I failed emissions. What do the #'s mean and what can i do?

[kellie]

Your CO2 is pretty high which indicates that your car is probably running pretty well (right?). I think your next step should be to buy a new cat. If yours is rattling like you said, that should be enough of an indicator that it's time for a new one.

[Vicarious]

i just noticed that my car missfires also, did the paper to the exhaust trick. it flapped pretty nicely.

So i KNOW i need to replace all the 17 yr old cracked hoses. Now i need to check whats causing that missfire, might be a foulded plug/ig. wire.

I have no way of checking if its the O2 or the Cat or both. Would a code tool be able to tell me this? If i took it to a shop i know, would the mechanic be able to tell me whats up?

[surebimmer]

eBay item 230175003880 $71 shipped o2 sensor

[Jean]

I'm a little rusty on my emissions analyzing, but everything looks pretty normal. I'd definitely check for vacuum leaks even though your O2 doesn't look terribly high. Change the oil, fill up with a fresh tank of premium gas, change your plugs, try a can of seafoam to clear out carbon, and try again. I'm not sure if the ignition timing is adjustable on our cars, but if it's overly advanced, that could also cause high NOx.

What's the reason for filling up with higher octane ?

I ask because I read an article that said to fill up with low octane for higher burn to help pass emissions.

Taking mine in for a smog on wednesday.

[ptownTSI]

Jean I passed my e30 with 87 octane and guaranteed to pass, it was way way under the limit, 217k mile on stock cat too.

i didnt have any vacuum leaks and the thing runs like a top though, this guys E30 needs some basic maintenance first. AND a new cat, those numbers are way hight.

look to spend $80-120 for a cat on an E30 if you have a shop weld it on.

[ptownTSI]

i just noticed that my car missfires also, did the paper to the exhaust trick. it flapped pretty nicely.

So i KNOW i need to replace all the 17 yr old cracked hoses. Now i need to check whats causing that missfire, might be a foulded plug/ig. wire.

I have no way of checking if its the O2 or the Cat or both. Would a code tool be able to tell me this? If i took it to a shop i know, would the mechanic be able to tell me whats up?

misfires could be from bad ignition wiring/plugs. so change that stuff. fix your vacuum leaks too. you gotta get the basic maintenance under control first! the problem is that you've taken a crappy running car to get a smog twice and you didnt really learn anything other than you still have a crappy running car.

i think you need a new cat though, and 02 sensor.

[MA325is88]

I went through this with the last m42 that I had. It was the cat. 70 bucks from napa, welded it on myself.

[E30nate]

What's the reason for filling up with higher octane ?

I ask because I read an article that said to fill up with low octane for higher burn to help pass emissions.

a higher octane burns cooler, but it also burns longer allowing for a more complete burn. a more complete burn means less CO and lower NOx.

[Vicarious]

So i failed emissions again. I got a new cat at meiniki for under 300, dont rememebr exact price. Went in for reinspection and failed again.

My NOx is still very high, but a little tiny bit lower than last time. All the other numbers are below standard so the cat did something.

I went to a few shops before this and talked to a lot of people on a lot of boards and it seemed like the huge majority said its the cat. Well it was, and it wasnt. THe cat i had was completely gutted, totally empty. So i figured alrigth a new cat will deff fix the problem. Well it did, but the NOx is still at 2342, and the standard here in jersey is gotta be 1134 or lower.

What can this be? vacume lines/hoses? They are a bit old. O2 sensor? the car is running fine as it is.

Here are the new #'s

NOx: 2342 standard should be 1134 or less
HC: 132 standard should be 146 or less
CO%: 0.60 standard should be 0.82 or less
CO2%: 14.0 doesnt say waht the standard should be.
O2%: 0.7 again doesnt state standard

[xLibelle]

saw this today

http://e30.bmwdiy.info/e30-smog-survey/index.html

[shiboujin]

http://www.slidewaysonline.com/?q=node/23

It made my automatic pass with flying colors.

[Vicarious]

that article says that denatured alcohol will do nothign to the NOx, maybe even make it higher. That cali smog test spread sheet looks interesteing, but here in jersey its a little different, i dont get the 15mph and teh 25mph. The cars are stationary here and they just rev the engine and read what comes out of hte exhaust.

My sparks are replaced. I changed the valve cover gasket when i did that. Could i have screwed that up?> It says taht a faulty valve cover gasket might play a part in it.

That was probably the easiest thing ive evern done on a car, im pretty sure its alright.

So it seems my car is running lean... meh.

What really gets me is that the NOx is double whats the max allowable reading. the O2 sensor? i dunno. im really getting tired of this. Im not finansially privilaged to be throwing money into the car in hopes of it being able to pass.

Anyone know a trustworthy mechanic in northern jersey? preferably one who knows BMW;s?

[Jand3rson]

I know this helps you in no way at all, but I always laugh at these threads. I love not having to qualify for emissions.

[atomic]

but here in jersey its a little different

I thought jersey was all about being connected ?? You know slip a Ben Franklin and the person looks the other way ...... Or did I watch The Sopranos to much ??



Seriously I have heard that seafoam has helped others with their car passing smog tests. There is a thread in general discussion about it that might be helpful. Or goto here : http://www.r3vlimited.com/board/show...hlight=seafoam




Good Luck

[e30Matt]

I know this helps you in no way at all, but I always laugh at these threads. I love not having to qualify for emissions.

Seconded like a motherfucker.