I drive a 1988 Honda Civic with 97,000 miles that runs very well, however yesterday, it failed an emissions test. It emitted 2.25 ppm CO, the limit is 1.75 ppm. Is there anything simple (and cheap) I can do to get the car to pass emissions for now?
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I’ve heard if, on your next fill up, you use an aftermarket octane booster (like ‘Octane 104+’) along with your regular tank of gas it supposedly lowers your emmissions enough to pass a smog check. I presume you need to run the car at least a little while to let the octane booster ‘flush’ your system out (maybe use half the tank up), but that’s just what I’ve heard.
I see no harm in doing this in the event I am wrong (asside from the $5-$7 you’ll spend on the plastic bottle of booster), but I also do not profess to know if there is automotive logic behind this. Perhaps someone else knows if this actually works?
My buddy has a BTS Mustang (that’s ‘Beat-To-Shit’ for those of you not into car lingo) from the mid 80’s that has about 100,000 miles on it, and I swear this thing put out black smoke at times, yet he claims to have done this trick to pass the emmissions tests out here in California.
Yarster is close… A few companies have gasoline additives that will reduce emmissions. I assume that they are similar in formulations to the octane boost that was mentioned, but the specifically indicate on the bottle that they will improve your emmissions. In fact some of them even guarantee that you will pass if you follow their advice. They are usually found at most major aoto parts stores in the same vicinity as the octane boost.
Also make sure that all your spark plugs are in good shape, new wires, new distributor cap and rotor… Basically a full tune-up.
Someone told me that I could take out my air filter just before the test, thereby increasing oxygen flow to the cylinders. Would this work? And even if so, would running the engine w/o an air filter for five minutes or so be too risky?
Another thing!
Make sure to drive a little while before the test. Your catalitic converter will work better if it’s warmed up rather than cold.
Okay, I’m posting this on the assumption that you are an environmentally conscious individual who will have this problem taken care of at the first affordable opportunity.
I was the “emissions ace” at a high-line car dealership. The posters above have already touched on the main issues. This is merely how I used to do it.
Get in your car. Run the living hell out of it, at high RPMs, using a full tank of the highest octane gas you can find. If you have a temperature gage, make sure you heat it up to just below overheating and keep it there for at least ten minutes–the longer the better. If you fear getting busted, you can take the car out to the highway and run it at the speed limit a gear or two lower than you normally would. Just make sure you blow the sucker out real good, with as few starts and stops as possible.
As soon as you think you’re ready, get that thing to the emissions place, still keeping the RPMs and temperature as high as you dare. Try to get it on the rack right away, but it has been my experience that a catalytic converter takes up to a couple of hours to cool down to a “cold start” level.
Many emissions failures are a result of the catalytic converter being too gummed up to heat to working temperature before the test is administered. This is particularly true of cars that spend most of their time in a city/suburban environment. That’s why you want to be able to start a leaf-fire with your exhaust before you bring it in. In at least a couple of cases, a good “carbon blow” cleaned out an exhaust system so well that it passed emissions several months after I put it through its paces, so I don’t think this procedure is particularly dishonest–it actually works, sometimes. Plus, there is a certain dishonesty in the testing methodology in some states. After all, a car rarely is started and run for a mere five minutes, so why should we test for emissions like that?
If your car is not grossly flatulent, it should pass relatively easily. If it doesn’t, it should probably be fixed. If you don’t give a damn about the environment, justify it by noting to yourself that the exhaust gasses could be leaking into the cabin of the vehicle.
Oh, and one more thing: don’t change your oil just before an emissions test, especially if it is a little older. Dirty, sludgy oil is less likely to seep into the combusion chamber during testing.
Oh, and the no air-filter trick? We used to check for that. Be careful if you try it.
I’ve owned three fox-body Mustangs: A 1980, a 1983, and a 1985. The 1985 Mustang is my current daily driver. Each car has flunked E-Check at one time or another. Suffice to say, I know a thing or two about passing that @#$% test.
There are a few simple things you can do to help you squeak by. First of all, make sure the engine is at operating temperature. A cold engine runs inefficiently, and the incomplete combustion spews out more pollutants. Secondly, change your oil & filter just before the test. (Some may argue this doesn’t matter, but I think it may make an incremental improvement.)
Still doesn’t pass? Get out your toolbox and consider doing the following:
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Check the timing, and adjust to manufacturer specifications if necessary. I don’t know anything about Hondas, but it’s a piece of cake to adjust the timing on a Mustang; all you need is a timing light and metric socket set w/ long 3/8th extensions.
