Well, I'm trying to register my 89 325iC. It failed smog when I first picked it up, due to a capped vac. line and high HC and NO. The car had been neglected for awhile, and I knew it wouldn't pass smog as is.
It was running with a rough idle and was running rich, so I changed the ICV, spark plugs, replaced the fuel injectors, air filter, and coolant temp sensor. Castro Motorsports found a vac leak, adjusted the valves, and adjusted the TPS. At this point, it's idling pretty well.
Went back into the smog test, and my numbers were slightly worse.
I checked the temperatures of the exhaust pipes with an IR gun-style thermometer and found that the pipe was around 280-300F before the catalytic converter, and maybe 280-350F right after. Also, can NOx get that high with a good cat?
So, have I missed anything obvious, or am I due for a new cat? Did running the car rich by PO ruin the cat?
If I am, any good shops in the San Fernando Valley? Or is this easy for any muffler shop? I've never had to get a new cat on any car, but I figure it's not a DIY job unless you've got a welder.
Here's the numbers:
It was running with a rough idle and was running rich, so I changed the ICV, spark plugs, replaced the fuel injectors, air filter, and coolant temp sensor. Castro Motorsports found a vac leak, adjusted the valves, and adjusted the TPS. At this point, it's idling pretty well.
Went back into the smog test, and my numbers were slightly worse.
I checked the temperatures of the exhaust pipes with an IR gun-style thermometer and found that the pipe was around 280-300F before the catalytic converter, and maybe 280-350F right after. Also, can NOx get that high with a good cat?
So, have I missed anything obvious, or am I due for a new cat? Did running the car rich by PO ruin the cat?
If I am, any good shops in the San Fernando Valley? Or is this easy for any muffler shop? I've never had to get a new cat on any car, but I figure it's not a DIY job unless you've got a welder.
Here's the numbers:
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