My car didn't pass inspection!!!

[danronian]

Tonight I come home and the mechanic calls and says my car didn't pass inspection! I went over every part of the car I could, I even replaced half of the front suspension! This is the first inspection the car has ever had under my ownership and it failed the emissions test. The mechanic said that the emissions test place tested my exhaust manifold sensor and that was OK, but the car smells really bad like rotten eggs half the time which leads me to believe it is the catalytic converter. The entire exhaust on the car has been replaced other than that and the car does have 142K mi on it. Since the car produces no colored smoke of any type, and gets around 24-26mpg it would also lead me to believe that the mass airflow sensor is OK, any ideas anybody? The inspection rule is that until $250 is spent on the car's emissions system it is not exempt from the test, and the Catalytic converter costs $200 installed, so if thats not it I still have to spend MORE, what a pain! I just wish I would of known this before inspection so I wouldnt have to spend $50 on labor!

[guaynabo89]

Drive over to Reading and get it inspected there.

They'r trying to take money from you thats all.

[SMITHACCORD*&]

i ran into this problem. One they can't mandate how much you spend on your exhaust to get it replaced. And two have you looked at any of your o2 sensors thats why my car failed, You need to tell us which part didn't pass

[Grant2k]

if you actually want it to pass try changing your PCV valve and EGV too. the rotten egg smell is normal.

[danronian]

I thought if the PCV or EGR valve were bad they would make the car run poorly? Where are the o2 sensors on the car? They said that the garage checked the one in the exhaust manifold. Well its to late now, I already gave them the OK on doing whatever it needs to pass.

[Grant2k]

they O2 sensors are in the exhause manifold like you said.

[2old_honda]

I thought rotton egg smell means the cat is bad?

[Grant2k]

Originally posted by 2old_honda
I thought rotton egg smell means the cat is bad?

my dad said it was normal and i know it's a common thing to happen. i replaced my cat myself with a brand new one myself so and i still get the smell, but really only when the cat's real hot. i understood it to just be a byproduct of the chemical reaction that takes place in the cat.

[danronian]

Well I picked it up tonight and the mechanic said that the one spark plug was missing at some point and that there was a small crack in the wire causing it to do so. They also said that the timing was very off and that the distributer was not advancing and retarding with changing vacumm caused by different rpms. They said they retarded the timing to where it is supposed to be and changed the spark plugs, they are going to send me a bill in the mail so i hope its not too much, but with that much diagnosing it sounds to me like the labor might cost quite a bit. I actually thought the wires were just replaced since they looked new and the distributer was just replaced since the bearing seized and cracked the case of it. But now I am going to replace the spark plugs since I have a feeling they have never been replaced, I am probably going to get 4 of those high burn four electrode plugs, any opinions on those?

[1988starter]

I had the 4 electrode ones and ngk R plugs not too much difference but I now have NGK irridium IX plugs and I like those a lot and BTW there is this stuff at autozone pepboys ect. that you dump into your engine it is soposto heelp you pass emisions site says it works ask him.

[danronian]

Originally posted by SMITHACCORD*&
One they can't mandate how much you spend on your exhaust to get it replaced.

On the actual Montgomery County Emissons Paper one of the requirements to meet that allows you to be exempt is: "Emissions related expenditures must have been at least $150 and approved by a certified technician or other commonwealth approved inspector," and also, "Copies of the repair receipts for emssions related repairs bust be provided to the inspection station."
What a stupid law! What if you did the work yourself and bought used parts and it still didnt pass meaning your engine was beat, then you would be screwed!

[guaynabo89]

I didn't know emissions testing was mandatory in mont. county!

Can't you drive over to berks county and get it inspected there?

[danronian]

Originally posted by guaynabo89
Can't you drive over to berks county and get it inspected there?

Nope, its goes by the county you live in, when we got the titles transfered I mistakenly said I lived in montgomery even though our mailing address is Berks, so every car at our house doesnt need emissions except my 3g, what a pain in the ass!