HC smog test! Fail!!

[Fordverde]

OK, after doing all the tricks I know and found, i got 500pp in idle and 70pp at 2k rpm. So, i haven't changed the cat for the last 2 years, so i'm thinking thats the problem. am i right??

Carbbed Festy with a 3K toyota corolla carb adapted!.

[Bert]

They test you guys too! Cats should be good for many years but if you can get hold of another one cheap it's worth a try. Ethanol (although I have no use for the stuff economy or performance-wise) burns much cleaner than gasoline. If you can temporarily adjust the carb to handle a rich mix of alcohol that might get your hydrocarbons down just for the sake of the test.
Around here there are a few stations that sell 85% ethanol. On test day I make sure I've got a bunch (at most 25%) in the tank and the minute it's over I fill back up with ordinary gas.
Fresh oil in the crankcase is always a good idea on test day and make sure the Cat is good and hot while it's being tested too.

[georgeb]

Maybe it's the Toyota carb conversion.

[WmWatt]

I've had my carb'd Festiva since 1989; it still has the original converter; and passes emissions fine, 118k km on the odometer. Was the carburettor replaced since the last emissions test? If so I'd also suspect the replacement carburettor or maybe the O2 sensor but the latter should flash a check engine code if malfunctioning. Testing centres hereabouts tell you to drive the car for 20 minutes to make sure it's warmed up before bringing it in.

[TheresGabe]

Go to Autozone. Buy "Guaranteed to Pass" use it EXACTLY as directed. Smile as your car passes no problem.

[Fordverde]

little problem the nearest Autozone is like more than 100.000mls away from my home

It has passed before, but as the carb is not the original one, i need to use a 95jet for daily driving. so, once a year i need to put the 83jet(same size as the original carb) in order to take the test.
So thats why i think the cat is gone!!

[Bert]

Go to Autozone. Buy "Guaranteed to Pass" use it EXACTLY as directed. Smile as your car passes no problem.

The stuff is snake oil. Most cars will pass anyway so the odd vehicle that does fail while using that stuff gets his/her money back and the company is still getting richer. My truck failed about 12 years ago and I poured in a can of "G to P" out of desperation and it failed again. The company cheerfully cut me a refund cheque. I realized I had been duped.
Temporarily installing a Cat (on a non-Cat OEM vehicle) worked like a charm though.

[Fordverde]

I'll get a new cat on next Wednesday and go again!! what about nafta balls?
chemically speaking in theory should work, but here in CR the gas quality is bellow whatever you can imagine!! is like running your car with tar!!

[Bert]

I'll get a new cat on next Wednesday and go again!! what about nafta balls?
chemically speaking in theory should work, but here in CR the gas quality is bellow whatever you can imagine!! is like running your car with tar!!

Nafta balls? Whazzat. But nafta "North American Free Trade Agreement" I do. Sock the sucker with ethanol. It's green and it's lean, and might just get you through the bureaucratic hurdles.

[AlaskaFestivaGuy]

I've heard that a crisp $50 bill used to guarantee a pass in Los Anchorage -- before they eliminated smog checks entirely this year.

[bravekozak]

I just put a Grand Caravan than had been sitting for four years, back on the road again. 402000 km + guaranteed to pass = no problemo.
Passed all emmisions.

Here in Canada, we have a special classification if the stock carb or engine has been modified.
It is called "race". It has a wider tolerance than "stock". I used it once when I replaced a 229 V-6 Malibu with a Chevy V-8.

[MasterTec]

I just put a Grand Caravan than had been sitting for four years, back on the road again. 402000 km + guaranteed to pass = no problemo.
Passed all emmisions.

Here in Canada, we have a special classification if the stock carb or engine has been modified.
It is called "race". It has a wider tolerance than "stock". I used it once when I replaced a 229 V-6 Malibu with a Chevy V-8.

And what makes you think it wouldn't have passed without the "guaranteed to pass"?

[rbrown]

The hot cat and I put a bottle of the green water away stuff in the tank in a car that I have trouble with. My cars typically pass pretty easily though.
Had one though.....
87 Turbo Coupe:cry_smile:

[Fordverde]

Nafta balls? Whazzat. But nafta "North American Free Trade Agreement" I do. Sock the sucker with ethanol. It's green and it's lean, and might just get you through the bureaucratic hurdles.

heheheheh i ment naphthalene balls or more commonly known as mothballs...

[Fordverde]

he passed!!!!!eeeeeeeeee!!!!! one year of freedom!!!!