Durasparky question

[BeaterMan]

Im on the fence right now if i wana tbi my truck or duraspark and i'm leaning towards durapark because i wouldnt need a new fuel pump and dual tank selectors and return fittings ect ect. But my question is, has anyone successfully gotten their duraspark 2.8 to pass emissions without major issues? The truck passed 2 years ago running like complete crap and no cat at the time so i'd hope it would pass after durasparking and its got a cat now. ANy insight would be much appreciated as im due for smog in june and i'd like to duraspark it before memorial day weekend which isn't an issue but i want to be sure it'll pass emissions after doing this.
-mike

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If you duraspark and it fails they will probably do a visual inspection and you will not be able to do a waiver for it. Been there what have you done to it with the computer all hooked up did you pull the codes.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

So is this the last year you will have to pass emissions it is 25 yrs here and we test every other year you can probably get it to pass with what you have depending on how much has been deleted or disconnected under the hood I failed the first two tests and had to pay for the third after getting a receipt from a mechanic to basically do nothing and then it passed. I got it good and warm then leaned the idle screws way down to where it ran kinna rough a couple of blocks before the test station the after it passed in there parking lot got it to idle right and drove away. It might help to disconnect the battery for 15 minutes after all the vacuum lines and everything is connected correct drive it for about 15 minutes then check the codes KOEO and see what you get. the tech library here will tell you how to pull the codes if you dont know.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

from what I hear the TBI swap dont give you alot more as far as performance on the 2.8 as the duraspark and the duraspark works real good on mine I would recommend putting new valve guide seals in if your plugs are not burning clean and white.

 

[BeaterMan]

The plugs looked great last time i had them out and from what i got from the previous owner the engine was replaced at some point and shouldn't have much more than 40k miles on it. Fortunately my buddy had an old code reader and when we hook it up nothing comes up, but i can unplug almost all the sensors and the truck runs the same.lol the fire wall has a leak in it and definately my computer has/had water running down on it for the past two years so i cant say how well it's working. it definately has carb issues yet the carb is rebuilt but the mixture solenoid on the back does nothing, it can be unplugged and drive around all day and it makes no difference. This system is not reliable at all and i just wana get it to have something that is, while still being able to pass smog. I could get collectors plates for it and not do emissions anymore but when my current plates are like 28bux to renew its kinda hard to to say no to that.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

It kinna sounds like the computer is not working correct does it idle from the computer and if you dont hear a clicking from the feedback solenoid on the back of the carb you are running rich all the time. See if you can get a cheap computer at the bone yard for the same year and tranny and see if it makes a difference unplug the neg on the battery when you change it out and clean the intake air sensor in the air filter housing with carb cleaner good and is the vacuum line to the preheater door on the air filter connected and working with the tube from the exhaust manifold connected. The door should pull air from the manifold until it gets warm then pull from ambient air out the front

 

[kimcrwbr1]

The computer will go into limp mode and is just supposed to get you home go thru and connect all the vacuum lines and check all the wires and connectors did you disconnect the battery for 15 mins that will reset the computer but you need to drive it at medium speeds for another 20 mins to set the values then retest it KOER and be sure and do the goose test when it asks you should get codes. If you dont have a book the tech library has all the codes and procedures under EEC-IV here

 

[kimcrwbr1]

I found that getting the preheater door working proper is where you start the IAT sensor working right sets everything else up fuel mix and timing but it all works together and sorry for your bad luck I just checked the colorado emissions your state is as bad as california.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

On the KOER test when you get the single flash give it about half throttle till it flashes or the goose test then write donw the codes as they flash and dont get distracted write them all down then get back with us and we can go thru them

 

[BeaterMan]

um yea the door on the air cleaner has a vacuum line hooked up and all the lines are good and routed properly but the door doesn't hold vacuum to close it and never has since i've owned the truck. THere is no heat tube going to the exhaust manifold either but it did at one point before i swapped to other headers and honestly that made no difference. Im just so tired of chasing down these crappy eec-vI gremlins and on a 800$ beater woods truck that only sees the road going wheeling and camping, i just wana convert to something that is reliable and still emission compliant. Ive thought for some time that the computer hasn't or doesn't work but it connects to the scantool(made before i was born) and nothing comes back. When i first got the truck, it had been sitting in a barn for 5 years, i took it to my buddys farm and it came back with a lean mixture code. I went though and rebuilt the carb, plugs, filters all of it and it runs night and day from what it did and after all that there has been no more lean code. and no there is no clicking from the solenoid on the back of the carb, like i said i can unplug it and it makes zero difference how it runs.

