Car failed emissions. Help
 

Sup

I got a 1990 Toyota Corolla that just failed emissions.

Numbers:

40km/h

HC ppm Limit 75 and Reading 76
CO% Limit 0.42 and Reading 0.19
NO ppm Limit 0864 and Reading 316

CURB IDLE

HC ppm Limit 200 and Reading 94
CO% Limit 1 and Reading 0.06

As you can by the numbers, everything else is fine except the HC ppm which failed by one digit.

Any suggestions on what I could do to get it to pass? I was thinking fuel injector cleaner additive or one of those emission things in a can. Should I just run Ultra 94 octane gas from Sunoco?

Also, is it $17.50 + GST to do a re-test? Instead of paying $35 + GST again?

Thanks,
David

Add some fuel injector cleaner and run the tank out.

Then run some premium gas such as Ultra 94 and make sure the car is good and hot when you do the test. A 15-30min run on the highway will help get the converter hot enough. When you get to the testing facility, DON'T shut the car off. Leave it running the entire time.

the retest is $17.50 like you said.

IF it fails again, replacing the convertor might be all you need to do as the NO and CO% look well within spec.

You can try some Seafoam, I betcha that will make you pass with flying colours. Otherwise typical tune up stuff such as air, fuel filters would be a cheap fix. It didn't fail by much so I am sure its not that big of a deal. Just be sure to highway prime it like trackhack said to get yuor cat warmed up and working

Buddy if it failed by 1 point then chances are if you run it again without doing anything to the car but warming it up it should pass. I cant belive the morons that ran your car on the machine didnt at least give it 1 extra run to get it to pass. Oh and btw coming from an apprentice mechanic I can tell you to not waste your time running 94 octane, just run the reccomended what I would reccomend however is a fresh oil change and some lucas oul additive that stuff is guranteed to make you pass.

Yup make sure your oil is topped up.

Okay thanks a bunch guys. I will try some of the things you guys recommended and see how it goes.

Thanks!

Try adjusting the timing a little. I'm 100% u will pass and also warm up your car before u do e-test. Also try putting in premium gas.

The base timing is set that way from the factory for a reason and changing it will yield unwanted results.

Blair, I have to disagree with you on that. Retarding the ignition timing will help a car pass an e-test. It did on my Caprice and I've seen it done on countless other vehicles.

All your doing though is changing the base timing, the computer is still going to compensate. And really all adusting the base timing does is move your power band around it should not effect emissions if it has been set correctly.

Remember the reason cars have o2 sensors is to tell the computer if the car is running to rich or to lean so it can there for adjust the timing accordingly.

I dont think O2 sensors are used to adjust timing, they are used to tell the ECU how much oxygen is in the exhaust gas and the ECU uses that info to adjust injection pulse width.

Also $ can buy almost anything including an emission cetificate

Buying a bunk e test certificate it not very smart, because you can always get pulled over on the road later and be forced to have you car re tested and when they see that it fails but your certificate says it passed then you and the shop that did it are in a whole lotta trouble.

Technically, yes.... but whose to say something didn't happen from the time you got your E-test done to the day you get pulled over. Unless your car was puffing a lot of smoke there would be no reason the MTO would pull you aside and force you to do an E-test on the spot. It can happen, but that would be rare

Actually its not rare at all, ive seen them out numerous time pulling vehicles over including my buddy. Plus if you attend any car shows around the GTA this summer MTO is likely to be there. Hell just ask the guys that went to darknights last year.

Well, my corolla ain't puffing out crazy smoke or anything. But its pretty darn close to passing so I don't need a bunk e-test certificate. I've changed the spark plugs, done a fresh oil change and added some oil additive. Put in some premium gas and added fuel injector cleaner. Air filter looks good still. So I will drive the car for a while before doing the test next week.

Thanks,
David

Adjusting the timing will work for sure. I do emissions and i'm a apprentice. I use to do it to all my cars that failed e-test. It works. Sometimes u have to jump it by using the connectors near the ecu. I guess he doesn't know what he's talking about, but it's okay. Not everyone in here knows and when we try to teach u something and u don't listen that's fine. Do u know why some cars have failed emissions because someone before has moved the distriubutor so the distributor is not at the right timing so therefore reason for failing is to make it correct. Is not cheating. Is just getting the correct timing and sending the right air and fuel mixture. Enough of talking.

UPDATE: May 31, 2005

So after performing the following on the car: changed the spark plugs, done a fresh oil change, added some oil additive, premium gas, added fuel injector cleaner, replaced thermostat, and flush-refill coolant. I did the E-Test yesterday and the car passed just on the dot. Got 75 for the HC ppm limit. I would say the car needs a new catalytic converter.

Good to hear that it passed, no need for a new cat for 2 years now.

Thanks! Ya, I don't plan on replacing it anytime soon but thats what I will probably do for the next E-Test if I still have this car....LoL