Got it.

All "smog stations" in California are private businesses, but they are regulated by the state's Bureau of Automotive Repair. It goes without saying that a progressive state, intent upon regulating its population, intent upon a green society almost above all else, and having to deal with something like 18 million light vehicles–cars and light trucks, diesel, and gasoline, means a bureaucratic system of different kinds of "smog stations.

Test and Repair Station.
They are authorized by the state to perform “regular” smog inspections. They can also diagnose and fix vehicles that have failed. These stations are not allowed to certify vehicles that the state determines must undergo so-called "STAR smog checks.

Smog Check Test Only Station
“Test only centers” perform all regular inspections but cannot do any repairs. A Test Only center’s objective is to perform a non-biased, accurate inspections.

STAR Smog test only centers
These stations have authorization to perform both Regular and Test Only smog inspections, but no repairs. Like a "regular" Test Only station, a STAR Test Only center’s mission is to perform a non-biased, accurate inspection. They are certified to inspect all DMV required vehicles.

STAR Test and Repair stations
STAR Test and Repair stations perform emissions verification repairs, regular smog inspections and test only inspections. A STAR Test & Repair station is the only type of smog staion which can inspect, repair and certify any and all vehicles. They are participants of the State’s Consumer Assistance Program and are inspected by the state monthly. STAR Test and Repair stations perform smog repairs on vehicles participating in the Consumer Assistance Program.

Repair Only Station
These stations are authorized by California to only diagnose and repair vehicles which have failed the smog check they can not inspect or certify any vehicle.
At the next level, "Referee Stations", are operated by the State of California. They exist to settle disputes between a smog station and a vehicle owner, usually over a smog test failure.

Well all I can say is THAT SUCKS! I used to like NJ inspection was bad. They barely check much anymore. Basically if you have no check engine light you pass. They don't do a tail pipe test anymore unless your car is 1986 or older. If you know someone with a shop you can usually get a sticker if needed.

So far, trying to get the Blue Bullet's engine in condition to go test has been a struggle.

My idea of using Denso IT20TT plugs gapped at .055-in didn't help. In fact, it may have made the problem I have–enough misfire when the engine is warming up to turn on the MIL– worse. Today, I put a set of stock ACDelco 41-104s in the engine. Maybe the stock plug works better in this situation because it has a tip that projects more, so the spark is farther into the incoming charge air.

The big problem is how the engine runs after a cold start and until it gets hot. There's a lot of idle surge. When the engine speed is at idle speed or surging low, the engine begins to misfire. First the system sets an intermittent P0300 (random misfire) then it sets a pending P0300. Today prior to a test drive, the misfire continued to the point that P0300 turned the MIL came on. Only choice was to clear codes, which also reset all of the I/M readiness monitors which had set (all but two).

I restarted and once the engine was hot–ECT in the mid-210s, the idle was almost stable enough such that the stock adaptive idle calibration, which is way to aggressive, did not intervene that much. Also, no P0300 codes set. So it was off for a test drive to try and force some of the I/M monitors to set. My plan is: once I have all but the EVAP monitor set, no P0300s and a seemingly stable idle at 650-RPM, I get the car over to the smog test station and see if it will pass.

One thing that has helped–at least it's my subjective opinion that it has–is Red Line SI-1 Complete Fuel System Cleaner. I've run half-a-bottle of that stuff through the engine with the last six or eight gallons of fuel I've put in the car. That's a pretty strong dose of injector cleaner. Fortunately, since Red Line CFSC is a detergent-based injector cleaner rather than a solvent-based cleaner, high doses of the product are not detrimental to the fuel system. The engine may have had a modest problem with fouled injectors. To get the best idle, because the idle fuel flow is so low, the injectors must be squeaky clean. The next time I add fuel–which BTW runs $6.50@gal. (I need one of those Joe Biden "I did that" stickers!) at the 76 station where I buy gas for the Corvettes–I'll pour in some more RL CFSC because I've noticed an improvement in idle stability over the last 50 miles or so because of it.

Tomorrow the plan is to do another cold start, help the engine stay out of a bad idle surge with some very small and very careful throttle openings, then, once the engine is hot, go for another test. The GM drive cycle which is the quickest way to force the I/M monitors to set must begain from a cold start and I'll try and do my road test according to the instructions for that.

With the cam in the engine is really pretty darn mild but, it's right on the borderline of not being able to pass the smog check without changing to something even milder.

Have any of you guys tried to sell the OEM lights? We had a club member who was in an accident and had to go LED because the OEM are no longer available.

Hib could you put a high temp thermostat in so that you are at 210 or so when you go to the facility?

Hib I think it might be cheaper to just move out of California. :rofl: :cheers:

That would just pull timing and he needs every last bit of it to keep the idle stable

Hib I think it might be cheaper to just move out of California. :rofl: :cheers:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MarkC (Post 1604903693)

Have any of you guys tried to sell the OEM lights? We had a club member who was in an accident and had to go LED because the OEM are no longer available.

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I'm not selling my OE headlight capsules right now, just in case I decide to change back, but, eventually, I might sell them. It'd have to be another Carlisle Blue car...if the buyer wanted them to match. Carlisle Blue ended up a pretty rare color, so I doubt there'd be a lot of potential buyers.

What I will sell are the PIAA Xtreme White high beam bulbs and the Hella Optilux Extreme Yellow fog light bulbs. They didn't get much use because, since I installed them, the car hadn't seen a lot of night operation. If anyone is interested in these...

