Didn't Pass

[milehighbear]

Ok, new car didn't pass but it's not as bad as i thought. It passed on everything but the HC. If i remember correctly, that could be vacumn leak, timing is out, fuel is not being completely burned. My limit was 1.500 but it was at 2.2555. So i guess i need to start looking at few things. If any one has suggestions, please let me know. Also, this was weird, i had pulled up and was waiting in line and i looked behind me and their was a little old lady sitting in a white 90 festiva that she had just bought. I talked to her a little, but that was just weird that we both picked today for emissions check. Well, i have ten days to find my problem. ty

[milehighbear]

To eliminate the timing, should i put it at tdc or where would be best setting.

[FestYboy]

B3 engines are set at 0* BTDC for base timing, though i've never had issues with running them at 6* BTDC.

[95Compact]

I know this sounds kooky, but If you have (or know someone who has) some model airplane or model car fuel (methanol with 5-25% nitromethane plus a small amount of synthetic lubricant), fill your tank with high-test gasoline and then add 24-32 oz of the model fuel. Mix well with a few sloshy stops before retesting.

My '92 Jeep Cherokee with 220k poorly maintained miles failed with emissions 3 times higher than the limit. Added the model fuel and returned the very next day to pass with a 50% margin under the standard...

The shop crew couldn't believe it. Really.

Good luck,
-Scott

[jglutz]

Set timing to factory.

Make sure the engine is warm...the temp gauge should be halfway. If not there the t'stat could be failing...opening to far to soon.
Poor spark or poor comression could also cause the problem.
A leak in the air intake could cause the ECU to dump to much fuel.
Bad engine temp sensor providing to cold of a signal.
When was the last time the PCV was changed?

Best thing to do is to dump a couple bottles of dry-gas into a full tank of gas....its an old trick that work pretty well. The alcohol in the dry gas burns completely.

[milehighbear]

ok, here is something i found that was leaking air. What is this screw for. I think its for air mixture. So, if thats true, i took the one out of grey ghost and the one out of new car, one from grey ghost has rubber around top and the other didn't. Plus the one from ghost was only one turn from bottom and the new car's was about five turns. Plus there was a cap missing from top where screw goes from new car. I also had an air leak where the two air filter tubes connect. So im thinking a clamp is missing there.

[Bathtub Tom]

I don't know what HC means over there, but here in the UK it means unburnt hydrocarbons - fuel.

I'd be looking at the exhaust valves.

[FB71]

MHB, the screw you have pictured is to set idle speed. Its the idle air bypass set screw. The rubber around the top is very important. Something I didn't see mentioned; How does it run at both idle and around 1500rpm?

Bathtub, HC is hydrocarbons here as well. However, exhaust valves typically will not cause a high HC reading.

MHB, you're on the correct path. Check your timing, should be 6deg BTDC, if I remember correctly. Make sure any inlet leaks are sealed. Air that enters the throttle body, but wasn't measured by the VAF will cause an 'indicated' lean condition, which will cause the ECU to over enrich the mixture. There is no manual mixture adjustment.

Now, your HCs are not outrageously high, which leads me to suspect your catalytic converter may be dead. With no cat on mine, I blew low CO, low NOx, moderate CO2, moderate O2, and elevated HC, 2.200ppm. I went home, retarded my timing to 4deg BTDC, added a bottle of Drygas, and retested. Eeked under the HC limit, all others clean, passed!

[milehighbear]

ok, FB71 or anyone, in book on page 2A3 it shows the timing marks. It shows T for tdc. Ok, on right of T is 3 little marks, and on left of t it shows several marks and one of them is 10. So my timing mark should be about 4 degrees before the 10 since each mark is 2 degrees, am i right?

[FB71]

what book? All I have are the Ford shop manuals.

As for the marks, yes, 'T' is TDC. The '10' is 10deg BTDC, each mark is 2deg. You want the mark on the crank accessory pulley (NOT timing belt pulley, like you could even see that one!) to line up with the mark, two marks to the left, of the 'T' (if you're looking at the crank from the passenger side fender).

[milehighbear]

Yes i was looking at it from passenger side. I believe i have it timed right now. It's running pretty good. Ty so muc for your help