Guys, need your help in getting our car thru BC's f---ing AirCare...even though it goes a grand total of about 500 miles in a summer. One ship coming into our port here once probably spews out more hydrocarbons than this car has in its entire 48-year existence..anyway, here's the drill:
We pass everything with flying colours except the CO Idle test. We're at 9.99% and a pass is 4.31%. Funny thing is, the last time it was tested we only had 5.03% CO, just a hair past the fail level. It failed then too but now we're virtually double the reading...anyway...
Here's what we've been told to do and I want to sse if anyone agrees or disagrees (BTW, we did have our speed shop guys set up the mixture before going thru but that still didn't seem to do it...)
Specs - high-mileage stock 283 w/a Holley 4010 4 bbl, Edelbrock intake, Pertronix electr. ignition, dual exhaust. Engine does not smoke but does have blow-by. Rings are not stellar.
We've been told to:
- change the oil
- lean out the idle mixture but not too much as we'll drive up the NOx reading (we're way under the max allowable NOx reading now..)
- put in a new set of plugs (Autolite 86's in now - I cleaned them but they were pretty oily. Even told to maybe go one heat range hotter and gap them to .060" due to the electr. ignition
- take the air cleaner off & make sure the choke is fully open
- add a half litre of methyl hydrate to the gas (no more than that as it's pure alcohol and can damage the engine)
- take it for a good highway run prior to testing to clean it out (I was even going to run a couple of cans of combustion chamber cleaner thru the carb beforehand - yes/no?
- keep it running at high idle as we wait in line for the test to keep everything hot
Anybody agree/disagree with any of the above or have anything elee to add? Sure would appreciate the help..
Hey 64ragtop , call my friend who owns Jim's Auotmotive in Langley , he puts the car on his "sniffer" machine and tunes your car to be under what is allowed for your year , then takes your car to AirCare and gets it through. His name is Greg , he gets cars through with huge horsepower with big cams , I bet he will get your car to pass! Tell him Lueger sent ya!!
Kevin , PM and I will give you my number to discuss if you like
-- Edited by lueger68 on Friday 11th of May 2012 09:52:20 AM
Sounds good to me but why the "wait" in Line?? Here in McGoofy land [Ont] at least they have an appointment time at the garage, so you do all the above,bring it in at scheduled time & wait is only a matter of mins. engine is "HOT" from your run down the Hwy.!! Your still "gettin Screwed" but in a More" effeceint way!!!!!!!
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Some times I wake up GRUMPY, but today I let her sleep in !!!!!!!!BLACKSTOCK Ont.
It all sounds good ... maybe change the air filter also.
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Prince Edward Island
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
You're high in CO so I think you need less hydrocarbon and more oxygen (you want that CO to become CO2) - which means you need to lean it out or increase air flow (new air cleaner could help). That'll likely raise combustion temp and yes, I'd expect that to raise NOx, but you said you're well under the allowable for NOx.
I would think that a slight advance on timing might help too, but I'm not sure on that one. If you have excess O2 in the exhaust, advancing timing might help?
The AirCare program is only in the lower mainland isn't it?
I always seafoam mine, not sure if it helps scientifically, but the smoke show is awesome. Which testing facility are you going to? I've had a run of bad luck at Boundary in Vancouver, but the North Van station has been good to me. Plus you can open her up on the cut. (big hill on highway 1 to all you non Vancouverites)
...yes to most of those things guys. We can take the air cleaner right off, which we will, and we'll lean out the mixture as much as possible 'cause we're in pretty good shape for NOx so can afford to do that. We do go to the North Van. station (for you non-BC guys, we have to go to designated BC AiirCare stations, not local garages, to get tested and there is usually a lineup...)
Anybody have any ideas on throwing something down the carb to clean out the cylinders? I think there's pretty good carbon buildup in the engine...
'64 Parisienne CS "barn find" - last on the road in '86 ... Owner Protection Plan booklet, original paint, original near-mint aqua interior, original aqua GM floor mats, original 283, factory posi, and original rust.
You can get Seafoam at Crappy Tire. I do 1/3 in the tank, 1/3 in the oil a week or so before an oil change and the rest goes into the intake.
