Failed Smog Check! Noooooo!

[johnunit]

with fuel injectors, there are basically three levels.

One, you get a fuel injector cleaner from any autoparts store, just pour it in your gas tank and drive around

level two is going to a mechanic and having them hook up a special machine with a really strong cleaner to the fuel lines right before the fuel rails, and that'll get them totally clean for sure. That'll cost you though. Not sure how much, but a significant chunk of change.


Level three is last resort, and will cost you a few hundred bucks. Change the injectors. Obviously you wanna be damned sure the injectors are bad at this point.



I'd just start with the 5 dollar bottle of injector cleaner in the gas tank. Any brand will work, it's just a solvent that cleans crap out and won't stall the engine. Run it through a whole tank, and with all the other stuff you're doing, it might be time to try the smog test again.

[mrltd]

actually 4...

between your 2 and 3 there is the pull yours and have them cleaned and flowed...

[WilliamFredrickson]

Okay, here's an update -

I've replaced the air filter with a new Fram filter and ran out all the old gas and filled up with 87 octane fuel...

Unfortunately, my friend that I was going to get to help with the ignition timing has no idea how to go about it for my car, but I've got another source for that... my dad knows someone who knows a guy that works at a Ford dealership that does repairs on the side at the dealership... he should be able to do it for me. Is setting the timing a difficult job? It kind of looks that way to me... anyways, if I get the Ford guy to do it, how much do you think should it cost? I want to know if the guy is going to scam me before I do it...

I also heard that the EGR valve can get dirty and hit you hard for emissions... where is this part located, and would I be able to clean it myself?

Thanks for the continued help everyone!

[86VickyLX]

i think it burns quicker so theres less chance of leftover unburnt fule out the tail pipe. the rubbing alcohol/gasline anti-freeze/"gaurentee-to-pass" exagerates this affect.

i never had a sefi car so i cant comment on that.

What? Yeah you do unless you converted it.
As for timing mang, you remove the SPOUT connector, the little connecter that is next to the distributor, it's a two wire thing. When that's disconnected, the car is running with no computer advance timing. This is referred to as base timing. Next hook a timing light to cylinder 1's spark plug wire. Start the car. Then shine the light at the timing pointer, which is located behind the crank pulley. The harmonic balancer should already have 10 degrees btdc labeled already. When the light shines you should be able to see the marking on the balancer if the timing is set correctly. If not, you'll have to turn the car off, loosen the distributor hold down bolt, so you're able to turn the distributor, label where it was somehow if you mess up. Then start the car up and turn the distributor as needed until 10 degrees btdc is reached. Then turn the car off, tighten down the distributor, and start the car again, and check the timing, if it is still 10 btdc, you're fine, plug the spout back in and see how it runs then.

[gadget73]

Timing is simple. Read this, it explains much:

http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00166.html

[WilliamFredrickson]

Ha-ha! I reset my timing to 10 BTDC and took it in to get smog tested again today...

and...

IT PASSED!!!

Thank god!

I was so excited and happy, that on the way home, I drove down an empty road, turned up the music and floored it until I hit 70mph for a good stretch to celebrate.... and then I tried to slow down... and the car wouldn't respond! Panicking for a good ten seconds, I tried to pump the brakes slowly, but it barely had any effect... slowly I managed to get to a stop and shut off the car... I investigated and tried to find out the problem and...

God, I feel so stupid for this... the floor matt was pressing against the accelerator, effectively wedging it to the floor somehow... I'm such an idiot!

Well, after that episode, I'm sure my brakes got a hell of a lot of wear, but hey, at least my car passed!

[87gtVIC]

lol congrats. That happened to many people before. But c'mon only 70?