I could really use your help/advice. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE

My 95 teg GSR failed emissions miserably yesterday, (suburb philadelphia, have to run car on dyno with sniffer in exhaust).

CO% limit .85 reading .74 Pass
HC ppm limit 146 reading 165 Fail
NO ppm limit 1134 reading 2356 FAILED BIG TIME (in think they call this category NOX)


Info on car:
NO engine codes, scanned it last night, get steady light when grounded out so I'm okay, (I do get an abs code, (dammit).
95 GSR w/ AEM cai (using a crankcase breather instead of hose connected to port on aem tube) (maybe this bypass is the culprit)*****
Unortho pullys, DC header and catback using original OEM cat, (cat might be shot, who knows for sure)
MSD cap, wires, 6AL, ignition advanced +18, (all relatively new)
110K miles, and runs quick
Last tank saw only 18mpg, city and running aggressive as usual, (gas mileage hasn't been good for sometime thou).
mobil one every 3K, with techron fuel system cleaner approx every other oil change, oil still clean, burn about a quart or more like most v-tecs.
Did top engine clean about 15K 20K ago
Recent PCV valve replacement
NEW O2 sensor, Old was toast
Exhaust tip is sooty as it has always been, but seems worse recently. No real stinks thou....
Autometer AFM surges back in forth as it always has, no change recently.
Idle surges a bit, (I probably caused this when I screwed around with the TPS on the throttle body). Although it seems a little worse now....

What do you think? Maybe a bad cat, or the valve cover breather is f-ing things up? Car runs real strong, tore an RSX a new one last night.

Shop gave the car back to me with these options:
1.) Pay 150 for waiver until next year, (can fix at my leisure, hmmm, upgrade with carsound cat maybe as time/$$ presents itself.)
2.) Pay 100 now for emissions diagnosis, (then proceed to fix whatever the problem be)
3.) I spend 150 towards trying to fix whatever I think it is. Pass or fail, I still get exemption for another year since I tried.

I get a free re-test on the emissions dyno within 30 days.

What would you do, what to likely think the problem is. That NOX is really high, anybody know what the heck that means typically. Do we have an EGR system on the suckers. Gotta break out that service manual again.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Make me proud Honda Tech.

 

If your old O2 was toast then it smote the Cat.

YOu need a new catalytic converter.

ANd no way in hell is bypassing the breather going to effect you.....it would probably have been worse if you had that conencted to the CAI.

 

Good point.

So do you think the bad cat, (if that is what it is) would cause that high NOX reading? I don't understand these test readings, except beyond the fact that they are bad.

Does a toasted O2 always fry the cat? I had a cat go bad on a wrangler I used to own, I lost tons of power, (coudn't go over 45 on the highway). I am not getting this with the teg, this thing runs like just as quick as she ever did.

If you were me, would you forget the diagnostics, and spend that money on a carsound cat without really knowing the cat is bad. Or do you think its that obvious that its bad. Just how long does an acura cat last? I am not running fuel advance yet, so dumping in more fuel hasn't made it dirty....

Wonder if I can get a carsound cat now that will fit up with my DC header, but also work with an JDM ITR header in the future?

 

NOX is generally caused by bad EGR valve and or car running excessively hot. The cat will have VERY LITTLE if any effect on NOX. Main culprit for car running hot is advanced timing. I guarantee you that if you retard the timing as much as possible to spec that your NOX will go down significantly. However retarding the timing may increase your HC, which is high already. That is where the cat falls into play. However if the high HC is being caused by the ECU responding to the advanced timing by injecting more fuel, you may get lucky. Here is what I recommend from my experience. Buy a bottle of that "Guaranteed to Pass" stuff(~$6) put in your tank with some premium fuel. Run that til nearly empty tank(according to instructions) then fill your tank with the lowest octane fuel you can. Lower octane fuel doesn't cause as much HC. Then retard your timing as much as spec allows. On the way to the smog test, run the car hard, WOT on the freeway a few times if you can, then when you get to the test leave the car running. The goal is to get the cat hot, the hotter the cat is the better it works. So make sure it is hot while they are testing it, but at the same time you want them to run the fan while they are doing the test to keep the NOX down. If you do this I think you might be able to pass. If not you have a year to save up for a new cat.

 

I foget if we have an EGR, (????), and no I am not running hot. Actually I've had the timing advanced for like 80K miles, with no problems, so I doubt that is the culprit. Last year I was close to failing emissions, and since a cat likely degrades over time, (doesn't just fail like turning off a switch), maybe I should just buck up and replace the cat and throw it on myself.

All I have to do is show the receipt for the new cat at emissions inspection. Whether the new cat cleans it up so it can pass the re-test doesn't matter. As long as I spend 150 towards fixing it then I get exemption for a year.

so how much for a carsound? Do they have one that will fit up with a DC header now, and a JDM ITR in the future?