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...58fbb790c1.jpg
Make me an offer
Indeed. The idle spark cal. for an LS7 is pretty retarded.

When I go to test, I arrive and leave the engine running. Sitting there idling for a while, the ECT creeps up to 215°F or so. I do have a Lingenfelter 170° 'stat in the engine, but I use the factory fan-on strategy, that along with the ZR-1 radiator that's in a ZO7, plus 15% antifreeze rather than 50%, has the ECT usually around 215° during long idle. Not only do I want the ECT up there, but I want the underhood nice and toasty, as that seems to help with idle stability.

very strange that it helps with idle - since that is opposite what you do to smooth out a radical cam (you are reducing timing when most increase to smooth out)

Hi Hib, that surge is probably from the MSD intake bolts loosening up as the gasket seats, normal but needs some attention at first.
The 2 rear intake to head bolts (#8 and #9) can't really be accessed with a torque wrench so using a 1/4" drive ratchet, and snugging them up is adequate. I'm sure if you applied even a light turning force, you'll notice they're all loose. Takes many heat cycles. Mine went from torqued to spec to loosened up after the first 15 minutes of run time.

If the engine runs better after doing this but you get a misfire code again, I can almost promise it's from the cam. It seems any cam larger than factory triggers the misfire counter even when there is no misfire, tuners max out the idle/low rpm misfire tables as they become useless with aftermarket camshafts.

I guess I didn't key that in very well. It's the high ECT and underhood temp that seems to help the idle, not the retarded idle spark cal. In fact, the retarded timing at idle is part of the problem. The other part is the very aggressive adaptive idle cal.

Been, there, done that, got the T-shirt and...tightening those bolts made no difference. I guess mine must have been tight (stock 89-in/lbs) from the get-go. In fact, I even used Mamo's torque spec., 100-in/lbs vs stock and there was no change in idle. With the 1/4-drive T-wrench I have and the right combination of extension and u-joint, I was able to torque all 10 bolts including the two at the back.Yep, it's definitely the cam that's at the core of my problems. As for "tuners max out the idle low rpm misfire tables..." Those tuners aren't going to be doing that anymore if the car being tuned is registered in a California "enhanced" or "basic" smog check area because the car they tuned will flunk the CVN verification part of the test.

Actually, what "idle/low rpm misfire" tables are you talking about? When I look at the cal with either HPT or EFILive, I don't see those tables. I'm calibrating a 2012. Maybe other years have some tables that I don't. If you know something I don't, please, post or PM me.

Timing is torque which is why larger than factory cams usually get timing added in for a stronger more stable idle, also why the idle rpm is increased a little. Due to the engine's power range being shifted up slightly, the stock idle rpm becomes a weaker more volatile idle.

The idle rpm set in the tune is then targeted by the ecu using a combination of ignition timing and base running airflow (throttle blade position). If timing is severely reduced such as from hot engine coolant temps, as a band-aid the throttle blade compensates to keep the idle stable. Same goes for huge base running airflow settings in the tune, they lead to reduced timing.

Typically that high ect for the fans to enable, is the first thing tuners change as there is no need for that whatsoever, 203*F fan enable would be miles better.
The byproduct of this is reduced ignition timing due to the high ect, rather than a happier stronger idle with a fair amount of throttle blade opening combined with an equal amount of timing, teamwork 😁

Darn I was hoping it was an easy bolt tightening fix, have you been able to retighten the clamshell bolts though? I've read that after a few hours of run time, you have to take off the intake to get at the rear perimeter clamshell bolts (14 of them in total).

I'll post a picture of the misfire tables, they're under the 'Engine Diagnostic' tab in the HP tuners editor.

I see now that your cam is mild so you may get away with the factory idle rpm after all.
Are your stft bank 1, stft bank 2, ltft bank 1, ltft bank 2 fuel trims highly positive?

This is from a 2012 c6z06, adjusting all the idle areas to the max value of "32767" on every table that allows, should do the trick for the misfires at idle. But if it fails emissions if settings are tampered with, I'm not sure what to suggest, crazy rules over there.

To correct my previous post as I just confirmed by looking at the oem tune file, a high ect at idle won't pull timing because from 0.08 to 0.16 grams of cylinder airmass, none is commanded to be pulled. Of course it depends on your airmass at idle but it's probably low like 0.12 g or less. Factory idle timing is around 13 degrees.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...3e2b472ffb.jpg

Hib
After reading all the trials and tribulations with this car, the multiple fiasco's with Katech, and now this whole California emissions issue, my only conclusion is that you've turned what was a nicely running C6 into a poorly running POS while spending gobs of money doing it. I can feel the pain. Unless you think this is just a wonderful continuing educational experience, you should cut your losses and get rid of it -- or donate it and hope to claim a tax write off. I've really started to lose sympathy with what seems to be your own doing.

At this point, his only challenge is to get it running enough to pass SMOG with the parameters requiered. After that, Hibs' & his car's lives will go back to normal.

Haven't we all done things that are conceived with great intentions, but just don't turn out right the first time?
Sooooo.... we could just throw up our hands, and give up, or keep chipping way at whatever it is keeping us from our goal.
I vote for #2. In fact, I'm headed back out to shop right now, to continue slamming my head against the brick wall that is my Porsche race car.
:cheers:

Until the next smog check.....