Fail -- Smog

[High Desert Ranger]

My 1987 Ranger 2.9l 4wd Just Failed Smog Inspection. Can Someone give me ideas of where to start?

Lost on how to post an Image?

 

[Twister]

My 1987 Ranger 2.9l 4wd Just Failed Smog Inspection. Can Someone give me ideas of where to start?

Lost on how to post an Image?

This should help with the image.

When was the last time you did a tune up, that could help some. Sorry that's all i got, we don't do smog where i live.

 

[brother rat]

If you can't get the picture up, can you post which category exceeded the acceptable level? (HC, CO, NO) And by how much? That might start to point you in the right direction.

EDIT: Thanks Twister, now I can see the image.

You exceeded the acceptable Hydrocarbon level at 25 mph, meaning you have unburned fuel in the exhaust. When was the last time you changed plugs & wires?

 

[adsm08]

Yeah, Rat is right. The only thing you failed was the unburnt fuel in the exhaust on the 25 MPH test. Throw some fresh plugs and wires at it, maybe a coil and TFI too, and head on back.

 

[Mark_88]

Do those engines have smog pumps? The results look like mine...and my smog pump wasn't working properly...would have passed easily with a good cat and smog pump...

If not...try the other suggestions above...so close you could almost feel the sticker going on!

 

[brother rat]

After looking at it again, it also shows on the 15mph test that you tested right at the limit for NO. It might be worth looking into how old your catalytic converter is also.

 

[cody93]

just wondering, is your truck burning a little bit of oil? i had an 88 that would fail until it had a thicker weight oil in it. 2.9s are notorious for puffs of blue smoke, if they aint puttin out blue smoke, they're probly making white smoke

 

[adsm08]

just wondering, is your truck burning a little bit of oil? i had an 88 that would fail until it had a thicker weight oil in it. 2.9s are notorious for puffs of blue smoke, if they aint puttin out blue smoke, they're probly making white smoke

For the duration of my ownership I have never had either color smoke from the tailpipe of any of my 3 2.9's.

 

[cody93]

i wish i had engines that were treated that well :\

 

[High Desert Ranger]

The engine was rebuilt about 20k ago. I'll look at the plugs, wires and other tune up stuff.

The truck did not come with a smog pump or an EGR.

It does not blow white or blue smoke.

Has anyone ever tried this CRC Guarented to Pass Stuff?

 

[adsm08]

i wish i had engines that were treated that well :\

One was kept up with, one was rebuilt 5000 miles before I bought it and one had a head job 10,000 before I bought it.

 

[gw33gp]

With it being slightly high on both HC and NO, I have to lean toward the catalytic converter if it has not been changed recently. You are so close to passing as is.

My 89 2.9L had almost 200,000 miles on it when I sold it. It kept getting closer to the limits on emissions and I knew the original catalytic converter was near needing replacement. Everything else was totally up to spec. It would be near low a qt on oil at around 5,000 miles and never had any kind of smoke come out of the exhaust.

 

[Mark_88]

Has anyone ever tried this CRC Guarented to Pass Stuff?

Yes, I tried it...my truck failed...but it was very close...like yours...not sure if that stuff works because I haven't tried it since...but yours is close and if you want to try it I don't see why it would hurt...unless you only have so many tries at it...

Your cat is responsible for burning off excess fuel and aided, usually, by a smog or air pump...if your's didn't have one (most FI engines don't but some do, especially in CA) you might even consider putting one on...but it requires a bit of work...cheaper than changing the cat...but if you can change that it will probably pass with flying colours...

 

[brother rat]

Your cat is responsible for burning off excess fuel and aided, usually, by a smog or air pump...if your's didn't have one (most FI engines don't but some do, especially in CA) you might even consider putting one on...but it requires a bit of work...cheaper than changing the cat...but if you can change that it will probably pass with flying colours...

I would strongly advise against trying to add a smog pump to your truck. In California, you aren't allowed to alter anything in the emissions system. Any [honest] tech who sees a smog pump retrofitted to a vehicle will immediately fail your truck on visual inspection.

Just invest some cash in your truck. Have the converter changed and do a tune up. Your truck will likely pass.

 

[Mark_88]

I would strongly advise against trying to add a smog pump to your truck. In California, you aren't allowed to alter anything in the emissions system. Any [honest] tech who sees a smog pump retrofitted to a vehicle will immediately fail your truck on visual inspection.

That's good to know...Canada is just about as bad as CA for emissions and the techs here are always having to call Drive Clean for adjustments...they might allow certain mods if it was going to actually improve on the test results though...like allowing me to put an electric air pump instead of the impossible to find original equipment...