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failed emissions test


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AFschizoid
Novice

Feb 28, 2012, 6:57 PM

Post #1 of 11 (1976 views)
post icon failed emissions test Sign In

Hello, my name is Robert, and i have a question that i hope someone can answer.

I just bought a 1994 Mazda Protege SOHC, took it in for an emissions test in Arizona, and the CO% test came out fine but it failed the Hydrocarbons test, came out with values of loaded reading 236 PPM and idle reading 385 PPM when both are supposed to be 220 PPM or under. what is most likely the problem that is causing these readings?

Also, I don't know if this is related, but when the car is idling, quite often i will hear a click that sounds like it is coming from the rear passenger side, then the idle speed will drop drastically, another click, and it raises back up. It does this basically whenever the car is in neutral or the clutch is pressed in

(This post was edited by AFschizoid on Feb 28, 2012, 6:58 PM)


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 28, 2012, 7:12 PM

Post #2 of 11 (1955 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

HC is unburned fuel. First change the oil and look for any type of misfire issue. Check the ignition and timing.



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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



AFschizoid
Novice

Feb 28, 2012, 7:15 PM

Post #3 of 11 (1951 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

so the erratic idle, the dropping low, then raising back up, dropping, etc. could be causing the HC issues?


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 28, 2012, 7:17 PM

Post #4 of 11 (1939 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

Anything that's not burning the fuel completely can cause that.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



AFschizoid
Novice

Feb 28, 2012, 7:19 PM

Post #5 of 11 (1930 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

ok, thank you very much for your help, i'll let you know what happens after changing oil.

I'm much more a computer guy than a car guy lol


dr.donut
User

Feb 29, 2012, 7:01 AM

Post #6 of 11 (1890 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

I've read that most of the H C 's are taken care of by the catalytic converter, or the cat. is most promenent in that dept.


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Feb 29, 2012, 8:30 AM

Post #7 of 11 (1882 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In


Quote

I've read that most of the H C 's are taken care of by the catalytic converter, or the cat. is most promenent in that dept.



I don't know where you are reading. HC is unburned fuel and will ruin a converter..



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



AFschizoid
Novice

Mar 1, 2012, 7:43 AM

Post #8 of 11 (1856 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

Well checked the oil, its good, did a TuneUp, found a hole in the air intake hose, so we need to pick that up today, then we'll see how it runs


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 1, 2012, 7:47 AM

Post #9 of 11 (1853 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In


Quote
Well checked the oil, its good


You can't possibly know that. The oil absorbs fuel which is HC and will elevate the test reading.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.



AFschizoid
Novice

Mar 1, 2012, 7:57 AM

Post #10 of 11 (1847 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

Would it do it that much within a week? The Guy I bought it from had an oil change within the week that he owned it before I bought it


Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky / Moderator
Hammer Time profile image

Mar 1, 2012, 10:25 AM

Post #11 of 11 (1843 views)
Re: failed emissions test Sign In

I guess you though we already knew that, huh?



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.







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