Fail Colorado Emissions Test Again (1 Viewer)

[landtoy80]

Failed the Colorado emissions test again this time but not by too much this time.

HC 1.4107 pass limit is 2
CO 21.0195 fail limit is 20
NOx 5.541 fail limit is 4
CO2 654.2573 no limit on test

This is with fresh Chevron 400LE Syn 5w40 oil and 2 bottles of ISO Heet in 1/4 tank of gas.

The testers were having hard time keep speed on dino. They said and I can confirm that the throttle cable is sticky. It is slow to return to idle, not sure how that affects emissions but I know it sometimes doesn't return to idle all the way or returns slowly.

My check engine light is burned out so I have no idea if there is a code stored.

Next test will be with G-Oil motor oil. It says it reduces emissions "Provide significant reductions in HC (hydrocarbons -32%), CO (carbon monoxide -48%) and NOx (nitrous oxides -80% emissions".
I used it to pass test 2 years ago.

Got to love it when they look for the cats, they always have to get the supervisor to help them find and inspect them. The covers throw them off.

Note, the cats are original and O2 is very old. I cleaned them with a solution last time and passed along with using the G-Oil.

 

[LINUS]

For my part I'll add you might try retarding the timing a touch, and also if you run anything above the lowest octane gas CO vendors, switch down for a good while to get the cheap crap all the way in.

It's not how you want to operate long term, but running just barely off the knock sensors is what passes the test. Higher octane = slower, controlled burn where lowest octane = quick flash burn & more complete.

The cheap gas (I'll guess you are in "winter blend" w/ the alchohol, above the Heet you added) - and pull a few degrees out of your time might be enough to get you through.

Also, that CO level might be part of the effect from that sticking throttle cable - normally it's a dirty air filter or old O2 sensor that is the cause for not hitting your 14.7:1 stoichiometric burn, but while you ECU may be trying, the cable isn't letting it.

 

[Joe Antonio]

Have you tried Archoil 6200 or Lucas fuel treatment? I think both work great!

 

[landtoy80]

I have not tried either fuel treatment but did a use Chevron Fuel Treatment not long ago.
I run Shell gas all the time.

My 80's exhaust stinks when I use cheap gas.

I just got done driving 3 hours at 75 mph before the test.

I did lock the center diff this time. Was thinking that would reduce some fuel used as the motor doesn't have to use energy to keep locking the viscous coupler. I am sure the minor slipping of the VC doesn't use too much energy.

I also was thinking of removing the rear driveshaft. Sure that might reduce energy used to turn the rear dino rollers. Not sure if the dino tries to slow down the tires to simulate going up a hill. The tester has a monitor that he she and I can watch. They have to increase decrease speed to try and keep the vehicle at certain speeds. Its hard to do with my 80. Its sure scary to watch the 80 going 60 mph on the dino. Wonder how much damage there would be to my 80 and the building if it were to come off the dino at 60 mph???

 

[AussieHJCruza]

Do they not strap it down on the dyno?

 

[Joe Antonio]

I have not tried either fuel treatment but did a use Chevron Fuel Treatment not long ago.
I run Shell gas all the time.

My 80's exhaust stinks when I use cheap gas.

I just got done driving 3 hours at 75 mph before the test.

I did lock the center diff this time. Was thinking that would reduce some fuel used as the motor doesn't have to use energy to keep locking the viscous coupler. I am sure the minor slipping of the VC doesn't use too much energy.

I also was thinking of removing the rear driveshaft. Sure that might reduce energy used to turn the rear dino rollers. Not sure if the dino tries to slow down the tires to simulate going up a hill. The tester has a monitor that he she and I can watch. They have to increase decrease speed to try and keep the vehicle at certain speeds. Its hard to do with my 80. Its sure scary to watch the 80 going 60 mph on the dino. Wonder how much damage there would be to my 80 and the building if it were to come off the dino at 60 mph???

/ Check it out.

 

[Red Merle]

Wonder how much damage there would be to my 80 and the building if it were to come off the dino at 60 mph???

