I Dont Pass Smog....help!

[Dou6hb04]

Ok I dont pass smog.. I got 377 points and the max is 180 on Hydrocarbon... they said I emit too much fuel on my exhaust and I burn fuel. When they revved up my engine to 2500rpms the whole shop was filled with blue and white smoke and the smell was burnt oil and fuel... it stank... i did not pass the pretest and they said it might be the piston rings... so i checked the plugs and they were... the plugs were filled with oil... what should i do? I dont have money to rebuild the engine and i obviously cant get rid of it unless it passes smog... should i just junk it? i really need a car and i need a reliable one... unfortunately i only had the shark for about 2 months now... its a 77 L48.... black with red interior... i need help.. should i just get rid of it by sending it to shark heaven? or do i have other options... like donating it? or other ways? Im from San Francisco... and i dont know how to get rid of it

 

[vigman]

You could

Sell it as a part car.
Donate it to charity.
Sell it to a local wrecking yard.. one that does Vettes might give you more $$$

Make a deal with the same yard for a used GOOD engine.

Give it to me!



Vig!

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Move from the Socialist Republic of California.

 

[vigman]

Some helpful suggestions ( SMOG )

How did you get a car that wouldn't pass smog in the first place.. you have only had the car for 2 month's....right?

It's the sellers responsibility to SMOG the car...unless you bought it at a AUCTION or were given it.. so something like that.

How many miles are on the car?
What's it's history????
Does it look well maintained?

To determine if your rings are shot.. you need to have a compression test done, PERIOD do not take the word of a mechanic at the smog bay.

As far as oil burning.. it could just be the valve guide seals, without a compression test your just guessing.

Next ... the Q-jets ( the carb in your car) are notorious for leaking from the bottom and dumping raw fuel into the system.. have that looked at. ( local carb shop about $200.00 for a rebuild of yours)

What kind of oil ARE you running? Castoral 20-50 might help.. thicker oil ..less blow by.


Once this is all straight.. a tune up is in order.( Cap/rotor/wires/plugs/ set timing/air cleaner/fuel filter )


Then I learned a new trick...

You spray a little water thru the carb as she is running.. with a windex sprayer.. or pour it in VERY SLOWLY, small amounts.. otherwise you will torch the engine by hydrolocking it ( water cannot compress like fuel & oil) this will steam clean the top end of your engine ( top of heads, valves, top of pistons) and reduce HC emissions.

If that doesn't do the trick.. next would be a new catalytic converter.

Hope this helps.

Vig!

 

[Bob Chadwick]

Vigman makes a very good point. How did the seller get the car to pass smog two months earlier? Did someone pull a fast one on you? One of the benefits of lving in a state with big government is that they take an interest in things like that; particularly if it is a business taking advantage of a consumer and if it is one of their "pet" programs.

 

[Vette/Berlina-coupe]

-Hello to the land of Fruits & Nuts: -Numero-uno, don't drive the car if it is smoking like that (or at all really) as the Calif./Cops&Sheriffs have legal-discretion to tow your car and impound it for 30-days (something like $850), --it recently happened to an employee of mine who said he never saw the car smoke more than just a whiff ocassionally! Also, recently saw a car that had twice the amount of oil in the engine than required, --thus was smoking just like you described; seems the gal didn't know you could check the oil-level, ---so she just added a quart when she felt like it!!! Is possible something is afoul in the smoging-system to cause such an oil-ingestion problem. You were smart in having a Pretest for Calif.-smogging; --so you are NOT in deep tapicoa, as your car would have been otherwise ensconced in the Calif.-DMV Computer-record as a Gross-pollutor and such cars have to attend a special TestOnly/Smog-check Station. But you need to have it entirely fixed before they get their hands on it, or it could cost you bucobucks (always best to simply have'em Pipe-it off the record first as you wisely have done)! If you bought the car from a State-licensed Dealer, you can probably still mak'em fix it n'smog-it, if you threaten to go to the State-people about the foul-deal...
~Bob vH in SunDiego
:eyerole :eek :L :crazy

 

[vigman]

I think ya missed the fine print

" i did not pass the pretest"

SAFE stealing 2nd......


Vig!

 

[Mako]

Ok I dont pass smog.. I got 377 points and the max is 180 on Hydrocarbon... they said I emit too much fuel on my exhaust and I burn fuel. When they revved up my engine to 2500rpms the whole shop was filled with blue and white smoke and the smell

The car needs the following work before you even consider writing it off as a lost cause:

Compression check all 8 cylinders. Assuming the check looks good, your just looking at basic mechnical stuff:

Carb - either take it to a good carb shop or rebuild it it yourself. Contact Dave Herlinger in Mt. View for a referal to a trustworthy shop: http://www.corvetterepair.org

Once the carb is in good working order, do a full tune up on it:

-Cap and rotor
-Wires
-Check the plugs - the new ones may be fouled up already.
-Adjust the timing, verify the vacuum and mechanical advance in the distributor are working properly.
-Change the fuel filter
-Change the air filter
-Change the oil and oil filter, even if you just did it. Fuel contamination in oil causes all sorts of evil stuff to happen.

-Pour a bottle of Redline SI-1 into the gas tank
-Visit your GM dealer and get a can of Top End Engine cleaner and follow the directions on the can precisely to clean the grunge out of the pistons and valves.

Once all this work is done, you should be a happy Vette owner once again.

Bonus stuff that takes 5 minutes more to do:
-Check the front of the radiator for debris that may be clogging air flow
-Inspect the fan belts for wear and proper tension
-Check the power steering fluid for level and good condition is you have PS

Assuming good compression, I'm optimistic that the bulk of the problems are due to the carb being old and tired and in desperate need of attention. Get the carb fixed, dial in the ignition system and it'll almost certainly pass smog.

CYa!
Allen

 

[Dou6hb04]

Ok i checked the cylinders and most of them are weak... i didnt get a compression test, but i got all the cylinders checked and see how they are... and yeah... all of them are weak... and the only time the blue smoke puffs out is if it stays at 1500+ rpms... then u smell the oil burning but if its below that rpm range...u just smell fuel...

 

[Dou6hb04]

Oh btw i traded him my 79 camaro... so we did a fair trade and i believe my camaro doesnt pass either.. he told me before we traded and so we both traded our cars together and unfortunately both doesnt pass the smog test....so we got a partial registration... we still gotta smog both of our cars... so i dunno... what do i do? im thinking of junking it right now... unless someone wanna get it outta my hands...yall can get my 77 vette with an L48 for $1000...ill sell it as is..... so yall can just let me know

 

[rpounds]

A thousand bucks, huh? What kind of shape is the rest of the car in? I'm in so. Cal, so it's not too far. And, I'm always looking for a deal . . .

 

[MYARE6981]

Hi,

If you want to sell your car or trade for a reliable commute car you can contact me at 408-316 0422 or email me lamtuan698164@yahoo.com. I live in San jose 45 minutes from SF.
Only if you want to sell , but if you want to fix it I can show you where to fix it cheaper .

 

[MoeJr]

Take a deep breath and focus my friend. Your car failed SMOG. Now you come to us on the wonderful CACC board and have a wealth of knowledge at your fingertips. I am sure there a few guys on here from your area that would help you get the car to pass SMOG without breaking the bank. Ask and they will come. If I was on the left coast and close to ya I would help ya out. Don't sell it in haste you will regret it. Trust me I know.