Questions: FJ62's and California Smog (1 Viewer)

[Cruiserdrew]

Bad numbers!

I think that with elevated NOX, the first place to look is at the ERG system. Does it operate and do it's job?

Hydrocarbons and CO are like related to the catalytic converter.

It is also possible that the air injection is bad-that could also cause high hydrocarbons and CO-since the air injection supplies the oxygen to allow the catalyst to do it's job.

Always start with the cheap stuff, though. Tune up, change plugs, set the timing, adjust the valves. Then pay the $30 and see what that does to your numbers.

This is why you always do a pre-test on these trucks and avoid being labeled a gross polluter and then have to smog every year.

 

[JLH911]

I see the problem: At the bottom it says "Vortec suggested"

Don't worry, we'll figure this out.

Do you have the emissions manual for it?

Your truck was sitting for a long time. Did you smog it without tuning it up?

 

[Randy88FJ62]

It sat for two years during the SOA and I have not tuned it since. The PO put new plugs, rotor, etc right before I bought it 4 years ago. It has never really ran awesome so maybe it's time to give it a refresher.

 

[FJ60Seth]

I'd discount that. Start from scratch so you have a good baseline

It sat for two years during the SOA and I have not tuned it since. The PO put new plugs, rotor, etc right before I bought it 4 years ago. It has never really ran awesome so maybe it's time to give it a refresher.

 

[MANUCHAO]

Dude... stop doing so many damn canyons and give that cruiser some love eh !!!!

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Dude... stop doing so many damn canyons and give that cruiser some love eh !!!!

Can't work on it this weekend either. I'll be in Yosemite snow backpacking for three days...

 

[MANUCHAO]

LoL..... Have fun dude... dont go round waking Yogi up.....!!!

 

[Randy88FJ62]

So we can all agree that my truck needs a tune. Can someone confirm if new cats are necessary based on the numbers posted? I assume they are needed and if so, where's the best place to buy them?

Thanks.

 

[MANUCHAO]

I would tune it first and do the cats later..
If you do get the cats try to see if the place where you get them from can do the smog test also.

 

[Randy88FJ62]

How do cats work? I know they heat up the exhaust to help burn up particles but do they get damaged by poor running engines? Shouldn't my cats be toast since my engine is sucking right now? How can you pass smog if your cats are bad? Can you pass smog if the truck is tuned well but has bag cats?

 

[2mbb]

The "cat" works by catalyzing the chemical reaction of converting smog gases to "better" gasses-nitrous oxides convert to nitrogen plus oxygen and/or water, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon to carbon dioxide, etc. The catalyst is platinum. The presence of platinum lowers the activation energy required for the chemical reaction to occur. By definition the catalyst is not consumed in the chemical reaction, but the catalyst can degrade either by fouling of the surface, poor contact with the gas stream (bad flow distribution in the cat) or by getting too hot and melting (which probably leads to reduced contact area). Because this chemical reaction is not perfectly controlled and a poorly tuned engine can dump "junk" into the cat, the cat will not last forever.

I'm not familiar with the FJ62, but on the FJ60 it is unlikely that you can pass smog without the cat working. Along with the cat, the AI system needs to be working properly because that provides the oxygen, which is one of the reactants in the chemical reaction. You show some (but somewhat low) measurable oxygen in your tail pipe test, so I wouldn't suspect the AI system just yet.

According to the FJ60 emissions manual, that cat only reacts the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon, but not the nitrous oxides. Nitrous oxides are reduced via exhaust gas recirculation. However, newer Cat's are also able to react the nitrous oxides. I don't know what the cat on the FJ62 can do, but because you have high HC, CO and NO, you should make sure both the cat and EGR systems are working.

When the cat is working properly it should get hot (650-700degC, I think--you should google for this). anyway the cat and the gas exiting the cat should be hotter than what comes in. You can use a IR temperature gun to measure this. Be sure to measure the cat body, not the heat shield.

 

[cruiserfj45]

You are running too rich for the cat to do much good. Plug your #'s into this lambda caculator (about half way down) and you will see where you land on the bar graph. The cat only works when in the yellow, green, and orange. in the blue and red you have other things that need attention. however if your smog pump is diluting the reading then those #'s wont work right. I would disable the smog pump and ask the shop to just use the 5 gas analiser to determine where you are at and then go after the problem.

http://www.smogsite.com/calculators.html

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Man this is fun.

 

[Dynosoar]

You have almost zero residual o2. Those numbers should be closer to 3-5 not .4/.3. I would start with the Air Injection system. They are almost always to blame. The cats won't fire off without the needed o2.


Dynosoar

 

[Randy88FJ62]

Thanks Peter.

 

[ernestomdo]

Your tires and gears match well, so I doubt that's what causing you to fail. I have stock gears and 31 inch tires, so I'm under-geared and still passed easily.

My FJ62 has 130k miles, so a few less than yours.

What was high on yours? Do you have a CEL on? Did you check if the engine was throwing any codes? Things should be OK for you. When all tuned up, the FJ62 is very clean running.

Are your O2 sensors original?

First time asking a question here... (definately won't be the last)

What is a good scanner to run codes on an '88 FJ62? Looking into buying one for future use and can use the guidance so I don't waste my hard earned money. Thanks in advance!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

First time asking a question here... (definately won't be the last)

What is a good scanner to run codes on an '88 FJ62? Looking into buying one for future use and can use the guidance so I don't waste my hard earned money. Thanks in advance!

The scanner for the FJ62 is very cheap. All you need is a paper clip and a small piece of wire, then count flashes on on the dash light.

It's explained in the manual.

 

[ernestomdo]

Thx! Where would be a good place to purchase a manual from; Specter, etc???