Taking my truck to emissions today, Need help!

[Jacfourteen]

Never heard of the alcohol trick, that is a pretty good tip. here in Cali I don't have to smog my 68...I'm glad I don't.

[78bronzechariot]

Originally Posted by todd99

WTF? I've lived in Arizona for over a year now, both my vehicles are registered here and this is the first I've heard of smog'ing. I checked the DMV website and you guys are right. How did I manage to get registration and insurance without a smog?

Originally Posted by leddzepp

it varies by location within the state. my dad lives in havasu and no emissions check is required there.
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Originally Posted by todd99

Oh, I'm in Prescott. Is it by county?

Its a small world! I grew up in Prescott! I moved out here to Illinois five years ago because of family. Anyway, unless it changed it is only required in the metro areas of Tucson and Phoenix.

[wldcat10]

Originally Posted by justtime520

Lean out the carb a little and put a bottle of rubbing alcohol in the tank and fill it up. Thats how i got my truck to pass when i had worn rings. Just took emissions two weeks ago, made sure the carb was tuned right and passed with flying colors<----- new engine this year that doesnt smoke.

What size bottle/ amount of rubbing alcohol do I need to put in the gas tank before I fill it up? What grade gas should I fill it up with?
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[lakeroadster]

When I bought my 65 I had to get it e-checked prior to transferring registration. It flunked 1st round. The emissions guy here in Colorado suggested changing the oil to fully synthetic and installing a new set of plugs. Be sure though to get a synthetic that has the additives you need for your flat tappet cam. I used Mobil One 15W-50 and some new Champion plugs.

It passed second time around......

If you ask me it's all bull$hit..., but my advice to you is don't worry so much. Just play the game and keep smiling. They got a job to do, and you want to get through it, it's all good

Good Luck!

John

[stich626]

do an oil change, the fuel that got by the rings and is in your oil makes it fail..
as your pcv vavle sucks on the fumes..
efi doesn't have this issue as bad as it gets off the cold start fast, unlike your choke

[HARJO]

There is lots of debate between using rubbing alcohol and denatured alcohol. Denatured alcohol sometimes lists one of its uses as a "marine fuel".

I know denatured alcohol (paint section at HD or Lowes) worked for me in Nevada to reduce HC's and CO with an oversized carb on a 350. I added 1 gallon to half a tank of gas and presto-pass-o.

[brad_man_72]

I understand the alcohol, makes it run lean. But how would highher otain help it burns slower, might not burn before it exits the combustion chamber.

[KrazyRay]

I have first hand knowledge getting a 87 Chevy to pass emissions. I first went in and it failed the sniffer badly. The nice guy at the smog test place told me to put an 8oz bottle of Lucas Oil fuel injector cleaner with about 8 gallons of 87 octane gas. I brought it back in and it passed with room to spare.

[69sixpackbee]

Try Sea Foam too...great stuff!

[Jacfourteen]

Originally Posted by wldcat10

What size bottle/ amount of rubbing alcohol do I need to put in the gas tank before I fill it up? What grade gas should I fill it up with?
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I had never heard of the alcohol thing till I read this thread, so I wasn't sure if it was BS or what. Well I read up on it and it's legit. I read on another forum about this and this was the preferred method:

1. Get a gallon of denatured alcohol from hardware store
2. Run the gas tank near empty
3. After warming up the engine thoroughly go to a gas station that sells decent gas (chevron or whatever is quality gas)
4. Dump in the gallon of alcohol
5. Add about 3-4 gallons of 87 octane
6. Go straight to emissions station, hopefully pass test
7. Go straight back to gas station and fill up with premium gas.

The consensus was that for emission purposes 87 octane is best for complete combustion and that you want to dilute out the alcohol (by filling up the tank afterward) as soon as possible to reduce chances of deteriorating rubber fuel lines and/or gaskets in the carb. Also they said the denatured is better than the rubbing alcohol because it has lower water content. Lastly, members reported better success when outside temps were lower (more air means leaner mix) and when the engine was fully warmed (so choke is off). Hope this helps some people beat the sniffer!

PS: One tip I have to add is that before you get tested change out your air filter and make sure the choke is opening up all the way, also regular maintenance items help out too (plugs, wires, oil & filter, fuel filter, etc.)

[justtime520]

I just ran the tank almost empty and got the 16oz bottle at 70% and then filled the tank almost full. Leaned it out at the gas station. Drove it for ten minutes got to emissions and let it sit in idle for about 2 hours. <------ wait time. Should be good to go. Oh and my edelbrock carb was set at 2 and 1/2 turns leaned it to just under 2 turns. dont forget to take your time getting to emissions.

http://www.walgreens.com/store/c/wal...rod475-product

[wldcat10]

I never got a chance to take in my truck to emissions last week. So hopefully I can do it this weekend! I'm going to try that alcohol trick to see if that helps, I hope it does! This was the first time my truck has ever failed emissions since I've had it and I felt like crap! Hahaha wish me luck!!!

[KrazyRay]

I just took another truck in today for emissions testing. I put the Lucas Oil fuel injector cleaner in it with 8 gallons of 87 octane and it passed with lots of room to spare.

