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86 Volvo 245 DL. GROSS POLLUTER

M

Mylesofsmyles

A Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2010
Car failed the SMOG

Checked thoroughly for vacuum leaks, spark plugs in good health and gapped to 0.28

Car is stock

SMOG guy says timing isn't set right, though I could swear it's at 11-degrees.

Oil was last changed in November, so it's time.

Time for a CAT?

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Your engine oil will absorb excessive hydrocarbons but not if it's old and already absorbed all it can. Yeah change oil and try again. Also run it hard right before heats up the cat that helps.

What year 240? If lh2.4 you can't adjust that by moving the distributor.
 
New air filter and new plugs can help too...

-Tom in SoCal


sbabbs said:
Your engine oil will absorb excessive hydrocarbons but not if it's old and already absorbed all it can. Yeah change oil and try again. Also run it hard right before heats up the cat that helps.

What year 240? If lh2.4 you can't adjust that by moving the distributor.
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It's an 86...so LH2.2...I did do an EZK from 740...but I don't think that's the problem.

I'll change the oil...

James, you don't think it's the CAT?
 
Set the timing to 10*, put a BB in the vacuum line to the ignition box so it won't advance and try again. If it won't pass like that, it needs a cat.

I just smogged my son's 245 yesterday. Dropping timing from 15* to 10* made our NOX go from 1600 to 400 on the 25mph test.
 
Put a BB in the vacuum line to the EZK ignition box? He said he ditched the chrysler ignition and went EZK. 25mph test? Do they do a roller test in Cali? I remember when they used to do that here in Oregon and that can be a real beeetch to pass. The way I got to pass finally was the old guy at the test place ran my car and explained to me how he could get it to pass because the young guys couldn't do it with a manual trans like he could. Fun times. Once with the ex's old 90 744 turbo I took it in about 10 times before I got it to pass, turned out it was the valve lash... Redid that passed with ease..

Now in Oregon they just do a sniffer at idle with the older non obII cars that don't plug in. Supposedly they changed to the Cali test about 10 years ago, but I've never tested in Cali so not sure what they do there.

I haven't had to test for about 10 years since I moved here and I live one property away from having to test and there is a test station about a mile from house. Straight pipes all around! Ye olde Jim Fisher Estate.

I guess I could program up a lh2.2 EZK chip that has just 10 degrees no matter what, call it the pass deq kit and send it around like the cut your pistons fly kit..
 
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Timing spec is 10+/- 2 degrees. What does he say its at?

Methinks it doesn't look too rich or lean based on the CO numbers. I had no change in HC numbers after overdue oil change, so I don't suggest uneeded oil changes.

What kitty is on there and how old?

Test O2 sensor with propane and check signal with labscope before considering replacement.
 
Tuff240 said:
Set the timing to 10*, put a BB in the vacuum line to the ignition box so it won't advance and try again. If it won't pass like that, it needs a cat.

I just smogged my son's 245 yesterday. Dropping timing from 15* to 10* made our NOX go from 1600 to 400 on the 25mph test.
Click to expand...

This^ Look for Sowsley's write up from last year. You can put an infared thermometer on the inlet and outlet of the cat should see a rise in temp from in to out.
 
sbabbs said:
Now in Oregon they just do a sniffer at idle with the older non obII cars that don't plug in. Supposedly they changed to the Cali test about 10 years ago, but I've never tested in Cali so not sure what they do there.

I haven't had to test for about 10 years since I moved here and I live one property away from having to test and there is a test station about a mile from house. Straight pipes all around! Ye olde Jim Fisher Estate.

I guess I could program up a lh2.2 EZK chip that has just 10 degrees no matter what, call it the pass deq kit and send it around like the cut your pistons fly kit..
Click to expand...

Is there a list of the "irritating states and areas to avoid" on TB? I like Washington's "the car is 25 years old, don't worry about it any more" approach much better than the crazy Cali "we're going to change the limits on you and you need to figger out how to get your car to do what it never had to to before."
 
The NOX limit has been going down I think on the tests. I have to look at my papers to confirm this claim. On EGR 240/740 the nox limit is down closer to 700's.

I have always been able to pass with a fresh kitty. Masking other problems? Maybe. Usually not in my cases. Only ONE time when I was a noob was I NOT able to figure out what was going on with a tampered 88 740 Turbo and couldn't get it to pass with a fresh cat.

A TWC is a Three Way Cat. It knocks down ALL THREE pollutants.

I have been training to become a smog tech. This thread is relevant to my interests!

Here is my last smog fail thread:

http://forums.turbobricks.com/showthread.php?t=310344





12/2015:

ZVOLV said:
1990 240:

FAILURE!!! 6/10/2015

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FAILURE!!! 8/17/2015. Completed an overdue oil change and tightened up a leak at flange going into cat. NO change. Well, slightly worse!

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SUCCESS!!! 8/18/2015. Got a brand new aftermarket Walker cat on there and emissions dropped close to ZERO, as they do commonly in my experience with a fresh kitty. Masking other issues? Possibly, but probably not. Just small cheap kittys and old stinky volvos are my theory.

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You don't want to fail smog too many times because your VIN will get redflagged as a High Emitter Profile like it says on YOUR (myles') inspection sheet. If you have a High Emitter Profile VIN you may get a smog notice every ONE year instead of every TWO years!

You can just look up your vehicles smog pass/fail history. I can't find the link right now, but here is a screenshot of mine. My vehicle has failed enough times to be considered a High Emitter Profile. I also live in a dense area so that effects how often and WHERE they expect me to get a smog. Test only-star-etc. Laws are always changing and I am trying to keep up with em.

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