Just be sure you are filming it so we can all see how much damage it causes. I am putting my money on a lot.

 

[Red Merle]

Do they not strap it down on the dyno?

Nah, they just have one of the big guys hold er' steady in front.

 

[dlmcgehee1]

Move out of Denver, problem solved.
I'm so glad I live in the springs, and don't have to deal with that s***.

 

[Kungpaodog]

You're not too far away from passing. You can probably lubricate the throttle cable if you don't want to replace it. It also seems to help to have overdrive off and ECT (PWR) on. I've even revved the engine while waiting in line to keep the cats hot, but I don't know if that helped.

Check for air leaks in the vacuum system, and in the intake. The little vacuum lines everywhere can come loose or get brittle with age. A clean air filter won't hurt.

Beyond those free items you start getting into diagnose and replace territory: EGR system cleaning, function check, and overhaul including vsv; O2 sensors; MAF or VAF sensor (what year?); electrical overhaul including plugs, wires, distributor cap and rotor. Last would be fuel injectors and head gasket. I did all those things to my last Cruiser while I had it

 

[GeoRoss]

They must have AWD capable testing in CO? Here in AZ I just get the test in park.

 

[Ridgerunner78]

They must have AWD capable testing in CO? Here in AZ I just get the test in park.

Yup, a lot of AWD vehicles in CO. The emissions testing stations have several lanes w/ 4wd dinos, and they don't strap cars down.

I need to get mine tested soon too and I'm worried it won't pass. Two tries last time and it barely passed. CO limit on mine was 15 and I passed w/ 14.950.

 

[LINUS]

Is there any lee-way for vehicles once you hit say 20-25 yrs old?

I know that things like classic muscle cars, even a little BMW I have that is over 25 yrs old - are exempt if I lived in a tailpipe testing county.

IDK, I live in a county that'll never have tailpipe tests, we can still buy high-sulfur diesel from a pump we're such an agriculture/logging revolved economy.

Do guys with early 80's or even the 60 crowd do tailpipes in CO, or is it exempt @ 25 for being a classic?

 

[CycloSteve]

While many additives to "clean" your rig prior to smog are relatively useless, this one works. My wife's 93 BMW with 250,000+ miles on it had issues passing smog two years ago, and we ran two bottles in one tank, and it came back very clean. This year did the same treatment with just one bottle and a half-tank, same clean result. The car runs better, and saved us from the headache of replacing the injectors, and chasing our tails to figure out what was the issue. Not sure if available in Colorado, but it is in CA, and supposedly mixed in small batches. No skin in the game, nor connection with the product, just a happy mudder/customer and , which is priceless.

 

[White Stripe]

Failed the Colorado emissions test again this time but not by too much this time.

HC 1.4107 pass limit is 2
CO 21.0195 fail limit is 20
NOx 5.541 fail limit is 4
CO2 654.2573 no limit on test

This is with fresh Chevron 400LE Syn 5w40 oil and 2 bottles of ISO Heet in 1/4 tank of gas.

The testers were having hard time keep speed on dino. They said and I can confirm that the throttle cable is sticky. It is slow to return to idle, not sure how that affects emissions but I know it sometimes doesn't return to idle all the way or returns slowly.

My check engine light is burned out so I have no idea if there is a code stored.

Next test will be with G-Oil motor oil. It says it reduces emissions "Provide significant reductions in HC (hydrocarbons -32%), CO (carbon monoxide -48%) and NOx (nitrous oxides -80% emissions".
I used it to pass test 2 years ago.

Got to love it when they look for the cats, they always have to get the supervisor to help them find and inspect them. The covers throw them off.

Note, the cats are original and O2 is very old. I cleaned them with a solution last time and passed along with using the G-Oil.

Your signature says u have 450k on your rig??!! Replace those poor cats. The original cats last a long time, but not that long. Way overdue for new ones. Also, why not replace your check engine light bulb? They aren't expensive.

