Failed Emissions: High HC ppm's & High CO%

Wife took the Accord in today for an emissions test. It failed the HC ppm and CO%.

HC ppm was 187 out of an allowed 181 on the 25/25 test / 197 out of an allowed 187 on the 50/15 test

CO% was 6.79 out of an allowed 1.16 on the 25/25 / 7.08 out of an allowed 1.05 on the 50/15

NOx was a low 264 out of an allowed 1313 / 1923 out of an allowed 3000

CO+CO2% was 17.7 and 17.8 on both test with 6.0 being the minimum

Not even sure where to start, but I may start checking vaccum lines and replace the cap & rotor and check the timing. I searched for emissions and found alot of info to fix high NOx readings, but not for the HC's and CO%

Anybody have any ideas?

Oh, and the car is a 89 LX w/ 235,000+ miles, new NGK plugs and new spark-plug wires...

make sure your auto choke is opening up good and that your air filter is clean

check the vaccum system before you do anything and check it through reaaaaallll good, thats how I failed cause of a damn hose not hooked up. do this mainly before anything else

dont forget the cheap ones....oil + oil filter + air filter

Make sure the engine is up to temp before taking the test.(192) Also make sure the cat is hot as well. The hotter it is the better job it does. Usually high co and hc is a sign of a fuel to air ratio problem. On fuel injected engines, it's usually the O2 sensors. I replaced both of mine and passed the test the next time.

to state the obvious, you are probably running too rich, esp on a carb, i dont know how this can be cause carbs are tend to run lean. lean out the mixture. just run high octane for a while and get about 2 bottles of gas tank treatment bottles and dumb it in.

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Originally Posted by smufguy

to state the obvious, you are probably running too rich, esp on a carb, i dont know how this can be cause carbs are tend to run lean. lean out the mixture. just run high octane for a while and get about 2 bottles of gas tank treatment bottles and dumb it in.

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OK... I guess I'll check ALL the vacuum lines and mess with the air/fuel ratio and do the gas tank treatment too. Thanks for the advice!

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Originally Posted by smufguy

to state the obvious, you are probably running too rich, esp on a carb, i dont know how this can be cause carbs are tend to run lean. lean out the mixture. just run high octane for a while and get about 2 bottles of gas tank treatment bottles and dumb it in.

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Ok, I may not have proof of my car running rich while passing the emissions test, but I can tell you that I checked the A/F gauge before and after the test and still had the same numbers. I ran with 8.5 bars out of 10 which is pretty damn close to pure rich but it is there. so he can pass it with the same fuel mixture as I did with mine. dont have to run with high octane and use fuel system cleaner if ya want to, cause my car passed without all that stuff. just gotta check on the obvious stuff besides the fuel mixture. ause the charcoal canister, cat., O2 sensor, EGR valve, PCV line and filter, and all other stuff that is related to the emissions is what the main concerns are. if you have a place called greenslips, like where I took mine, look at the chart that they display by the front door that is main problems that can prevent you from passing. I'll try and get a picture of it when I get off tomorrow and show you what I mean. It may not show the fine details to what are what cuase the print is in really small letters in person.

magny, high Carbon monoxide, or hydrocarbons are by products are richer running engines and high NOx is the result of leaner running engines. THe A/F gauge is not accurate under any throttle position besides WOT. THis is because the stock O2 sensor cannot read accurate oxygen leves in the exhaust below WOT, hence narrow band. If you used the wide band (4 or 5 wire O2 sensor then its accurate under any Throttle positions).

the reason i say this is because i failed my emissions for high CO and i bumped my fuel pressure down cause i was pushing 43psi of fuel pressure. I bumped it down to 35 psi and retarded the ignition timiing for about 3 degrees and it was good and i passed emissions with no problem.

the gas treatment, is methanol which under combustion yields low CO so thats why i ran two bottles of it, Premium fuel was to ensure cleaner burning and not to worry about additives in the Regular.

all i know is, i need a tune up bad :)

Where is the O2 sensor on a carb'd car? Could it go bad? The car has 230,000+ miles.

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Originally Posted by Magny

if you have a place called greenslips, like where I took mine, look at the chart that they display by the front door that is main problems that can prevent you from passing. I'll try and get a picture of it when I get off tomorrow and show you what I mean. It may not show the fine details to what are what cuase the print is in really small letters in person.

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If you could get a pic, that would be great, we don't have Greenslips here in Atlanta... Thanks!

O2 sensor doesn't do shit on carbed cars.
i think your problem may be your ignition.
the spark is not hot enought to burn the fuel mixture all the way.
check your spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, distributor rotor and coil.
if you haven't done tune up in a long time it is about time to do one.

PS. if you don't know your way around the engine, please let some one who knows about them to work on your car.

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Originally Posted by shepherd79

PS. if you don't know your way around the engine, please let some one who knows about them to work on your car.

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I think I can handle the engine after replacing the PCV valve, the alternator, spark plugs, wires oil & oil filter all by myself. Also, the Haynes manual is my friend :D

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Originally Posted by smufguy

magny, high Carbon monoxide, or hydrocarbons are by products are richer running engines and high NOx is the result of leaner running engines. THe A/F gauge is not accurate under any throttle position besides WOT. THis is because the stock O2 sensor cannot read accurate oxygen leves in the exhaust below WOT, hence narrow band. If you used the wide band (4 or 5 wire O2 sensor then its accurate under any Throttle positions).

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well I only know that my car produces 8.5 bars cause I only see that much at WOT anyways, thats why I posted that number.


as for the poster thing, the shop is closed today so gonna get it tomorrow.

Update: Replaced Rotor, Cap is in great condition, spark plugs and wires are only 1 or 2 months old, sprayed out the carb w/ carb cleaner and ran a bottle of Greased Lightening Fuel treatment through... Tomorrow, I'm going to put 2 bottles of fuel treatment in, fill up w/ 93 ocatane, and mess with the air/fuel ratio like someone mentioned... I just need it to pass - we're moving to Florida next year and they don't have emissions...

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Originally Posted by 98serwtricks

Update: Replaced Rotor, Cap is in great condition, spark plugs and wires are only 1 or 2 months old, sprayed out the carb w/ carb cleaner and ran a bottle of Greased Lightening Fuel treatment through... Tomorrow, I'm going to put 2 bottles of fuel treatment in, fill up w/ 93 ocatane, and mess with the air/fuel ratio like someone mentioned... I just need it to pass - we're moving to Florida next year and they don't have emissions...

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im sure u will pass emissions this time, if u dont then just get a tune up for ur valves, like get the valve timing and everything turned to spec. u will defenitely pass.

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Originally Posted by smufguy

im sure u will pass emissions this time, if u dont then just get a tune up for ur valves, like get the valve timing and everything turned to spec. u will defenitely pass.

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Cool! I hope you're right!

Ok gang - after running a bottle of greased lightening, spraying out the carb w/ carb cleaner, filling up w/ 93 octane and adding 2 bottles of cheap fuel treatment - the Accord has passed emissions!!!!! Thanks for all your suggestions. This is a great forum BTW! :D

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Originally Posted by 98serwtricks

Ok gang - after running a bottle of greased lightening, spraying out the carb w/ carb cleaner, filling up w/ 93 octane and adding 2 bottles of cheap fuel treatment - the Accord has passed emissions!!!!! Thanks for all your suggestions. This is a great forum BTW! :D

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you know i told you that you will pass. hehehe, awsome job buddy. Now u can find ways to add power to your car and make it totally street illegal. :birthday: