johnny23toronto

Someone I know...

has a 95 dx hatch. Its got an "aftermarket racing cat", ahem, ... but everything else is completely stock. This car is very well maintained too, and runs perfectly, never had any problems either.

Yesterday, the following occured:
- we turned the Civic into a Top Fuel Funny car. With about 1 litre of gas in the tank, we went to Crappy Tire, and thought “why buy 300ml of “Guaranteed to Pass” when we could buy THREE bottles of HEET for the same price. lol So, In a virtually empty tank of gas, (3) THREE Bottles of HEET were poured in tank.
-Warmed car up and took it for a [imagine a British Race Car Commentator accent] "good viscious run through the gearbox" on the highway.
-Then did emissions.

Emissions test was a BIG FAIL:

HC: 158/94
CO%: .72/.52
NO: 3400/732

So, whats next, can I try retarding ignition to 14 degrees and putting a sock on the stock intake tube to further restrict the intake? Is this a waste of time? I can't see why this would help, since I believe its optimal at stock timing, and either advancing or retarding would be non-optimal... maybe this has something to do with the buring of "scavenging"...

How about taking the SIR rims off the front of it, and putting 13" steelies, wouldn't that help reduce the load on the motor? That's probablly not enough though...

Thanks,

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

Had you just taken the car in as it was before the fit of stupidity you had at Crappy Tire, the car would have passed with flying colors. Now, fill it up and go through 2 tanks of gas on the highway (go to Ottawa and back) to clear the engine and exhaust from all the **** you knocked loose. On the second tank (FULL tank this time), run one Tactrol treatment from Petro Canada. Upon your return from Ottawa, run another CLEAN tank of gas throught the city. Finally change your spark plugs, fill up again, go for a highway run to warm up the cat and the engine, and drive it straight to an emissions facility. God willing, if the engine isn't still pissed off about the HEET ****, it'll pass Don't ever put **** in your tank that wan't meant to be there... esp in high concentraition.

imported_toyman29

did u read the instructions on the "gauranteed to pass" bottle?
your suppost to fill it up with 1 bottle when filling up and drive it til its empty then the second fill up u go do the test ...

imported_esp

the reason you failed your NOS part is because you ran it hot. An engine that has been revved and warmed up will shoot the NOS through the roof. ONLY on a 4 cylinder like hondas.

I was at emissions testing and figured getting the cat and exhaust hot enough to maybe burn more emissions. As I began to rev, getting it nice an hot, the technician ran out to tell me to stop. He explained why. Then we sat for 20 minutes to cool it down and I passed the NOS by 2ppm. He told me we coulda waited longer to make sure. It was Close.

don't make it hot. Cold would have passed you. Believe it or not. You made the same mistake I did but never corrected it.

imported_esp

sorry not NOS---NO ppm and I checked my emissions paper, same as your except the NOppm. You gotta wonder why you passed the HC and CO levels but not your NO ppm. I passed with flying colours except for NO. Give it a try. The mechanic shoulda told you to keep it cold or let it cool down before testing.

Anyway hope that helps. it's just from my experience.

imported_gatherer

also that racing cat you might want to quickly unbolt and throw a stock cat in there for the test just to get it passed

johnny23toronto

Thanks guys.

I'll try it again soon, when my work gets lighter.

Esp, you said "You gotta wonder why you passed the HC and CO levels but not your NO ppm."

I failed all three, look again!

Anyways, I'll try running it cool (although, a mechanic got my dads smoky van to pass by leaving it idling for (4) FOUR hours before the emission test - he claims it has to be super hot...) maybe thats true for 8 cylinder big vans...cause thats not a 4 cylinder deal...

Thanks, I'll try running through a few tanks of gas, doing the test when the car is cool too, and I'll keep you posted incase I fail again.

imported_esp

ooops sorry

well in case of the NO, the reading will be very high if it is hot ONLY on 4 cylinders. Like HOnda toyota etc. point is, my NO was too close for comfort because I revved for a few minutes before the mechanic stopped me. Otherwise the other readings passed easily.

I told my friend with a 99si to do the same and NOT warm up and drive it to the test, wait 15 minutes and let them test it and he passed(he has 320,000km on stock exhaust and passed well).

I don't know, all Iknow is that next time I do it, I won't make it hot and just give the car to them.

Good luck though

ps I don't know anything about aftermarket cats though.

Uncivil Civic

**** i got the same problem,everthing passes but no ppm is really high.On my fourth e test now,have changed cat and plugs and also found the ignition timing was advanced.Only fails under load and passes idle test.Other then o2 senser i dont know what else it could be.mine is also a 95 dx.i have had it e tested with the engine hot and cold.all 4 e test have had almost the exact readings.

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

Always run an emissions test HOT, the cat needs to be HOT to be effective. There is a WHOLE section on ALL emissions equipment in the Chilton manual. I was reading it yesterday. Pick up a chilton and take a look at section 4 I think.

imported_esp

Now I'm confused.

Next time I do emissions, do I run it hot or leave it cold.

Did the mechanic bs me? He was right, the NO ppm was almost fail, but everything else was clear.

I assumed that since I was revving hard(before they stopped me), that I caused my NO ppm to almost fail?

What do I do next time??? B?

bbarbulo

iTrader: (2)

esp, a catalytic converter is absolutely useless when cold. The reaction that happens inside of the cat converter needs heat!! The cat is just filled with catalysts (an element that helps the reaction happen but does not get used in the reaction), and that won't happen until it's good and hot. Besides that, your O2 needs to be warm, and the CTS has to be at a certain temp for the ECU to start accepting information from all the sensors. This is Open loop vs. Closed loop. Open loop, ECU fires, O2 replies (rich or lean), ECU looks at O2's reply and adjusts fuel mixture for optimal efficiency... so ECU is optimal when it's getting feedback. Otherwise, you may as well put a carburator on your engine.

I'll figure out the causes of NOx emissions... I'll get back to you later. I was supposed to go for testing last month, but the car wasn't running. I'll go later this week maybe... over the weekend cuz I gotta renew the plates.

johnny23toronto

I put the original cat back in, bought a new cap & rotor (from Crappy tire, which is poorer fit and quality when compared to factory honda parts, seriously) and put in some sunoco 94.

I passed with flying colors, except that my NO were kinda close. Yes, my car was warmed up alot and I was driving on the highway right before the test. The car sat for only 10 mins.

I think having no cat and having an old cap and rotor make a big difference for emissions. From now on, I'm converted!

imported_cbishun

i have a 2000 CIVIC SIR and when I bought it I falied twice. What I didn't realize that the previous owner changed the exhaust from front to back excluding the headers. I'm guessing the Cat was performance one. Then I changed the CAT. Converter to a used one I dont even know from what car he just put it on, and my car passed like it wasn't even on, the readings were sooo low. Try replacing you Cat it made a HUGE difference for me.

Brisk20

That "guarantee to pass" stuff is absolute crap. It does work (very slightly) and under unique conditions. It's a numbers game for the company thou... wheater you pass or don't as many who use it do not they bank on the fact that you will not send the reciept in to get your refund. Sorta like mail in rebates

imported_Cablerat

it also depends on the person testing your car..

They can help it fail or pass..

IE - it says drive between 38-41 KM/hour..

The tester can hold it at like 38.5KM instead of 40.5 and shift into third instead of holding it in second thereby dropping your rpm and lowering emissions..