Date:         Fri, 4 Mar 2011 06:18:17 -0500
Reply-To:     Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Dennis Haynes <d23haynes57@HOTMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Failed emission inspection
Comments: To: Gregg Carlen <gregg.carlen@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <AANLkTi=MKeEVFKu7MS+vB7vG9v5rAK_dAVAMa7f3G5mg@mail.gmail.com>
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The CO and NOx readings combined indicate a bad cat. CO above .5 is not lean
at all as .5 is the ideal before the Cat.
Over advanced ignition timing may also be a problem but you really need the
Cat.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
Gregg Carlen
Sent: Monday, February 28, 2011 4:51 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Failed emission inspection

Hey folks,

Guess I'm not too suprised that something was amiss when I went for my
emissions inspection today (Virginia). As many goofy things that the PO did
to this van (90 Westy)....

Anyway, here's the stats:

At 15mph
HC: 107 (limit 159), pass
CO: 0.83 (limit 1.34), pass
NO: 2568 (limit 1077), fail

At 25mph
HC: 104 (limit 155), pass
CO: 0.72 (limit 1.73), pass
NO: 2085 (limit 984), fail

Right off the bat, I'm thinking the I'm running too lean (e.g. combustion
too hot) and/or the cat isnt' doing its job.

My thoughts would be to a) check the timing and b) replace the cat (there's
a non-standard muffler welded onto the cat, so it will be a new cat and
muffler/tailpipe; which I was planning to do eventually anyway since its
louder than a stock muffler would be).

Thoughts? Am I headed in the right direction? (Yes, the cat was hot when I
took it in).

Gregg
90 Westy