Any tricks to pass emissions test?

[Crescent Fresh]

My catalytic converter lost its guts this week. I still have to pass the stupid state inspection which includes emissions test to make the car legal. Is there anything I can do to pass? 100 octane fuel, inject cleaner, etc..etc..?

[Kimbers]

Get a new CAT?

Seriously, a full service helps with the clean oil and new filters. Cleaner fuel may help, ours over here is pretty strict, don't use Super use standard unleaded.

[pitstoppete]

mine has no cat anymore and thankfully does not need one here in the UK. But, it very nearly passed the test for a CAT car last time. it was so close. it didn't matter anyway, but it was interesting to note the emissions results.

As well as all the normal air filter and new plugs stuff, what might help too is the better pattern RC injectors like I have, the std injectors are renowned for a bad pattern.

I always use high octane fuel too, reset the ecu and always use 99Oct etc. this gives max advance usually in the ecu, due to the lack of knock detected. if i run it on normal 95 Oct, it don't like it!

best of luck

[geoffsmith]

I've got a '95 S2 Elan which has to pass the stricter emission levels than the SE's. I had to change the exhaust last year and went for a Peco without a main cat as they said I should get through no problem; when I took the old exhaust off, I found the cat had been gutted anyway. It went though the test no problem, as it had presumably previously. After changing the exhaust, I suffered from boost creep so this Christmas I've taken the turbo off. I found out that the pre-cat had also got bugger all in it.

My Elan can meet the following levels without a cat, so Lotus have obviously done a good job on its closed loop control loop.

Fast Idle (2500 - 3000 rpm)

CO: <= 0.20% vol

HC: <= 200 ppm vol

Lambda (inverted Y) 0.970 - 1.030

Natural Idle (450 - 1500 rpm)

CO: <= 0.30% vol

We share the same ECU so let's hope they did as good a job on your memcals!

[Tony94S4]

I got a good place in ft worth 4

[rens914]

No cat and a straight flow pipe with everything bigger in a country where 1 have to pass the test every year.

i don't know how he did it (son is the one that did the test) but every time he only yust got the good readings

he told me that with a warm engine he played around with the vacuum

the only thing you need is 1 good reading

working for another team he cant do the mot's anymore

i have found somebody who doesn't do the emission test ????

suits me

surely you need a car with everything up to standard (oil,filter, o2 sensor)

rens

Edited January 22, 2008 by rens914

[Crescent Fresh]

FAILED!!!

CO emissions were .87, and .75 is passing. Everything else was OK.

I put inject cleaner in and went back 50 miles later only to read HIGHER on CO emissions (.91).

I think I'll go for a 100-150 mile drive to see if the inject cleaner takes longer than I originally anticipated.

Any other ideas, aside from buying a new Cat or moving to a different country?

[lotusessex80]

where i live in wisconsin, we dont have emission test...LOL. we have hondas and hicks riding their trucks so loud, you can here it a mile away! LOL

[Crescent Fresh]

When I lived 30 miles north in Grayson County it was that way. I thought about using a P.O. box in Grayson County, but that would really open up an unwanted bag-o-worms with the insurance if the car cot vandalized at my house.

So, aside from buying a new Cat or moving to a different country or Wisconsin, does anyone have any info on this topic that may help this vessel pass inspection in Collin County, Texas? Mainly, dropping the CO emissions down about 10-15% is what 'm after.

[Artie]

I've seen some stuff at advance auto parts called "guaranteed to pass" emissions in a bottle with a red and blue label. Might be worth a look. http://www.autobarn.net/ch05063.html

Artie

Edited January 24, 2008 by Artie

[lotusessex80]

you can sign your title to me and i will register the car in my name in wisconsin. that should do u good, no emissions for the rest of your life, however u will have to have a WI license plate.. just send me $150 for the cost of the plate and sticker.

EDIT: I have like 10 cars under my name that i dont even own these cars mostly its my friends that live in cities and states that need emission test.

One of my friend has a 800hp supra, he took it to emission test, and failed horribly and called me up crying about how it did not pass emissions.

Edited January 24, 2008 by lotusessex80

[geoffsmith]

I've seen some stuff at advance auto parts called "guaranteed to pass" emissions in a bottle with a red and blue label. Might be worth a look. http://www.autobarn.net/ch05063.html

Artie

The only customer comment is "I used the product my fuel pump went out before I finished my last quarter of the tank of gas. After replacing the fuel pump I still didnt pass. As a matter of fact my vehicles readings were no different"

[Riddlemr2]

Back when Florida had emissions tests my no-cat MR2 turbo passed after I put a bottle of RXP (or RPX, don't remember) in the tank. I bought it at Discount Auto (now Advance) and it was pretty cheap. It was a little red bottle and advertised that it would clean up emissions for a test and I passed at less than half the legal limit. Worth a shot anyway.

[Crescent Fresh]

I tried RXP...FAILED. I also tried this other stuff that gets shot directly into the vacuum line....FAILED. I only drove 70 miles, though, so perhaps after another 100-200 all the crap will clean out.

I am just barely failing.

Anyone know how much a new cat is, and where to get one? If it doesn't affect performance and fuel economy much, I'd probably just buy one to avoid this circus every year.

[Riddlemr2]

You could just get any random catalytic converter from Jegs or Summit Racing and have an exhaust shop weld flanges on it. cut out a section of exhaust pipe and attach the catalytic converter. Have the same exhaust shop make a matching open pipe that can be swapped for the cat. Use the cat for emissioons, use the pipe for fun.