Passed emissions again (Maryland)
12-09-2009, 05:32 PM
#1
Drifting
Thread Starter
Passed emissions again (Maryland)
So in my county we have to go through emissions every other year. I first passed with flying colors two years ago shortly after I put the car back on the road. The first go 'round was with a very battered catalytic converter, and all of the air pump **** hooked up. Last night I had it tested with the catalytic converter I got from Iccy928. When I installed that cat on Monday night, I turned the car on, and within 30 seconds my barn was filled with steam and/or smoke as whatever had been accumulating in the cat was cooking off. I didn't hook up the air pump.
I'm not sure if the actual standards have changed in the past two years, but the testing method has, and the reporting method is also different. I noticed fresh concrete in the testing station where they had removed the treadmills.
Here's what I got 12/07. Like I said, the cat was battered but intact, and all other smog **** was hooked up and functioning. It had fresh caps, rotors, plugs, plug wires, O2 sensor, temp 1, and temp 2 sensors.
The state standards:
HC: 1.8000GPM
CO: 30.0000GPM
NO2: 2.8000GPM
My results (12/07):
HC: 0.0569GPM
CO: 0.4170GPM
NO2: 0.1031GPM
So I obviously cruised through with no issues. These things are pretty clean when everything is in working order.
These are the results from last night (12/09.) Now they only test for HC and CO. The measurement for HC is now stated in "parts per million"(PPM) as opposed to "grams per mile"(GPM.) CO is now listed as a percentage (I'm assuming a percentage of total exhaust volume) when it used to be listed as GPM. They no longer seem to measure NO2.
State standards (12/09):
HC: 220PPM
CO: 1.20%
My results:
HC: 81PPM
CO: 0.48%
I've driven about 45K miles since the first test. It's still on the same O2, temp 1, and temp 2 sensors. Still using the same plug wires, rotors, and caps. It had a fresh set of Bosch WR7DC plugs. The cat was from an '89 S4 and in much better condition (externally anyway) then the one I had used the first time. The vacuum line for the smog pump was plugged, and none of the smog pump stuff was hooked up.
Not that it really matters at this point because the x-pipe is going back on in another day or two, but the numbers on yesterday's test look higher then my first test two years ago. I'm not sure how the different standards compare. If my car is in fact producing more emissions, I'm curious to know which variable produced this change? Degradation of the O2 sensor? different cat? failure to properly hook up the rest of the smog ****? Like I said, it really doesn't matter. Passing is passing.
I have to admit that one thing that does fascinate me is the number of people who have cars that won't pass emissions, and instead of fixing their car, they just use some loophole to get an exemption. If you don't drive a lot and the car doesn't pass because you've removed the cats or other smog equipment, then I guess I can see the logic. But if your car doesn't pass and you do have all of your smog equipment, then you've got a problem that needs to be fixed. You might think your car runs great, but in reality, if it can't pass emissions when all emissions equipment is intact and functioning, then it really isn't running great.
I'm not sure if the actual standards have changed in the past two years, but the testing method has, and the reporting method is also different. I noticed fresh concrete in the testing station where they had removed the treadmills.
Here's what I got 12/07. Like I said, the cat was battered but intact, and all other smog **** was hooked up and functioning. It had fresh caps, rotors, plugs, plug wires, O2 sensor, temp 1, and temp 2 sensors.
The state standards:
HC: 1.8000GPM
CO: 30.0000GPM
NO2: 2.8000GPM
My results (12/07):
HC: 0.0569GPM
CO: 0.4170GPM
NO2: 0.1031GPM
So I obviously cruised through with no issues. These things are pretty clean when everything is in working order.
These are the results from last night (12/09.) Now they only test for HC and CO. The measurement for HC is now stated in "parts per million"(PPM) as opposed to "grams per mile"(GPM.) CO is now listed as a percentage (I'm assuming a percentage of total exhaust volume) when it used to be listed as GPM. They no longer seem to measure NO2.
State standards (12/09):
HC: 220PPM
CO: 1.20%
My results:
HC: 81PPM
CO: 0.48%
I've driven about 45K miles since the first test. It's still on the same O2, temp 1, and temp 2 sensors. Still using the same plug wires, rotors, and caps. It had a fresh set of Bosch WR7DC plugs. The cat was from an '89 S4 and in much better condition (externally anyway) then the one I had used the first time. The vacuum line for the smog pump was plugged, and none of the smog pump stuff was hooked up.
Not that it really matters at this point because the x-pipe is going back on in another day or two, but the numbers on yesterday's test look higher then my first test two years ago. I'm not sure how the different standards compare. If my car is in fact producing more emissions, I'm curious to know which variable produced this change? Degradation of the O2 sensor? different cat? failure to properly hook up the rest of the smog ****? Like I said, it really doesn't matter. Passing is passing.
I have to admit that one thing that does fascinate me is the number of people who have cars that won't pass emissions, and instead of fixing their car, they just use some loophole to get an exemption. If you don't drive a lot and the car doesn't pass because you've removed the cats or other smog equipment, then I guess I can see the logic. But if your car doesn't pass and you do have all of your smog equipment, then you've got a problem that needs to be fixed. You might think your car runs great, but in reality, if it can't pass emissions when all emissions equipment is intact and functioning, then it really isn't running great.
12-09-2009, 06:03 PM
#2
Racer
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Taunton, UK
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CO @ 1.2%.... My '85 euro with no cats or air pump is about that. We are allowed upto 4.5% CO on a car of this age over here!
But yeah, 0.48% with a cat does seem a little high. I wonder what the reading would be like with your cat removed?
But yeah, 0.48% with a cat does seem a little high. I wonder what the reading would be like with your cat removed?
12-09-2009, 06:04 PM
#3
Fleet of Foot
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Just had to do mine for registration:
15 mph; 1335 rpm; HC allowed 110 (ppm), meas. 5, CO% allowed .71, meas. .01, NO allowed (ppm) 772, meas. 491
25 mph; 1229 rpm; HC allowed (ppm), 85, meas. 1, CO% allowed .59, meas. .04, NO allowed (ppm), 711, meas. 308
Run on a dyno, original cats. Forgot I had the belt and pulley off the air pump as it does not sound very healthy at the moment. Tech did not notice...
These engines are very clean when properly maintained, never had a problem with smogs on this one. NO has always been a bit above average, but that seems to be the nature of these beasts. 32V engines have no EGR and depend on valve overlap and a 3-way cat to clean it up.
15 mph; 1335 rpm; HC allowed 110 (ppm), meas. 5, CO% allowed .71, meas. .01, NO allowed (ppm) 772, meas. 491
25 mph; 1229 rpm; HC allowed (ppm), 85, meas. 1, CO% allowed .59, meas. .04, NO allowed (ppm), 711, meas. 308
Run on a dyno, original cats. Forgot I had the belt and pulley off the air pump as it does not sound very healthy at the moment. Tech did not notice...
These engines are very clean when properly maintained, never had a problem with smogs on this one. NO has always been a bit above average, but that seems to be the nature of these beasts. 32V engines have no EGR and depend on valve overlap and a 3-way cat to clean it up.
12-09-2009, 06:49 PM
#4
Team Owner
what year is your car??
