Ok, i got my brother in law's car tested for emissions today... its a 88 civic hatch with a B18B1 engine... Intake, intake manifold, headers, cat(not sure if hi-flow or normal) and 3 inch piping exhaust to 4inch tip.

Heres the results (you know i failed already)

15mph
HC ppm Limit = 115 reading = 100 Passed
CO% Limit = 0.65 reading = 0.61 Passed
NO ppm Limit = 907 Reading = 1936 <U>FAILED</U>

25 mph
HC ppm Limit = 111 Reading = 114 <U>FAILED</U>
CO% Limit = 0.62 Reading = 0.86 <U>FAILED</U>
NO ppm Limit = 820 Reading = 1464 <U>FAILED</U>

we passed all the emissions control systems inspections... just the smog...

Now... what can we do to lower these numbers? We already decided to put in a new cat... now... since we only get 1 free reinspection... we are hoping to pass this time... any other pointers? and ive heard many different sides on gas to use... do we want higher octane or lower?

any help is appreciated...

VA people that have inspection places that are cool... pls PM me!!!

 

oh and would seafoam help? would it help b4 the 14 days are up?

 

Before you get the new vat put on, have the muffler shop test it and make sure it's bad.
i'm pretty sure they will tell you it's bad because your numbers show what you get from a fried cat.
Your high NoX numbers might come down with just the cat, but you might want to get a new O2 and set the timing to stock as well. Do your best to make sure it's not running lean (on of the causes for high NoX).

Did you do anything like spark plugs or timing before you tested?

I would go through and do the regular maintenance with new plugs, cap, rotor, PCV valve, O2 sensor, set timing to stock,....etc - AFTER you run seafoam (if you are going to).
If the engine is high milage then seafoam can help.
Also clean out the throttle body and inside the intake manifold if you have the time to get in there.

What octane were you running?
If you were on the LOWEST octane then that "ight" have caused the NoX to jump up. You want to make sure that the fuel burns completely so you don't get high CO. you can get a good complete burn with lower octane, BUT if your motor is of higher compression then low octane might be too low you can get detonation effects. That raises the internal engine temps and the NoX goes up. So if you were on the lowest octane I would go to mid grade and let it run like that.

 

thanks alot for the reply man... you helped me alot to answer your question of what octane we used 93... i also heard about a GARUNTEED emissions additive... does that actually work and would it help for what i need it for? and no.. we did not do any maintanence on it yet... it was baught (way it is) last week... but we will do all routine maintanence. It isnt a high mileage engine... when we baught it the guy said it was about 80-90k miles on the engine... and almost nothing was stock... it all came with the b18b1...

 

overcorrupt,

Its not a big deal at all. Put a new cat on there and IT WILL PASS. Then take the cat off and store it somewhere safe for the next 2 years. That's what I do.

edit: the guaranteed emissions additive is BS.

Get a cat for $110 from advance auto, and be done with it.

 

The guranteed stuff sucks, just use fuel system cleaner

 

cool thanks for everyones input... having those numbers... would you guys think it would pass with a new cat?

 

without knowing the amount of o2 coming out the exhaust, its difficult to diagnose the cat.

Here are two examples from my cars:

91 crx si, tests done in oct 04
first test: failed everything(don't have that paper anymore), all three gasses at both speeds. Cat was OOLLLDDD.
second test; with new cat(no other changes to the car):

15mph: limit reading result
HC: 130 13 passed
CO: .73 .00 passed
NO 1035 2 passed

25mph:
HC: 125 16 passed
CO: .62 .00 passed
NO: 820 4 passed


91 Acura Integra: I usually run this car with a gutted cat. I picked up a cat in march to get it to pass. JDM b16, I/H/E, LS trans. This is while running ONE o2 sensor on a pr3 ecu, which needs 2 inputs for o2 sensors, and the o2 sensor is LAZY as hell. Tests done in march 05.

15mph: limit reading result
HC: 115 13 passed
CO: .65 .01 passed
NO: 907 33 passed

25mph:
HC: 111 22 passed
CO: .62 .04 passed
NO: 820 27 passed


In my experience, new cat = pass for sure, at least in VA.

both cats cost me less than $100 at advance auto.