CRAP!!!!!! Emissions problems... HELP!, Need advice!! Options

[ninefourteener]

Ok.... Illinois decided that I had to get the teener inspected... so I did..... it passed everything EXCEPT the Hydrocarbons test. (I think.... thats the one that measures "unburnt fuel" right?) The max is like 800-something, and my car blew 3000-something.

Before ANYONE starts, my car runs INCREDIBLE, and I don't want to change, alter, adjust ANYTHING. Need to know if there's any special "tricks" I can use to get this thing through.

Granted, the teener wasn't fully warmed up, cause it's so cold outside.... the gauge was only reading about 1/2 as high as normal operating temp.. would that cause it??

So.. here's the scoop.... the engine has about 6 or 7K miles on it. Its a 2.0, lots of minor upgrades to the heads, valves, cam, etc, but nothing too significant. I have the reciepts (just not with me now), and I know thew PO spent over $5k just on the engine it done right. It's NOT fuel injected.. it has been coverted over to dual Solex carbs.... and I know thats why its probably failing.

I know I used to have an 80 Elcamino.... took out the 305, and dropped in a 396BB with a nasty cam. I ran the tank almost empty, dropped in 2 bottles of dry gas, and the thing passed emissions better than a honda Civic--LOLThe emissions guy knew I was full of shit, but who cares.. I passed. Will that work? Will running a teener on dry gas for 20 or 30 minutes severely hurt it??

Lastly... I don't want to be emissions exempt, nor do I want to register it as an antique.. I want to get this thing through inspections just like any other car.

Any help is GREATLY appreciated (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Obviously, the engine needs to be at operating temperature and you should've had it tested as such. This establishes a baseline to which you can then make necessary changes. If I was your mechanic I'd tell you to go back and get retested with the enigine running at the proper operating temperature. But first I'd rub your nose in the exhaust pipe and tell you, "bad boy! Bad, bad boy!" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[JFJ914]

So.. here's the scoop.... the engine has about 6 or 7K miles on it. Its a 2.0, lots of minor upgrades to the heads, valves, cam, etc, but nothing too significant. I have the reciepts (just not with me now), and I know thew PO spent over $5k just on the engine it done right. It's NOT fuel injected.. it has been coverted over to dual Solex carbs.... and I know thats why its probably failing.

Well everythings' NOT been done right, the PO built a "race" engine and you need a street legal emissions compliant engine. There is nothing you are going to be able to do to pass, especially if you do not want to do anything. At the very least, it sounda as if it is very rich at test RPM. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)

[fiid]

Errr. It does sound like it is running really rich. From what I've read the most power ain't running rich, so I would consider tuning it properly.

I would look at getting a modern FI systekm like megasquirt, or the other EMS that has been talked about here. It's a lot of work, but I would venture a guess that you have more power yet to get, and you ought to be able to pass emissions, although I don't know how nasty your engine is.

Just a guess.

[cha914]

I am assuming that the test is done at idle...so couldn't you just put in much smaller idle jets for the test and then swap the normal ones back in after? I know on the webers this would be very easy, but don't know about the solex's...I also don't know if this would change the reading, but from what I do know about my carbs it seems like it would.

you could also play with the air/fuel mixture screws to try and lean out the mix at idle, just be sure to mark your starting places, so you can return it to normal after done.

Carbs are pretty easy to adjust, just be sure to mark the adjusters before hand and you can return everything to normal when done.

Good luck,

Tony

[MarkV]

I had the same problem. I failed HC by triple the limit. I changed the cap & rotor bumped the idle up a little & installed a set of Bosch platinum plugs and passed. The ignition on a 914 is weak & not able to fire clean with carbs at a idle. The platinum plugs have a smaller (thin wire) electrode that will clean up the HC at a idle. Most people here will tell you not to run platinum plugs but they seem to work well on my carbed 2 liter. The car starts easier & will hold a idle sooner when cold.

