posted by
someone claiming to be 5th Volvo
on
Thu Feb 3 19:04 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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My 1986 240DL w/225K miles, using no fluids, flunked California Bay Area's new dynamometer Enhanced Test Only smog test, so needs to be junked.
Now, my 1997 850, at 135000 miles, just flunked as well. Nitrous Oxide level over 3,000, as opposed to allowable 400. Volvo dealer by law cannot now offer advise or diagnose. My Smog technician/mechanic, not too familiar with Volvos, re-diagnosed Volvo's recommended air pump, valve, and solenoid repair for $700, as simply a corroded solenoid for $75.00, cleared codes, changed plugs, air cleaner, gave me driving sequence to bring all systems to ready, verified they were all ready, and confidently sent me for test only test, and it flunked, big time. Fuel mixture is too lean, causing excessive NOX. Has since cleaned air injectors, cleaned tops of pistons, checked for vacuum leaks, replaced mass air flow device,
O2 sensor, and generally spent hours trying to diagnose, with very minimal progress in lowering NOX. He's out of ideas; suggested I let Volvo diagnose, since he lacks their computer, who refused, as illegal now that it flunked.
Anyone have a good solution, besides letting another shop charge me $2,000 to replace everything that may or may not be the problem?
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posted by
someone claiming to be Rob
on
Fri Feb 4 04:08 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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Yes, the new "test only" is a pain in the butt. My 78 MGB gets rejected every time I have to take it in and it seems that every 2 years I have to take it to the shop to get something else done to pass the newest set of regulations. It P's me off because I only drive it about 2-300 miles per year.
While I am completely for reduced emissions in CA I think some of the regulations are ridiculous. I seriously doubt that any of the Baja CA cars or the majority of the trucks passing through would even come close to passing our emissions standards.
Just venting, sorry.
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But you are right. Why should a car built in the 70's have to meet 2000 emission standards? Any "blue" plated car should be exempt. There aren't enough on the road to make a difference anyway. Other states use the standards in effect for that particular model's year.
Klaus
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98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)
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Please don't junk your cars, send them to Minnesota (blue state) where testing is not an issue.
The 850 running lean and hot should not be a cat problem, that heats the exhaust even more. It's not the air pump, unless the pump is running all of the time. The air pump is supposed to help cold engines heat the cat sooner to reduce emissions and turn off when the cat is hot.
I don't understand, the dealer cannot diagnose your car because it failed? Makes no sense. But the codes need to be read and written down, get yourself to an Autozone and report the codes back here. There could be a simple explaination.
Klaus
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98 V70Rawd(101Kmi), 95 854T(85K mi), 75 164E(173K mi)
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posted by
someone claiming to be Chad
on
Fri Feb 4 02:41 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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I live in San Francisco and just passed smog. Not however, before getting a new catalytic converter for $750.00. I have a 1993 850 GLT so there are no after markets for my year. You could probably get one for around $500.00. Although you may not feel this way right now, it is too bad the rest of the country doesn't follow our lead and strengthen their smog laws. . .
Good luck
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Is there a shop close by that can check the emmissions ahaead of the
catalytic? (This would require separating the exhaust below the manifold.)
If the results are similar to what you are getting coming out of the tail-
pipe, then I would say you need to replace the cat. (There is a reason the
catalytic converter on the 850's are about the size of a suit case.)
Cost is @$1000.00 Canadian; but I have seen them occasionally on eBay for
@$300.00 USD.
Good Luck!
Armie
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'94 850 154000kms '86 760GLE 272000kms
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I'll confess, i don't know exactly what "Dynamometer Enhanced Test Only Smog Test" entails, but I've been required to go eot dyno testing on all our cars every couple of years for about the last 15 or 20 years.
My '98 recently passed NJ's dyno test with flying colors.
In fact, every Eurocar I have ever had has passed dyno testing by a wide margin.
