California BAR smog referee woes

[m_dudey]

so I got my BAR sticker today. then I went to a smog only station to get the smog done. FAILED. thing is, I drove the car for an hour to get the cats hot. but when I got to the smog place, I had to wait an hour before it was my turn. when it was almost my turn, I started up the car and let it idled for 15 mins. here are the results





I have the stock obd1 exhaust manifolds, stock midpipe with stock cats (previous owner says 100k miles and passed AZ smog), and a non-M e36 exhaust.

the smog guy says the cats seem slow to respond and told me it's most likely the cats. should I find new cats, put it on and then re-test? or should I re-test one more time with the cats hot hoping it will pass? am i pretty close to passing? anyone have a obd1 cat that is known good to pass smog?

any inputs from smog guys here is greatly appreciated. thanks.

[White Nightmare]

so I got my BAR sticker today. then I went to a smog only station to get the smog done. FAILED. thing is, I drove the car for an hour to get the cats hot. but when I got to the smog place, I had to wait an hour before it was my turn. when it was almost my turn, I started up the car and let it idled for 15 mins. here are the results





I have the stock obd1 exhaust manifolds, stock midpipe with stock cats (previous owner says 100k miles and passed AZ smog), and a non-M e36 exhaust.

the smog guy says the cats seem slow to respond and told me it's most likely the cats. should I find new cats, put it on and then re-test? or should I re-test one more time with the cats hot hoping it will pass? am i pretty close to passing? anyone have a obd1 cat that is known good to pass smog?

any inputs from smog guys here is greatly appreciated. thanks.

Do a general tuneup is you haven't already. HC is unburnt fuel. Your nox and CO are a little higher than normal but far from bad. Also, your cat won't get hot enough at idle. Before I smog test I keep the RPM at about 3k for one min. If anything I would suspect a O2 sensor but do the easy stuff first. I doubt its your cats because everything else looks decent.

-Chris

[surebimmer]

Numbers don't look bad. Cats look to be working. I would do a oil change and throw some new spark plugs in there.

[m_dudey]

hmm, I did a fresh oil change on it before smogging it yesterday.

the current spark plugs in the engine have about 60k miles on them. they are the NGK 4 prong ones. I guess I can try the iridium plugs currently in my e36 m3. also, I can put a known good obd1 o2 sensor on from my mom's touring. the air filter is a K&N cone filter and looks almost brand new clean.

[Wh33lhop]

Do a general tuneup is you haven't already. HC is unburnt fuel. Your nox and CO are a little higher than normal but far from bad. Also, your cat won't get hot enough at idle. Before I smog test I keep the RPM at about 3k for one min. If anything I would suspect a O2 sensor but do the easy stuff first. I doubt its your cats because everything else looks decent.

-Chris

I just beat the piss out of it before I bring it in. :p

[surebimmer]

60k on those plugs, time for new stock plugs. Can all most guarante with fresh stock plugs you will pass.

[evangreen]

most of the time fail at 15 and pass at 25 means cats weren't hot enough to begin with, then got hot after the 15 mph load was applied.

Find a place that can save you a spot or go right at opening, drive on the freeway in 3rd for 20 min before and i would be VERY surprised if you dont pass.

Ive bought three bmws that didnt pass smog, all of which did after this procedure

[JoeMadoo]

This thread just made me so freakin happy. I was ready to sell my e30 in favor for one that wasn't on the Bar referee "fail list". Last time I went a few years ago, my n/a m30 passed visual and function but was a gross polluter. Any one tried to pass with a turbo and megasquirt?

[Jean]

How are you going to pass visual with turbo/ms? Unless it's a 745i turbo (or some other factory turbo motor) stuff i don't think it's possible in CA.

[JoeMadoo]

not possible at all? so there is no such thing as a legal turbo in CA...

[reelizmpro]

Sure if you get a CARB certified kit from a tuner like Dinan. I think Dinan was the only one and I don't think they turbocharge anymore.

[416stroker]

not possible at all? so there is no such thing as a legal turbo in CA...

Just convert it to natural gas and get it bar'ed then swap back over to fuel. Its a lot of work but doable

[JoeMadoo]

Thats sounds easy. I'm gonna try and take it anyway and see what they say. If anything I guess I'll have to loose the turbo every 2 years. I was gonna buy a this cat but I'll wait until I have to.

[White Nightmare]

Any one tried to pass with a turbo and megasquirt?

Never gonna happen.

[Guerc]

So I set my appointment with the Calif BAR referee for next week. Going to the Alameda location.

I've read this thread in detail. Anyone with final suggestions? I'm planning on leaving an envelope full of $20's on the dash and a gift-wrapped bottle of Jack in the trunk.

In principle, it shouldn't be that hard. It's a clean install. I'm mostly worried of the unknown, or that I might have a d@ckhead doing the inspection.