California smog cert - any thoughts?

[atarimike]

I just got my car smogged in California. It passed, but I was wondering if any California people can read anything from the numbers. I've attached the cert.

HC seems high - more than twice the average. Maybe a failing cat?

The tech's books said the car had an air pump. He couldn't find it. I don't think the car had one OE. This should have been a fail, but he took my word the car didn't come with one.

The idle was a bit high - my fault. I adjusted the idle before I did the timing recently. This should have been a fail, but he couldn't find the emissions sticker with the idle on it.

Anyone else have nervous smog tests on their SVO? If this guy wasn't nice, I might have had a failed car due to bad bookkeeping by the Air Resource Board

[Pat_in_L.A.]

HC is fine and well within Kalifornia limits.

Fresh spark plugs and oil change always help. If you are in doubt or on the ragged edge, a new O2 sensor always helps. Set the premium switch on "Regular" mode for the test.

No the SVO never had an air pump.

[vinbar]

I wouldn't be too concerned with those numbers -- keep in mind that there is a ton of uncertainty in the machines used for smog measurement and those numbers will vary a lot day-to-day and machine-to-machine. I once had a car that smogged around 5 ppm EACH in HC, NOx, CO --the tech gave it a pass even though the machine was obviously calibrated incorrectly. If you ever fail smog by a small amount...keep trying at different places...eventually you will get a pass.

[svono50]

Mind you I am not a CA resident or ever have been, but my car was smogged here in the Chicago area from 1993-2006. Your car looks pretty good and as Pat mentioned a tune up will make it even cleaner.

Looking back through my records my HC, CO & CO2 were similar to yours when I was almost stock. Illinios dropped the NOx measurement before 1993, but I do remember fighting that measurment at one time. Looking at my 1997 test record I have a fail (w/o cat) and pass (with cat). The only reading that shifted was the HC, where it went from 951 ppm down to 198 ppm against a 220 limit. I will bet I forgot to advance my timing and didn't have the car fully warmed up for the 198 result as my HC's were normally a lot lower with even more modifications. Note that advancing your timing to ~2 deg BTDC and getting the engine/exhaust up in temp will drastically lower your readings in a pinch. My car w/o a cat would pass the IM240 testing if the nitwits would keep the rpm below 3000, but the computer bases shift points on its programmed parameters and the techs would always shift my 4.10 geared car a little late above 3000 rpm and my emissions would spike and fail me. With a cat on I would get a 'fast pass' and not have to run the full 240 second test (i.e.- not have to shift even once). Enough emission rambling...

[svono50]

Mike, I agree our little 2.3's are very clean. My car in its first test in 93 had a HC reading of 5.

I actually went back into my notes and did find that I had info on that 951/198 test. Both tests were w/o a cat the only difference between the two were moving my timing from 10 to 2 deg BTDC and engine coolant temperature. So those results were more a display of how much you can effect your HC output. Actually during that time frame I believe my ECT sensor was crapped out, but I hadn't diagnosed it at that time. This would also kick my HC emissions way up due to the engine thinking the engine was cold and running rich.

Illinois never checked anything related to your engine, only a tailpipe sniff. Although early on in the testing program they looked under the car to check for a cat. On later tests my HC readings were well under 100 with a cat, where they started the IM240 testing rather than a static low idle test.

[Erics SVO]

I just had my 93 tested here the other day. The state got rid of the dyno roller test AND removed them from the floors and filled the hole! Imagine what that cost the taxpayer.... I compared the test to the first one I did in Jan 08. I did better and the state upped the limit on how much you can pass....

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Note that advancing your timing to ~2 deg BTDC and getting the engine/exhaust up in temp will drastically lower your readings in a pinch. ...

That would be great, but CA tests require the testing facility to check timing within + or - 2 degrees of the required 10 degree standard.

[svono50]

That would be great, but CA tests require the testing facility to check timing within + or - 2 degrees of the required 10 degree standard.

I feel sorry for you guys out there, that must really suck having to open your hoods and everything. Relatively speaking we have it a lot easier here in Illinois now, they no longer test anything pre-OBDII. My SVO is no exempt from any testing, but I have to take in my 2006 Legacy now. All they do is plug into your OBD port and verify that all the readiness tests are complete and no MIL codes are stored...again very easy. I think they pulled the dyno rollers out of all of our state run facilities also, but it has been a few years since I have had to go to one.

[svono50]

All OBD-2 [and later] compliant vehicles are tested this way. In every state. Some states allow an exemption from testing for 3-5 years from new, then every do the OBD-2 tests after that.

Eventually (mark my words!) the short state OBD-2 tests will check to see if the tune has been changed and flag for that.

The wife's car? They call them Lesbarus out here.

Most of the folks around here have to remove their 'tune' to get tested, but that is likely because a lot of aftermarket tunes it seems knock out the readiness tests, which would cause a scan failure.

Nope Legacy is my DD, my wife has an 02 Forester. Long story how the Subies found their way into our driveway, but hopefully Ford will get their product mix 'right' and we can shift back. Time will tell.

[stottpie]

Personally, I'd rather have to pass a smog test than a comprehensive vehicle inspection like they have in some states.

[Erics SVO]

I hear ya. When I lived in WV they had yearly inspections.

[SVOeric]

or, here in KY, we have neither.