My kid's '88 Merc, 180,000 rarely maintained miles, oil-fouling the #8 plug, the noisy flywheel knocking away on the State's dyno during the test (the repair bill was within $20 of the book-value of the car), and according to the dyno printout THAT ancient P.O.S. passed the dyno test with flying colors! We have been unable to get that ancient, rusty, ugly piece of iron to flunk so it can go on to meet it's ultimate destiny, to be compressed into a cube and get shipped to Korea to make into new Kias and Hyundais! Thank you Robert Bosch!
Amazing!
I think you have about three options: 1.) Find a tech who knows how to work on Volvos 2.) Junk it and buy a new Honda (Do the techs doing the testing get a kickback from Bay Area new car dealers for every older car they kill?) or 3.) Pack up your car and escape to the freedom of a "Red State".
I'd refer you to my indy Volvo shop, they're really good at keeping old Volvos on the road, on-the-cheap, but I imagine it's a kinda long drive for you to the Jersey Shore.
BTW, I'd think someone could make a good living buying rust free about-to-be-junked-for-emissions-results Volvos in Cali and selling 'em in the rust belt. There are always a bazillion parents looking for nice, cheap Volvos for their teenagers.
-BTC
'98 V70 T5 5-speed, 155k mi, front IPD stabilizer bar, rear factory HD bar, Bilstein HD, Volvo strut tower brace and skidplate, e-codes, V-1, Mobil-1 since new, Michelin Arctic Alpins, covered in snow this morning (again)
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"illegal now that it flunked"? All sounds very strange. I'd say move out of California - or at least move the cars out of California. Seriously I think I would just consider selling the car out of state.
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You could try putting a new cat in it and you might get it to pass but it will not address the root issue of the vehicle running too lean. The cat is there to clean things up but it is by no means a garbage disposal unit and using it as one will burn it up, especially if you are running lean. Lean=heat and heat=high NoX. I would be suspect of the parts he is using. The MAF and HO2S, are they factory Volvo stuff or at the least Bosch replacement parts? When it comes to high NoX it is really a matter of what is causing the heat. Is it excessive compression (why head cleaned the piston faces), a vacuum leak causing lean running, a bad O2 sensor or MAF sensor, a resistricted fuel filter? Any one or a combination of these could be your culprit. Now the whole illegal deal what the heck is with that? I live in So. Cal and we are subject to the enhanced area dyno tests but the smog nazis don't come and take your car away if you fail. Is the dealer that told you this a smog test and repair facility? If they are not then yes it is illegal for them to do any repairs to your car in an attempt to pass smog. You must be a certified Test AND Repair facility to do so. How about the CAP (Consumer Assistance Program)program? If you were originally directed to go to a Test Only facility and you failed for tail pipe emissions ONLY then you automatically qualify. Get the paper work from any CAP Smog station, fill it out, send it in, and when you get the completed paper work back in the mail take it back to the CAP station and let them handle it. You will be liable for a $100.00 co-pay and then the state will pick up the next $500.00, anything after that is your baby. As far as factory only cats go that is not necessarily true either. The cat you have to put back in that car MUST be OBD II certified but there are vendors out there like Miller and Sol distributing that remanufacture those cats, are state certified to do so, and are cheaper than walking through the front door of the dealership. Anyhow, you should have something to think about. If you can enlighten me to the whole "it's illegal" b.s. Is that a liberal San Francisco only deal, because I have hours and hours of training and update training in the Cal Smog program and never has something like this been mentioned. The doctrine they teach is that you are either in the basic (non-dyno) or the enhanced (dyno) area and that is really all there is to it.
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posted by
someone claiming to be 5th Volvo
on
Sun Feb 20 12:47 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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Thanks for the info. I found out about the State Assistance problem, applied through DMV, am awaiting approval, and received a temporary registration window sticker good thru April.
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posted by
someone claiming to be Chad
on
Fri Feb 4 06:15 CST 2005 [ RELATED]
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You provide great information. I wish I hadn't of paid to have the repair prior to the smog test (I knew the cat had to be replaced). Otherwise, I wouldn't have had to pay it all out-of-pocket.
As you state, only those "Test Only" stations that are licsenced to do the necessary repair work can do it. If they're not, it is illegal for them to do any repairs related to the failed smog. This is a state law, not one specific to San Francisco, "liberal" or not.
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