Car wont pass smog..... need some help!!

[Wasefi]

I have smogged my car twice already and have failed both times due to the fact that is has high NOx levels. I dont want to spend money on buying a new cat. as well as sourcing the problem. If somebody would be kind enough and point me in the right direction to help me get a smog completed; so that I can get my new tags i would greatly appreciate it. Also, DMV is requesting it to be smogged at a STAR Station.

[efficient]

in for outcome.

[maclogos]

Have you changed the O2 sensor? Last time the car had a tune-up? Ran the car hard so the cats can get to correct operating temp and not allow the car to be shut off before the test was ran? How old are the cats?

[Skunkworks]

so you are saying that you don't want to fix the problem correctly but want to pass smog to get your tags?

Buy a cat, 02 sensor and do a cheap tune up. best $400 bucks you will ever spend.

[smitche]

was the reading high at both 15 and 25mph? How high was it? never do a cat first. a new cat will mask other issues and just go bad again if you don't fix them.

[maclogos]

Even if you are looking for a illegal smog hookup be prepared to spend 200+ anyways. It would be wiser to just fix it correctly. Most likely not a bad cat. Just replace the O2 and start from there. Tune up parts are cheap.

[IRON-E]

so you are saying that you don't want to fix the problem correctly but want to pass smog to get your tags?

Buy a cat, 02 sensor and do a cheap tune up. best $400 bucks you will ever spend.

Or he can send me the $350 + I'll send it to a friend of a friend, of a friend's friend and he'll get his tags. ;)

[QUKBMER]

Or he can send me the $350 + I'll send it to a friend of a friend, of a friend's friend and he'll get his tags. ;)

........And then you can pick it up from me for an extra $150.00.;)

[Wasefi]

One of the main reasons why I dont want to spend the time trying to figure out what the problem is that fact that I have a s52/zf tranny/3.15 mcoupe diff waiting to be transplanted in.

But I failed at 15mph due to high NOx on both tests. I thought I had some air leaking after the maf so I corrected it and the numbers improved but barely.

The cat is fairly new and replaced a few years ago rite before I purchased the vehicle.

As soon as I get home tonight I will post up pictures of my smog numbers. A buddy of mine is a BMW tech iii at East Bay and he showed the measurements to his co-workers and they said it could be multiple things because I barely failing the smog test.

[Cabriolet]

high NOx comes from the car running lean. you either have air leaks and or need an O2 sensor.

[smitche]

not trying to bust your balls here... but did you get the nice and hot before the tests? did it get on the roller right away, or did it have time to cool? based on my personal experience, and what you are telling me, I'll cast my vote for o2 sensor. Maybe see if you can borrow one locally just for the test.

[Thizzelle]

i'll sell you my tags for $100

[Wasefi]

high NOx comes from the car running lean. you either have air leaks and or need an O2 sensor.

Yeah I am thinking I might need to get an 02 sensor, just trying to avoiding spending anymore money on this engine when I have another one in the garage.

[Wasefi]

not trying to bust your balls here... but did you get the nice and hot before the tests? did it get on the roller right away, or did it have time to cool? based on my personal experience, and what you are telling me, I'll cast my vote for o2 sensor. Maybe see if you can borrow one locally just for the test.

Yeah I beat the shit out of the car all the way from san jose to hayward that same morning and had an appointment at the smog shop

[Wasefi]

Sorry for taking so long but here's the two different measurements charts from the smog station.

1st attempt.



2nd attempt with some minor improvements.