Well I am back in the states after my year in Korea and now I get the pleasure of dealing with the california government to try to get my 81 vette registered... California is actually giving me less of a run around then Arkansas is so I'll probably end up registering it here for now but I ran into a slight problem on the smog check.

Basically, my car is mostly original and all the original smog equipment is in place and, I think, functional... But my car was originally sold in Utah and is not California Emmissions certified. I had it checked yesterday in hopes that it would pass the smog check but I failed the Idle RPM check with a hydrocarbon part per million count of 195 where 120 is the max. I have 9 days left to figure out what the problem is and get it fixed so that I can take the car back and get it retested for free and I have 5 days left to get tags on the car before california starts fineing me for not registering on time so any help would be greatly appreciated:)

 

I would say take it somewhere and have them adjust it for you. You would have to fiddle with yourself then take somewhere to be tested and if yo didn;t get it right, you would be right back where you started. A few things you can do before taking it in are: new plugs and wires, check timing, new air filter, oil change and maybe one of the emmissions reducing additives.

 

Rule of thumb, if you have high HC and high CO it could be: rich fuel, malfunctioning air system, catalytic converter, fuel being drawn into crankcase from PCV. High HC and low or normal CO it could be: electrical misfire, spark advance, air fuel too lean, vacuum leak, EGR at idle, leaking valves and/or rings, idle speed too low. These are things to check first.

More important is to pay the fees for your car. This way you can get it fixed and not pay a fine for late fees. They will take your money for this and not give you tags. Once it passes, just go back to get your tags.

 

Does the car have a Quadrajet? High HC emissions are frequently caused by the power piston sticking on Q-jets. The power pistons control the depth the metering rods go into the primary jets. If the power piston is stuck up it causes a rich condition at idle. You can remove the top of the carb. and remove the float and power piston and clean/polish the piston with crocus cloth of 400 grit sand paper. Reinstall and the piston should move up and down freely.

High HC is an indication of unburned fuel. An inoperative air pump will also cause high HC.

Hope this helps

 

I doubt that the catalytic converter is a problem. It affects Nitros Oxides. I run without a catalytic converter and always pass HC and CO requirements.

 

I failed the test with high HC at Idle, Normal HC at 2500RPM, And passed CO with normal numbers at Idle and 2500RPM.

For some reason the car wouldn't kick down to Idle after the initial high RPM run and I found out after the test that the mechanic adjusted teh idle speed screw down to 700RPM. For some reason it was idling at 1200RPM in Park. I adjusted the idle to to 900 RPM so that shouldn't be a problem next try. It has to be below 1000RPM at idle for the machine to start the test.

I didn't think about it till just a few minutes ago but I have my timing set at 12 degrees where its supposed to be at 6 degrees so i think I'll go ahead and back that off before I take it back in for the restest. I just finished changing the oil and bought a bottle of CD2 fuel system cleaner to run through it before I go back. Would it make a difference if I up the octane level of my gas for the test? i always run the highest stuff I can find anyways but I'm really not sure how that will effect the test.

I tuned the car with fresh plugs and wires right before I put it into storage for a year so I think I should be ok there. My parents put 488 miles on the car in once a month drives around the block so the plugs and wires probably have a total of 2000 miles on them including the drive down here to Imperial CA from Utah...

The only other thing I can think of that may effect the test is the Catalytic Converter. I have, I believe it was a Dynomax, high Flo cat in place of my original factory cat but I don't think that will cause the problems i'm having...

thanks for the replies:) I think I'm on the right track but if anyone thinks of anything else that might help me out please feel free to pass it on:) I'm actually kind of surprised that the car did as well as it did since its a 21 year old, non-California emissions car with an original motor thats never been rebuilt or even maintained until I bought it 2 years ago:)

 

Just failed the Utah I/M test.

Allowed HC is 285 ppm, tested at a whopping 8028!!
Allowed NO is 2353 ppm, tested at 3039

 

I would say Fevre gives good advice. Regardless of what it is, you will have to guess that you found the problem, test, guess again etc... From my point of view, this is the type of thing that you let the smog check station fix and get it passed as long as it seems reasonable.

 

OUCH, that hurts :(

I had forgotten that Utah allowed almost 300PPM on the HC count though... I only get 120 ppm in California now...

Originally i was just going to register mine in Arkansas, My home of Record state and not have to worry about emissions testing at all but they need my title, proof of insurance, current registration, last years tax reciept, and the bill of sale for the car mailed to them before they will even start the paperwork to get me plates. then they will only mail the plates to my home of record address which of course is an apartment in Arkansas which has probably had 4 or 5 different families living in it since I left 4 years ago. I don't even have any friends that live there still that i could have the plates sent to and get them to forward them to me...

The only reason i'm trying to pass CA emissions is that I have to drive the car to Vandenberg on the 19th of this month. My current registration expired last January, my Drivers license Expired 2 years ago (I military so its still good with a valid Military ID card) and i can just see them impounding it and sending me to federal pound me in the &%$ prison for life for trying to drive it up there like it is now:) I can get away with driving with expired tags until the 27th of this month but I would really rather not have the hassle:)

 

Sounds like you know, Kingt...maybe you can shed some light here... my smog guy yesterday said my new rebuilt carb (q-jet) is not right. Thought it might be clogged fuel filter at first. Could not adjust the problem out. Searched for gasket leaks, etc. Set choke butterfly almost closed so I could drive home... ideas?

 

Scott,
I gave you my advice in an IM, but didn't think about retarding the timing. I would definitely try that and see if it works. Doesn't sound like you're HC's are incredibly high so it may just work.

Also, WELCOME BACK. :cheers: