So, I get a letter stating for me to go to a Test-Only smog center. After going there, it fails miserably...and eventually have my car checked out. So here is the timeline:

- Fuel filter is clogged and catalyic converter is hosed. Both of them are replaced with brand new stock parts. The other cat that looks more like a canister is okay. I conduct a SMOG pre-test and it still fails...but it is improving.

- Spark plugs are then replaced and coil wire replaced. I conduct a SMOG pre-test and it still fails...BUT, it seems like it's slightly closer...just a few more points required to pass. Not only that, the car is stumbling and dies several times on the way home. Sign of a bad opti.

- Replaced my opti (3rd one) and drive it around. The car misses slightly and is backfiring. Looking at the flange on the passenger side manifold and y-pipe, it looks like there is an exhaust leak.

- Rechecked the routing of the plug wires and #2 and #4 were accidently switched around. Mechanic notices a cracked passenger manifold. Asks if it will still pass and he said he doesn't know, but will put it on the SMOG machine to check.

- Placed it back on the SMOG machine and it fails MISERABLY!!! It's so bad, that I might as well not have done the upgrades as listed above to fix it!

So here is my thought:

- Will the cracked passenger side manifold be THAT significant that it throws off everything else I've changed (ie: new fuel filter, new cat, new opti...)

- With it misfiring, has the high concentration of fuel going through the cat already made me get another cat?? Since it's a dual cat system and one of the cat is replaced, will the old one need replacement? How can I tell it is bad? (I was able to tell the cat under the passenger seat was bad due to the rattling like pennies in a coke can).

- Any other thoughts/ideas on why it will never seem to pass SMOG?

 

cracked manifold, hummm....sounds like a good excuse for some headers

 

An exhaust leak before the 02 sensor will cause the computer to think the car is running leaner than it is and the computer will add fuel resulting in a rich condition. If you have the HPP put the fans back to the stock setting... a hotter engine helps emmisons a little. Probably not enough if you are failing real bad though.

 

You probably know this, but if you get "test-only" on your registration in Cali, you get $500 in fixes from the government after you spend $100 at a repair center. But you have to fail first, but your repairs to date would go against the $100 if you have receipts.

Sorry, can't be any more help.

 

I'm not planning on headers or anything else...I'm just trying to keep it somewhat stock. In fact, I am in dire need to sell this car because I have a baby on the way...and I think I'm getting old

Anyway, the car has been placed everything back to stock with the HPP.

 

So you put your stock thermostat back in?

 

Unfortunately, yes....

 

I'm in the same boat but just barely fail, I'm putting my SLP headers in and a new stock cat (the 1 year old high flow is bad, shattered with a speed bump).
Be sure to get the car and cat thouroughly warmed up, if the cat isn't hot it won't work.
The fact that your car is misfiring though is a concern, did you change plug wires too? It would be worth having a $65 diagnostic done on the car to see if you misfire is ignition related.
I was advised to go easy on fuel injector cleaners and some octane boosters because they can damage cats.

Good luck!

 

Cali is pretty strick about smog. Try putting in a little alcohol racing fuel in just before you take you test. It burns cleaner and they cannot detect it. Have you car on about a 1/4 tank of gas and put 5 gals of alcohol in it. Take it to the testing center pass and go directly to a gas station to fill up you car to a full tank to dilute it alittle. As long as you aren't hammering on it with the alcohol in it you won't hurt anything.

Good Luck!

 

This helped me:
http://web.camaross.com/forums/showt...98#post1118598

Tim

 

Sounds good to me...

...but this still won't work despite the cracked manifold, right? I'd still have to get that replaced regardless...am I correct on that? Or will the alcohol work miracles?

 

Regardless of what ever else you do, you need to fix the manifold. You can't go on forever with that problem, so you might as well fix it now!
Tim

 

No cheap fix, eh? Darn!

 

Where did you get the new cat from? Is it a high flow cat? You might want to get a different one from AutoZone, they've always gotten me through smog.

 

So I managed to have the new manifold put in and it fixed the exhaust leak...but it still FAILS smog!!!

I'm so tired of this...I wanna drive it off a cliff, and so does my mechanic. He says that it is having issues with unburnt fuel.

Any ideas? I'm on the virge of setting this thing on fire!!!