should I program into the fuel and spark maps for the test? Next year I am exempt, so if I have to pay $100+ just to install a cat for this one test alone, only to remove it the next day, I'll be sad.

 

Is it reasonable to think I might pass the sniffer? What do you guys think? How should I set things up if so?

 

Thanks,

DJSS

[Mike C]

Can't you wait on the test until you can go with the car? You should be able to put a fuel/timing curve in that would be emissions friendly and still be able to drive the car to the testing facility. I dread the day the testing comes to Austin...but I think all my crap is too old

[Guest greimann]

If you can, postpone the smog test until you have a chance to run the car on a dyno and reprogram the computer for emissions requirements. If you can't postpone, and the car has an O2 sensor and is running fine with the existing program, I would not change anything. You cannot reprogram a fuel and spark map successfully without knowing what is going on in the first place. You need to run data acquisition or reprogram on a dyno to do it right.

[Sumo]

Another thing that will help lower your emissions is RXP. This product helps negate oxygenated gas and completes the combustion. It will help lower your emissions. It is usually sold here in Dallas at the Autozone or Oreilly hi/lo. It runs about $7 per bottle but treats 25 gallons. Ive used this before and it works! It will reduce HC and CO unless your car is really messed up. Hope it helps, it has for me. Check out their site http://www.rxp.com/how.htm

[Guest the_dj]

Thanks guys. I'll try the RXP stuff and send the car like it is. Should run the computer in closed loop mode with the O2 sensor. I can't wait or I'll have to pass the aerial visual inspection and not just the sniffer...that could cause some problems.

 

Thanks,

DJSS

[Phantom]

DJ:

First thing. Call an emmissions testing place like Pep Boys. Your cars allowable emmissions are higher than 220. My '77, which had its first Texas "safety inspection" today, was allowed 750 ppm HC and 7.5% CO. That dropped to 650 & 6.5% in '78 and then on down evenlower for the ZX's. It didn't hit 220 & 2.2% until 1983. YOur ZX came originally equipped with a catalytic converter. If they look and don't see it there you will fail whether you pass the emmissions or not because you "don't have all your stock emmissions equipment in place". A high flow cat will not hurt your performance. It will also act as a resonator and improve your exhaust note allowing you to run a less restrictive muffler. Catalytic converters are not your enemy if you know how to work with them. for what it's worth, my cat is a California edition that came with a cat. It passed emmissions last year at 70 ppm HC and .07% CO. That was on a stock motor with 190,000 miles on it.

Phantom

[Oltmann]

Why don't you just tell your mom to show the inspector some leg?

 

Sorry.