Date:         Wed, 30 Jun 1999 10:15:11 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Kane <dkane@MAIL.ARC.NASA.GOV>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Kane <dkane@MAIL.ARC.NASA.GOV>
Subject:      Smog check results
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

        I got my '84 camper tested on friday, and thought some people may be
interested in the results. I know I'm always curious about how vanagons do
on smog checks. btw, this is in California.
        I always agonize over these tests, and since I have 3 Vans that means I
spend a lot of time agonizing. This van was due for a check in Feb, but I
knew the engine in it wouldn't wouldn't pass, and I was planning on
rebuilding it soon. As it turned out, someone on the list was selling a
used 1.9L a couple months ago. It was local, and a good price, so I bought.
Installed it that weekend. It ran fine, but i wasn't getting the gas
mileage i was expecting, so I didn't get it tested right away. after
fiddling with it on a few weekends, I was ready. So here are the results:

2500 RPM
                     Maximum allowable        average              measured
HC PPM               180                             35
  0
CO %                   1.20                           .20
   .08
CO2
       14.6
O2
         0

Idle RPM

HC PPM              150                              40
   0
CO %                  1.20                            .10
    .03
CO2
        14.3
O2
         0.1

        I guess CO2 and O2 are just for info purposes, there is no pass or fail.
I'm certainly pleased with the results. I didn't do much of anything to it
except change the wiring harness. For some reason I can't remember, I
didn't use the wiring harness that was on the used engine i bought, but
used the one from the old engine. It was giving me incorrect readings from
the throttle switch, so i changed to the one that came with the engine, and
it fixed the problem. The last week or so before the test, it started
running poorly again. I suspected the O2 sensor, disconnected it, and it
ran fine. I took the O2 sensor off of my '85 van and put it on it, and had
that on it for the test. other than that, i only set the timing.
        I watched the test pretty carefully, and i was glad i did. they were very
thorough about going through everything on their checklist, but made some
mistakes. they put down down the wrong engine size, 2.1 instead of 1.9.
They checked the timing, saw that it was atdc, but when they looked at
their shop manuals, the references seemed to indicate that it should be
btdc. I showed the Bentley finally, and they believed it.
        Next is my '87, that i am in the process of rebuilding the engine on.

Don Kane
'84 Westy
'85 GL
'87 GL
'67 Standard