Run engine to get it nice and warm before the procedure. Disconnect the hose from the brake booster. It'll be sucking air and the engine will continue to run. SLOWLY pour it in while you give it gas to about 2000 rpms so it doesn't stall. As you get to the end of the bottle, dump the last shot in and the car will stall. Leave the car turned off for at least an hour. I've gone a whole day before. Now the fun part.... It'll take a little churning to turn over, but when she fires look out. Huge plumes of white smoke will beltch out of the tailpipes and cover the area like a spy car from a 60's movie. When that clears after about 5 minutes of idling, you take it for a rip of spirited driving. And when you punch it, you'll see puffs of white smoke in the rear view. That soon clears and as the theory goes, your engine's innards will be cleaner.
Now I'd be interested to hear from the real mechanics on this site. Is it a solution or just snake oil in a can? Please weigh in.
...me too. I've also heard of pouring STP down the carb using much the same procedure - til it stalls etc. Does this really clean the cylinders out and get rid of the builtup carbon deposits?
Years ago I watched my grandfather (licensed mechanic) fill a clean coke bottle with water, take the air cleaner off a early-60's Ford sedan (cannot remember what model, it was a V-8 and 40 years ago). On a warmed up engine, he held the throttle open (probably about 3500 to 4000 RPM) and he poured the water into the carb. He didn't 'dump' it in, but it was a fairly steady pour. I think was watching make sure the water entered as small droplets and wasn't running through as a liquid stream, and the engine did not stumble. HUGE cloud of white smoke and then a big cloud of black smoke after he had quit pouring water. He kept the RPM's up for maybe 30 to 45 seconds after he finished pouring. No more pinging.
I wasn't very old but I remember being shocked when he started pouring. Always thought that was one if the gutsiest things I ever saw a mechanic do.
...heard of that too. Was actually thinking of trying it. Water poured in in the right amount can really clean out the cylinder 'cause after all, it's making steam right? I'll talk to my mech. before I do it though..
That seafoam works, but watch out for the Smoke !! A friend of mine who lives in langley did it and someone called the fire department because of the huge smoke cloud.. It was real embrassing for him because he was a vountier fireman and all his buddys came to the call. took him a while to live it down..
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Surrey BC
1963 Acadian Beaumont Sport Deluxe http://www.63acadian.com/
Years ago I watched my grandfather (licensed mechanic) fill a clean coke bottle with water, take the air cleaner off a early-60's Ford sedan (cannot remember what model, it was a V-8 and 40 years ago). On a warmed up engine, he held the throttle open (probably about 3500 to 4000 RPM) and he poured the water into the carb. He didn't 'dump' it in, but it was a fairly steady pour. I think was watching make sure the water entered as small droplets and wasn't running through as a liquid stream, and the engine did not stumble. HUGE cloud of white smoke and then a big cloud of black smoke after he had quit pouring water. He kept the RPM's up for maybe 30 to 45 seconds after he finished pouring. No more pinging.
I wasn't very old but I remember being shocked when he started pouring. Always thought that was one if the gutsiest things I ever saw a mechanic do.
We used to do the water thing just after un corking the headers , to clean off the carbon off the valves to stop the popping, then reset the timing..
If you have alot of blow by you will probably be getting alot of "fuel" from your pcv system. I would recomend changing the oil. Your car is running rich at idle. I have had great success with running a combustion chamber cleaner to bring down #s but your carb would need to be adjusted once you have made any changes oil, plugs, cc clean etc....
if he is in the lower mainland he needs to do it to get the insurance. they used to allow a fee to get \one years insurance, should be all he needs to get it passed the last year of aircare..
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Surrey BC
1963 Acadian Beaumont Sport Deluxe http://www.63acadian.com/
What about running premium fuel without ethanol, as I heard ethanol increases emissions. I have a 2008 Chevy 3500 express work van heavily loaded running a 4.8l. I get 200 km more out of a tankful using premium. It warms up faster and feels stronger, so I pay the difference but feel the difference in the seat of the pants and wallet in the long run.
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pontiax- (canadian pontiac X frame)1964 Parisienne 2dr. Hardtop ,lagoon aqua metallic (Q) ,421 cid Dart Industries block and heads. 550 hp. 575 ft lb of torque.