[Warrens69GMC]

Take the truck to Automax at Grant and Dodge, ask the ASE mechanic "Silver" to set the truck for emissions. Should cost you ~50.00

[too the max]

The alcohol trick works. I had a '68 camaro that would never pass smog but my dad had a flat bottom boat that had a big block blown injected alcohol motor in it so i would run 20% methanol, then after passing smog i would fill it up so it wouldn't lean the motor out, worked every time. Any more than 20% you could risk leaning the motor. I have to smog my '69 c10 for the first time next week, that's my plan.

[Rooster's 67]

How to adjust a motor to pass smog testing depends on the standards you are trying to meet and what portion of those standards you fail. I am master ASE certified with an L1 certification and used to do state certified emission repairs here in Dallas co. there is more to it than jsut waving a magic bottle or adding higher octane fuel. Everyone is making valid comments on possible cures for failures of "smog" tests. just dont under stand why its fixing it. Temperature and mixture (in the cylinder) are two of the largest contributors to what comes out the other end. if your testing for HC, CO, and NoX then you have to be running a good balance of timing,temperature, and mixture. and oil burning has to be extreme for most machines to pick up any appreciable amount of HC from it.(to the point of missfire then it smells unburnt fuel, ie: HC.)

[customcruiser72]

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[customcruiser72]

If high hydrocarbons then boost idle speed to 1100. Works every year for me
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[KrazyRay]

Originally Posted by Rooster's 67

How to adjust a motor to pass smog testing depends on the standards you are trying to meet and what portion of those standards you fail. I am master ASE certified with an L1 certification and used to do state certified emission repairs here in Dallas co. there is more to it than jsut waving a magic bottle or adding higher octane fuel. Everyone is making valid comments on possible cures for failures of "smog" tests. just dont under stand why its fixing it. Temperature and mixture (in the cylinder) are two of the largest contributors to what comes out the other end. if your testing for HC, CO, and NoX then you have to be running a good balance of timing,temperature, and mixture. and oil burning has to be extreme for most machines to pick up any appreciable amount of HC from it.(to the point of missfire then it smells unburnt fuel, ie: HC.)

The Lucas Oil mixed with gas in your tank helps seal the valves and rings in the combustion chamber. The better the seal, the better your smog numbers.

[wldcat10]

KrazyRay- I'm going to try this being that it would be the cheapest/easiest thing to do.

Warrens69GMC- Thanks for the heads up, if all else fails might have to head down there to see "Silver"!

[Hardesty454]

Well, from what I can tell... There have been alot of shade tree expressions listed here. The best thing would be to put a new air filter on it. Plugs (perferrably some hot burning ones, t45's would prob do it), run a quick bottole of G2P though the gas tank and before you fill back up throw in a bottle of upper cylinder lube. This will ensure you cylinders are clean and lubed (so nothing gets by them) and also the intake burn and air are at opt level. Another thing you may consider is throwing a fuel filter in there, maybe before the carb.

Let us know if you pass.

[KrazyRay]

wldcat10- Good luck with the test and make sure you are at normal operating temp.

[wldcat10]

Update - So I had time yesterday to take my truck into emissions. Stop and picked me up a bottle of the Lucas fuell injector cleaner and dropped it in my tank. Filled it up with 8 gallons of fresh 87 oct and headed to emissions. I would haul @$$ whenever I had the chance on the way over there. For some reason it felt a little more smoother and a lot more responsive when I push the gas pedal (could be my mind playing tricks on me?). Anyway I got there and there was no line so straight to the inspection I go! I PASSED! Man such a relief! Just wanted to thank everyone who helped me out with different suggestions/tips! I'm going to be adding a bottle of lucas fuel treatment after every tune up now!
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[406 Q-ship]

Originally Posted by Rooster's 67

How to adjust a motor to pass smog testing depends on the standards you are trying to meet and what portion of those standards you fail. I am master ASE certified with an L1 certification and used to do state certified emission repairs here in Dallas co. there is more to it than jsut waving a magic bottle or adding higher octane fuel. Everyone is making valid comments on possible cures for failures of "smog" tests. just dont under stand why its fixing it. Temperature and mixture (in the cylinder) are two of the largest contributors to what comes out the other end. if your testing for HC, CO, and NoX then you have to be running a good balance of timing,temperature, and mixture. and oil burning has to be extreme for most machines to pick up any appreciable amount of HC from it.(to the point of missfire then it smells unburnt fuel, ie: HC.)

Another thing is it depends on how far from passing the standards the vehicle is, if the vehicle is only over by a small amount then the alcohol will do the job (I know it works I got a few cars through Calif Smog tests when I was a smog tech assistant). If the car is over by more that a few percentage points then your gonna have to do some work. Oil change is a bigger deal due to the raw fuel in the old oil in the crankcase, does not need to be synthetic just clean fresh oil. 87 oct is a faster burning and will show a small improvement in testing but it will not cure a vehicle that has a vacuum leak or a screwed up carburator. Best thing is to due the engine service and tune up, fresh plugs and lean the engine down to a very minor lean shake, turn the timing back to the most retarted that is allowed (cleans up HC quite well to a point), and turn the idle speed up to the highest allowable level. When you get home your gonna have to retune the engine to get the proper performance out of it anyway.

[lakeroadster]

Originally Posted by wldcat10

I PASSED! Man such a relief!

Good to hear... now you can put that behind ya!