Hello,

I have a friend that owns an 88 vert. she cannot get the car to pass smog. We are pretty sure that it's the air control valve.

Besides replacing the valve....is there anything we can do to make it pass smog...i.e. additives, store bought products, etc.

I know that there are shops in SOCAL that will look the other way but they cost a grip.

Any help would be appreciated.

TIA
Mohamad

 

by the way, i ran a search but did not come up with anything as far as additives or tricks to help pass smog.

One more thing, the car is bone stock.

 

No tricks, no additives, no secrets other than having a well running car with all emissions components 'working'.

OK, some people toss in a gallon of denatured alcohol and then get their emissions test. They claim it passes. I tried it on a car and it still failed.

Why don't you give us all the facts concerning the failure. Lets look at the NOx, CO's, HC's...... Then someone might give you a better answer.

https://www.rx7club.com/forum/showth...threadid=86143

 

thanks for the advice....i don't have the numbers handy but will post them asap. Like I said before, the Mazda mechanic stated that he believes it's the air control valve. He gave the car a tune up but it still didn't pass.

I posted this same thread on the Supra forum (I have a 94tt) and they suggested swapping out cats (the car has 100k on it).

 

Change the ACV first. Stock cats run $2K, and aftermarket cats at least $300.

Methyl hydrate works quite a bit, but I'd need the #'s first.

 

she would do that but she doesn't have the $500 for the repair.

 

Replace the check valve behind the ACV, as more often than not, its the culprit. Cost: a couple bucks.

Failing that, try a wrecker...

 

Careful with advice like this, as there is much more info required. A post like this could send quite a few people to buy something that won't help them.

Post the numbers, then we can help.

 

What's 'methyl hydrate' and where do you get it? What is 'half a bar of fuel'? Is that like an 1/8 of a tank?

I just failed my smog test and the only thing wrong were the hydrocarbons. 500 and something and the limit is 121. Would this stuff help me?

Thanks,
Dan

 

Just being cranky.........The part where the Mazda mechanic thinks it might be the acv. Get rid of this guy. He should either KNOW its the acv or not. Damn part changer mechanic. That kind of guy cost people a arm and a leg for not knowing his job. **** on him. not humor.

 

Methyl hydrate is just that: methyl hydrate. It is a form of alcohol, which burns very cleanly and leaves almost no deposits. Alcohols have a very high octane level, burn cooler, and make gobs of power. It also bonds to water and allows it to be injected into the engine and burnt.
But (always a but) alcohol requies twice as much volume to the same amount of air amount as compared to gas, and it is very tough on rubber fuel parts.
Since it burns so cleanly and requires double the amount of volume, it helps cars that are running rich to pass emissions. It should help in your case.

You can buy methyl hydrate in almost every parts store under the name "Methyl Hydrate". Try to mix it at a 4 part gasoline to 1 part Methyl hydrate amount. Be careful to stay out of boost and high revs since it does lean out your engine while you have it in your gas tank.

Hope this helps.