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Replace the Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) valve.
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If your engine has a carburetor, locate the mixture control valve on the side of the carburetor (it’s usually a conical valve w/ slotted head and spring). CW makes it leaner, while CCW makes it richer. Crank it a couple turns CW, then return it to its normal position after the test.
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Is your air pump working? One of my Mustangs did not have working air pump, yet I still got it to pass by doing the above stuff. But this may not be true for your car.
You may also try a fuel additive, but I had absolutely no luck with them. One thing that might work is using gasoline w/ 10% methanol. I always used the 10% methanol fuel before going to E-Check, but I often wonder if it did any good.
Now I did all the above stuff on my 1983 Mustang and it STILL flunked. Not only that, but they charged me 20 because it was the third time it had failed! "This means war," I said. I immediately went home and did a (ahem) "modification." I then went back to that @#% place and it passed with flying colors. He he he.
In Calif & maybe your state, but they give you $1000 if you give them the vehicle that won’t pass smog. epa.gov
Ok, that sounds cool. $1000? I’ve been thinking I’d have a hard time getting that for it…
I will have to check out Maryland regulations.
I live in a state that has no emissions testing. Do you guys who have to do the tests have to do them every year? If you drive your car after it fails the testing do you get fined, get a ticket, get arrested, what? I’m just curious.
Thanks everyone for all the advice. The car had only been driven about four miles at relatively low speed prior to the test, so that may have had something to do with it. I will drive the hell out of it before re testing. 
They want to test your passing emissions? Talk about intrusive guv’mint.
Now I understand why so many of you are Republicans.
“We have reached the limits of what rectal probing can teach us.” -Kang
In California, vehicles must (generally) be tested every two years - the notorious “Smog Check.” In these alternate years, proof of passing the smog check is required for you to register the vehicle.
There are all kinds of complicated provisions for what happens if your car fails - you have to either fix it or prove that you’ve spent X dollars to that end. Somebody, I’m sure, can flesh this out further. There’s also a category called “gross polluter”, into which your car falls if it’s really spewing nasty stuff. The rules for GP’s are different, and more strict.
I believe cars made before 1972(?) are exempt from emissions testing, but I’m not really certain.
So, the short answer, I guess, is that you can’t register you car, which means continuing to drive it is itself a violation right there. I don’t know if they make a distinction between “I didn’t register it 'cause I forgot,” and “I didn’t register it 'cause it failed smog,” when doling out penalties.
I’m sure somebody on this list knows more about CA smog than I do - I’d be interested in hearing their views, too.
Well, I’m definitely in California, but I profess that I don’t know if there is a difference in registration penalties. I assume that the lack of registration is one fine, and if you manage to turn the cop’s black uniform a little blacker with the crap coming out of your tail pipe, he’ll write you a ‘fix it’ ticket as well. That is, fix it, or the fine is levied, and you can get this ticket an indefinite number of times to incentive you to…in fact…get the thing fixed.
The smog check is every two years, and advertising for smog places has gotten a bit interesting. That is, most places charge around $20-$25 around here to get it done. But the advertising is always…"$10 smog check*" with the * being a $10-$15 “certificate fee”.
Yeah, cause they pay $7 for each little paper certificate themselves. I know I asked.
In Calif, you have to get tested once every two years as long as its older than 5 years & its 1972 or sooner, plus when its sold.
If you don’t make the test there are options. You must pay $250.00 of it & get a waiver for the rest. Get $1000 for it [new program]… etc. epa.gov is the web site…oh, I just went there, wow, lots of info on the environment.
evilbeth said:
Washington state is similar to California, except that I believe only certain counties require emissions checks. We have to get checked once every two years and have to show proof of passing the test each year when renewing registration. The original test is $15 but you get one free re-test.
So to answer your question, you won’t get fined here after failing the test, but you won’t be able to renew your registration, and you’ll probably take some heat for driving without current registration.
One of the emission check counties here also has a gas cap check, something I’d never heard of before. Anyone else know of/live in a state that requires gas cap checks?
Texas has a few metropolitan areas that smog check, but I don’t live in one of them. All the same, the last time I went for an inspection, they tested my gas cap. This was on a car that was emissions exempt because it was over ten years old, which leads me to believe that they did it because they had the tool.
Well, thanks for the info, guys! It’s interesting to know that hubby and I would only have to have one of our cars checked if we lived in California! I think my state should institute emissions standards–the Great Smoky Mountains have never been smokier! But then again, I also live in the state that has no vehicle inspection and no state income tax so I guess that’s asking a bit much!