 

[landtoy80]

Been busy with Christmas mail run no time to pull the dash. I will have time after Christmas to replace the CE bulb.

I cleaned the original cats and very old O2'a years ago and got it to pass then. They might need a cleaning again. I will clean them if the G-Oil doesn't work.

There is no leeway for Older cars. Actually the made it harder to pass older cars. They lowered the levels of emissions for older vehicles making it harder for them to pass.

I plan on lubing the cable and put some duck-tape on the end as the housing end of the cable is bent. Straightening it should help.

I thought about registering the 80 in Alaska last summer. Guess I should of.

I will try G-Oil next Wednesday.

I am no longer investing money in the 80. It's at the point where if anything goes wrong that cost $$$$, that will be the end of the 80's life for me.

 

[landtoy80]

While many additives to "clean" your rig prior to smog are relatively useless, this one works. My wife's 93 BMW with 250,000+ miles on it had issues passing smog two years ago, and we ran two bottles in one tank, and it came back very clean. This year did the same treatment with just one bottle and a half-tank, same clean result. The car runs better, and saved us from the headache of replacing the injectors, and chasing our tails to figure out what was the issue. Not sure if available in Colorado, but it is in CA, and supposedly mixed in small batches. No skin in the game, nor connection with the product, just a happy mudder/customer and , which is priceless.

Is there a website on the bottle? Not finding anything with google search.

 

[LINUS]

While many additives to "clean" your rig prior to smog are relatively useless, this one works. My wife's 93 BMW with 250,000+ miles on it had issues passing smog two years ago, and we ran two bottles in one tank, and it came back very clean. This year did the same treatment with just one bottle and a half-tank, same clean result. The car runs better, and saved us from the headache of replacing the injectors, and chasing our tails to figure out what was the issue. Not sure if available in Colorado, but it is in CA, and supposedly mixed in small batches. No skin in the game, nor connection with the product, just a happy mudder/customer and , which is priceless.

I can't speak to what's in the formulation of this product, but just as a straight octane booster the paint store product 'toluene' is a 116 octane product.

It was very cheap until about '02-'03, then a gallon can tripled in price to about $15/gallon now.

Or if you know anyone who has access to refinery grade toluene, it's 120 octane.

I know this 1st hand as I worked in a refinery, mainly the alky/poly units (light ends, all lighter than kerosene/diesel/av gas)

They reverse engineer the octane rating of the gas sent out by the test motor on a stand & knowing the knock of 120 octane (blending plant part of refinery), and work backwards to hit whatever the market octane target.

At any rate, bottom line - if octane is what helps tailpipe tests (I was under belief it was opposite) - then a mix of a gallon of toluene in a given amount of gas in your tank will show marked gains in octane count.

But the way hydrocarbon burning works, this seems counter to the math - Just reading some of the label that bottle shows, if it increases power that's octane that gets you there. Beyond that, I'd be speculating on the other ingredients.

@CycloSteve - any chance you can post the website?

-Even though the furthest left bottle says ".....104.com" - I couldn't find this either by google or amazon.

 

[Rifleman]

Your signature says u have 450k on your rig??!! Replace those poor cats. The original cats last a long time, but not that long. Way overdue for new ones. Also, why not replace your check engine light bulb? They aren't expensive.

This X2, changing your old cats will make a BIG difference the next time you test. Plus as another member said, if you pull a little timing out of it, that will help lower your HC&CO reading. Just remember to set the timing back to factory when you pass your test.

 

[CycloSteve]

CleanPower104.com is listed as the site, but it goes nowhere at this time. Went past the local parts store and picked up an additional bottle. They said that indeed it is a small operation, and they did not know what states where they may have distribution. One comment they had was that they may get a batch, sell out, and not get more for a long time (year)...which is one reason I bought another bottle.

In anycase, here are a ton of pictures for those trying to sort out what is in the formula. The only contact info I can find is on the Vulcan Racing website, which lists the phone / contact for the company as "Clean Power Fuel Additive of Vacaville, CA. (707) 455-7729."