What's new
CK5
Register an account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members.

Failed inspection - Now what?

RootBreaker

RootBreaker

3/4 ton status
 Premium
GMOTM Winner
Joined
Nov 29, 2001
Posts
6,998
Reaction score
1,423
Location
Williamstown, NJ USA
On my way to inspection I rolled through a inspection check... guy just shook his head and waved me by.. I have a 1998 sticker on my truck... but he knew that since I had the pink paper behind it and that I was heading to the inspection place that that is where I was going.....

Truck failed inspection... Like I expected it to pass!!!! guy didnt even put a rejected sticker on so now I still have my 1998 sticker on there as if I never went!!!!!

Ok first some of the minor stuff..

1. Pitman arm nut too loose... I believe the nut/shaft is stripped so I may need to goto a junkyard saturday and get a new shaft and nut

2. Front Ubolts loose... the bottom leaf is even a little spun out of wack.. the guy said while he had me rock the wheel back and forth he noticed the leafs are a lil loose.

3. Power steering belt loose so it makes the chatter when trying to turn the wheel. It wasnt that bad before I got there but now it is bad.. ok so no biggie just a new belt...

4. Emmissions - this is a toughy.... need suggestions



Ok so my hydro carbons are allowed 3.00 and I was a 3.63. I do not know if that is seriously bad or not. Obviously I failed so it is bad but I do not know how far that is off.. Anyone have any suggestions? A friend (racerop - pavementsucks.com) told me that there is this stuff that you put in your fuel and it burns HOTTER thus eliminating alot of the hydro carbon. Also would MSD ignition or whatever it is called be better? since they create a hotter spark thus burning more fuel?

I was told that hydro carbon is just the means of saying too much fuel not burning????

I am set to go back on 12/23/2004 8:30am


Since I failed the few stuff above and emmissions I did not get to do the tilt test..... but I did pass everything else... lights, turn signals, horn, brakes, etc....


The guy even tried adjusting my holley and still didnt pass... he said that it was so close..... I do notice that since he adjusted my carb idle mixture screws that now the truck pings in 3rd gear full throttle.... timing too high?
I may just pay a mechanic the $75 to adjust the timing, choke, floats, idle mixture screws, etc....
 
damn they sure did look over yours, for mine the guy just stood back and made sure all the lights worked and waved me on /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
if your ignition is is good repair as MSD isnt going to do much for you
get it tuned up by a shop that has a 4 gas analyzer
 
This is texas we do not have to do tail pipe testing yet. It is easy to pass inspection in texas because most of the time all they check are the lights, stops, turns, horn, emergency brake, and see if you have the hot air snorkle to the air cleaner from the manifold.

bigred81
 
Damn


Glad I live in Oregon...we do NOT have ANY visual inspection what-so-ever, just a sniffer test /forums/images/graemlins/thumb.gif
 
To help with HC part of your emissions...turn the idle speed up some. When I still had my 350 it would never pass emissions at a 600 rpm idle. Everything else was fine enough...

Went to a shop and had them put it on the 4 gas analyser. You could see what it was putting out as it was running. at 900 rpm idle it put out less than half the HC as it did at 600. The tech there said it was most likely my cam, even though it wasn't a very aggressive cam.

Worked for me. Every year I'd turn my idle up and go get it tested...and every year it would pass. Then I'd turn the idle down when I got home.

Rene
 
Have you checked your timing with a timing light yet? Don't even touch the carb until you set your timing correctly.

I have made smog era vehicles pass with no cats by having them run correctly.
 
I've "cheated" and passed the smog test by doing as tRustyK5 said,turn the idle speed up,and advance the timing slightly,put some isopropanol dry-gas in a 1/4 tank of gas(2-3 bottles)and if it still wont pass,try pulling the PCV valve out of the valve cover and lay it to one side--I've made a 74 454 pass without a catalitic converter or air pump this way,along with many others--just put it all back to "normal" when you get home.... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
To help with HC part of your emissions...turn the idle speed up some. When I still had my 350 it would never pass emissions at a 600 rpm idle. Everything else was fine enough...

Went to a shop and had them put it on the 4 gas analyser. You could see what it was putting out as it was running. at 900 rpm idle it put out less than half the HC as it did at 600. The tech there said it was most likely my cam, even though it wasn't a very aggressive cam.

Worked for me. Every year I'd turn my idle up and go get it tested...and every year it would pass. Then I'd turn the idle down when I got home.

Rene

[/ QUOTE ]

The timing was set.. at least to 10 before 0 and it didnt ping.. adjusted the floats , high idle screw and low ide screw.... didnt do the fuel air mix as I dont know anything about adjusting carbs.... anyhow... My motor idles at 850rpm as at 5-700 it wants to stall???
the guy had me hold the gas to 940rpm's and it failed and he also did it at 1400rpm's and it still failed....

