EugeneChoe

i want to get my car on the road. but it needs to pass emmisions and ive failed it once.
the car has a power fc w commander w the basic bolt on mods. dp mp exhaust, intake, intercooler.
i figured theres gotta be a way to install a map or do some adjustments through my power fc to lean it out just for the emisions? also if so is there info available or maybe a download? thanks
eugene

Turbo8

iTrader: (17)

First, some basics: Do you have a stock cat? Stock functioning air pump? These two items are a must for passing emissions. There is really no way around passing a legit emissions test without these items, no matter how good the tune.

You can tune the PFC to pass a sniffer test, but it will more than likely involve a lot of trial and error. If you have a stock fuel system, your best bet is to install the stock ECU (if you have it) and control/limit boost to 10ps or less to be safe. Otherwise you can, and probably will, be chasing your tail trying to tune the PFC to pass emissions, unless you have an experienced tuner who has done it before.

Turbo II FC

iTrader: (14)

Actually you can get around not having the air pump by custom welding 2 cats in the midpipe and pass emissions if the tune is "right". A friend passed with flying colors in his lightly modded PFC FD doing this. Passing emissions with tuning alone will usually not work.

cohbra

iTrader: (13)

When I lived in Phoenix, it took me 3 months to finally pass emissions, and it took many things to finally get passing numbers. I'm assuming that you have to do the load test on the dyno.

Here are the items that I feel were critical to my car finally passing. Use these with caution, it is your decision whether or not you want to try any, or all of these, and I take no responsibility. You just need to ask yourself how desperate you are.

1.) Buy a NEW catalytic convertor and have flanges welded on it so you can swap it out easily. Any Decent exhaust shop should be able to do this. I think it cost me around $60. Only use this cat for emissions testing. As soon as you pass, remove it and put your old one back in (or a straight pipe).

2.) Install a jumper wire on the clutch for your smog pump so that it stays engaged all the time. This way you are continually diluting your emissions with fresh air from the pump, not just at lower RPM.

3.) Install new plugs and make sure all of your grounds are in good condition. If you haven't already done so, search for some of the threads where people have reworked the grounds on the car as well as added some that improved ignition performance. This will help you get a more complete burn every time the plug fires which will reduce your emissions.

4.) Run the engine HARD and get it really good and hot before heading into the emissions facility, also try to go at a time of the day when there aren't long lines so that you can go right into the test before the cat cools off.

5.) Make sure you have a quarter tank or less of gas and add several gallons of denatured alcohol to your tank on your way to the emissions facility.

6.) Immediately before you pull into the facility, find some place to park and lean out your fuel maps. This is extremely dangerous, but like I said earlier, it all depends on how desperate you are.

7.) Remove the black canister in the fuel line under the throttle body and use compressed air to blow all of the fuel out of it just before you leave home for the testing. I did this, but I still question whether or not this ever did any good. I suspect that it is probably full of fuel again by the time you get to the testing facility. Again, if you're desperate enough, you try just about anything.

Phoenix has very strict emissions testing guidelines, second to only California I believe. You may not have to do all of these to pass, but then again you might. Even after doing all of these things, I just barely passed with all of my emissions equipment in place. If you don't have ALL of your emissions equipment in place, you will probably have to put them back on.

Most states also have a limit ($800 or so) where they will give you your registration even if you can't pass. You simply have to present them with the receipts showing that you have met the limit trying to get your car to pass and then they will give you a waiver.

Good luck!

EugeneChoe

so theres no way to pass the emmisions test w/o cats and pfc alone. it seemed to make sense to me if i leaned it out i can get a passing reading, but it also makes sense that w/o the cats it would not convert the stuff that needs to be converted.

i believe i have the base map that it came with from rx7.com. i also have the old original hks ti exhaust that goes from dp back which makes it a hassle. i would like to get it back on the road so all your advise is appreciated.
in md i also know that if i get receipts that show i spent at least (i think) $400 dollars towards fixing the emmisions problems, they will pass me.
also in md 20 yr old cars can become historic which i believe exempt cars from emmisions
sorry im just trying to find the easiest/least amount of work/cheapest way to pass in md.

cohbra

iTrader: (13)

I understand where your coming from, but if they do the road (dyno) test in MD, I don't think there's any way you will pass without the cat on there. Part of getting the waiver usually requires that you pass an inspection where they check to make sure that you have all of your emissions equipment in place as well. So, either way, it looks like you will need to put a cat on.

20sailor

iTrader: (3)

hey, guys,
fyi the state of Md. doesn't use the dyno anymore. After many, many catastrophic engine and transmission failures caused by improper setup and testing procedures, they went back to the sniffer for pre 1996 cars.
I had a streetport w/boltons and 4 850's. Emmissions was a bitch until I toook the tank down to the light and added 3 qts. of dry gas. Immediately afterwards, I filled up. This got me thru for 4 years. I did, however have a cat. (bonez). Hope this helps,
spike

EugeneChoe

so is there a way to tune it or do things like add dry gas (btw what is dry gas?) to get through just the sniffer check for emmisions? thanks again for all the replys