[HarveyH]

THIS APPLIES TO WEBERS, not sure about Solexes: The idle adjustment screws control the mixture only at static idle. The idle jets control the mixture at throttle openings from just cracking the throttle to about 2500-2800 RPM.
With the throttle closed (properly) fuel is bled through the ports metered by the idle mixture screws. As the throttle opens, a series of holes are exposed to the airflow and additional fuel is drawn into the airstream. This fuel is controlled by the idle jet. Once the RPM goes above about 2500 - 2800 RPM, the airflow is sufficient to start drawing through the main circuits. If your throttle plates are closing properly, a static idle adjustment of the screws can achieve a decent (static) idle with almost any idle jets. In selecting idle jets, you have to evaluate operation throughout the off-idle to 2800 RPM range and size the jets accordingly, then tune the static idle with the mixture screws. If your throttle plates are not closing properly, you'll never get a properly adjusted setup. The various Weber manuals go into a lot of detail about making sure the plates are fully closed, and how to adjust/modify things if they aren't.

If you have an idle-only inspection, you should be able to adjust the mixture screws accordingly. If off-idle, and low speed, you'll possibly have to try smaller idle jets for the test and switch them back out afterwards.

As with any driveability/emission questions in the 914, make SURE (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) the valve adjustments and timing are right before trying anything else.

Harvey

[fuch toy]

Geez....find a wrench with an analyzer....adjust it...drive it over and boom you be golden>>>>>>

[mikester]

You must be at operating temp as well. I failed a while back when I drove the car 5 minutes to the testing station. HC's were off the chart. Drove it around for a half hour the next day to get it up to temp and took it in and the HC's were almost nothing.

This was on a '91 Eagle Talon back in the mid 90's.

[mightyohm]

HCs are unburned fuel making it into the exhaust. Probably ignition or a gross problem with the mixture. You definitely want it warmed up for the test.

[3d914]

ninefourteener,

I agree with Tony, with one exception. You need to find out what cam the PO installed if at all possible. The jets will only help you so far. If the cam has added overlap, you're spilling exhaust back into the combustion chamber - adding to the HC's.

This is the very reason I went to a modern FI controller like Megasquirt. My 2.0L with a #73Webcam would not pass AZ emissions, and they limit HC's to 400ppm. The stock FI just does not have enough range of adjustment when other cams are involved, and carbs can be even more difficult to dial in - even with a CO meter.

Hope you get it sorted out. But get all the info you can before proceeding with anything major.

[redshift]

Pass emissions? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif)

I live in a place where the people running the system can't pass an IQ test, they'd never make rules like that here, they need something to blame the smog on.

You can do amazing things with high-octane, heat, clean new plugs a temp range up(w8cc) and a lean mixture.

Careful, one of the things you can do is melt your engine. heh.


M

[MarkV]

If the car runs good I wouldn't screw with re jetting the carbs. When I couldn't pass everything I read said that high HC comes from ignition. Factory 6's came with a CD ignition to help clean up the dirty idle circuit of the carbs.


I was able to get mine under the AZ 400ppm limit without re jetting carbs. On my first test the car was putting our 2500ppm & I got it down to 367ppm.

[Kargeek]

Clean engine oil also has an impact on emissions testing- be sure you change it for the test. DH

[sj914]

I was in that situation some years ago with my first 914. It couldn't pass the pipe test with the dual webers I had in it. I ended up installing a MSD ignition and played around with the idle mix screws until it passed. I'm surprised that the garage you took it to didn't say anything about the carbs.

[Hi_Fi_Guy]

If the car runs good I wouldn't screw with re jetting the carbs. When I couldn't pass everything I read said that high HC comes from ignition. Factory 6's came with a CD ignition to help clean up the dirty idle circuit of the carbs.


I was able to get mine under the AZ 400ppm limit without re jetting carbs. On my first test the car was putting our 2500ppm & I got it down to 367ppm.

You changed the ignition and passed? Or did you need to do more tuning?

[fuch toy]

If you lean out the engine to get the HCs down, make sure you return it back soon....Badd things can happen......

Common trick to fool the machine....but the car usually runs like crap. Limp to the test, pass, get out and adjust the timing.....