Once he adjusted the fuel air mix I noticed that my truck now pings in 3rd floored... so obviously my timing is off after the adjustments...

so I will get my father to set the timing (old school by ear) and then set all others again...

even thinking about finding someone that has a tester and pay them to set the timing, carb and test to make sure I am in passing limits... dunno who or how much.... /forums/images/graemlins/dunno.gif


***edited
the guy also said my vaccuum advance wasnt working... how do you tell that and could that do major stuff??? /forums/images/graemlins/whistling.gif
 
A lean air fuel mixture will encourage pinging even if the timing is right on--it makes a higher temparature in the combustion chamber,and can cause preignition,especially if its sooty in there with carbon from a rich mixture.The vacuum advance probably wont affect the timing at idle,unless you have its hose going to manifold vacuum instead of ported vacuum(most chevy's use ported vacuum,that is,it gets vacuum only when the throttle is open,none at idle).You will lose some power and mileage if its inoperative though--you should fix it--your timing may be advanced too far to compensate for the vacuum advance not working--use a light to time it if possible,even a few degrees off makes a big difference in how clean the exhaust will be.... /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif The isopropanol trick is the main reason I passed my emission tests--adding alcohol leans out the mixture quite a bit,without touching any mixture screws on the carb.. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
hey bigred81 noticed where your from. im moving back to stockdale in 2 weeks to go to school in san antonio. maybe we could go muddin sometime /forums/images/graemlins/peace.gif. when did you graduate?
 
hey if u just want to get through buy this stuff at any auto store called "garenteed to pass" put it in ur gas. it like 12 or 20 bucks but it works. ive used it on a suzuki sidekick i had which falied emisions hobbibly and i passed.just make sure u run the truck with it in it(add bottle of stuff to full tank drive around and get tested after you are about half a tank left) also my freind who has a old ramcharger and passed with it. I am amazed that it works but it does. And if it dont im preety sure you get ur money back just have to show them prof ya failed. hope this helps ya out.
 
[ QUOTE ]
1. Pitman arm nut too loose... I believe the nut/shaft is stripped so I may need to goto a junkyard saturday and get a new shaft and nut

2. Front Ubolts loose... the bottom leaf is even a little spun out of wack.. the guy said while he had me rock the wheel back and forth he noticed the leafs are a lil loose.

[/ QUOTE ]


I am begining to understand the importance of inspections... /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
1. Pitman arm nut too loose... I believe the nut/shaft is stripped so I may need to goto a junkyard saturday and get a new shaft and nut

2. Front Ubolts loose... the bottom leaf is even a little spun out of wack.. the guy said while he had me rock the wheel back and forth he noticed the leafs are a lil loose.

[/ QUOTE ]


I am begining to understand the importance of inspections... /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

I agree inspection are good.. and should be tough.. my posting is not a gripe against them but a how to pass emmissions.....


also someone told me the torque for the ubolts... and I have turned them alot after that number while driving a few times... so the inspection dude said... TORQUE THEM AS MUCH AS YOU CAN... he even told me to use a 6' pipe on the end of my breaker bar to tighten them up!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/doah.gif
 
That "gauarenteed to pass" stuff is basically the same thing as the isopropanol dry gas,at quadruple the price--- /forums/images/graemlins/thinking.gif--buy it if you have the cash,but its not much better--just costs more.With dry-gas it works best to have less than a 1/4 tank of gas and add 2 or 3 bottles of it--this has always helped lower the hydrocarbons on my "failed" emission tests-.Another often overlooked reason many fail is the fact the engine must be HOT when you get to the inspection bay--drive it at least 15 minites on the highway before you go for the test--and if you have to sit in the parking lot and wait for your turn,your better off to go for another rde--I failed miserably after a half hour wait,even letting it idle didnt hekp(might have actually hurt!)--went for another "beating" on the freeway,and pulled right in the inspection bay again,and it passed with flying colors--if your thermostat is less than a 195 degree one,that will help sink your chances of passing too--the motor burns the fuel more completely when its running at the optimum temparature---.
I think the safety inspection is important--but all this insanity of "sniffing" the exhaust is a crock--no one can tell me its helped the air quality--especially when so many of us know how to "fudge" the test and make it pass--they should just do a visual inspection for excessive smoke,and leave it at that--the main reason our air might be cleaner is due to the fact many more smaller,fuel efficient clean burning cars with EFI are on the road compared to the 60's ,70's and 80's cars with huge big blocks--I think all this "emissions testing" is just a way to make money for the DMV,parts stores,and to rape the average Joe--its not fair for all the people in the US to have to spend a lot of cash just for a stupid sticker--but they will give "credits" to large polluters like coal burning power plants and large oil companies for buying old cars and trucks and crushing them-- /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest Posts

Top Bottom