THanx for all the insight kimcrwbr1, if i come across a computer at the yard i'll yank it and maybe a mixture solenoid, its just these old 2.8s are getting a little hard to find around here. I'm also gona run up to the emission place and see what my options are. We have this lovely thing called rapid screen here- all you have to do is drive by 2 in a certain period and there is no need to go get emissions if you could pass a roadside so maybe i could go by a few b4 june and then convert it and hopefully pass. I should have just gotten a fuelinjected truck but when this one was 800$ with a 4'' suspension lift already installed, it's kinda hard to walk away from that.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yea find out about the visual inspection I have been wondering if mine will pass emissions I did the duraspark and non feedback carb and she runs like a champ zero issues so far all I have to do is press the skinny pedal about 1 inch and she starts right up and can immediately put it in gear no stalling. you can get rid of all the vacuum and wires on the engine. I probably spent $200 total with carb and kit. The tech library will tell you part numbers and how to wire it you can use your carb just put a metering block where the feedback solenoid is on the back of the carb. I found the harness for the dizzy in the bone yard out of a 84 four cyl ranger. I also kept my air pump and thermactor working with the bypass valve on the same as the dizzy using ported vacuum but all you really need is the oil pressure water temp and alternator wires from the old harness everything else goes away sensors, solenoids, vacuum lines. the only vacuum you need is PCV, brake booster and distributor and you can run the dizzy on manifold vacuum if you use the stock carb. I inagine very few people get lucky enough to get the old emission crap working anyway what is the drive by thing I would imagine once you get it dialed in it could pass that one as long as the rings and valve guide seals are good

 

[BeaterMan]

Well i talked with the emission inspector today and i'm screwed! My truck must retain a feedback carb or go to efi (tbi or mfi) and i cannot swap to duraspark or it will immediately fail the visual . I could go to a bigger engine but it must be a fuelie and retain all emission crap. He also told me that in colorado there is no more sliding 25 year collectors window. To be a collectors in co. the vehicle must be a 75' or older- he said this is due to people taking pos vehicles that are gross poluters and getting collectors on them so they dont have to emission anymore.

I even asked this if i didn't have a feedback carb but the truck still produced the same exhaust readings would that be ok, and he said no because it wouldn't have a feedback carb. Which pisses me off, what does it matter whats under the hood of that perticular vehicle as long as it can still produce the same readings that vehicle was specified for ?????

so my options are..... 1) run it the way it is, slow unresponsive and unreliable
2) wait until i have to do emissions THEN duraspark it after and swap back to eec-v1 before the next emission test in 2012- saying the truck is even a sound vehicle by then, it gets alot of abuse so idk.
3) tbi, which would require at least $250 plus to get the remainder of parts needed ie. fuel pump, regulator, efi return fittings, fuel lines, dual tank selector ect ect.- i already got a somewhat complete harness w/ computer and tbi unit that i got for 40$ at the yard.
4) Using more junk yard parts TRY to get this current system to be more efficient and chase down all these eec-v1 gremlins i have. this truck is already more junk yard parts than i wana think so thats doesn't bother me.

im kinda leaning towards #1 and #4 and just beating the living piss out of this beast and when it becomes unusuable, upgrade to an early 90's truck with a 4.0 and swap all my lift components, axles and so forth over to that truck

and then there is always option #5....... nitrious?? nothing insane just like a 50 shot- ok i had to throw that out there either way. thinking of doing that to a buddys 2.9 that produces 65-80 psi compression on all 6 that has zero power but still runs and drives everywhere, everyday. lol more on that topic later.

 

[BeaterMan]

an idea just came to mind.... put a nonfeed back carb on the truck with all the other stock crap still installed and see if it passes and if it does, duraspark either way, if not put the feedback back on and leave it. i can fail a test and get it retested within 14days for free.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

Yea It is a tuff call you can try and get the feedback and computer working the way it is they do run pretty good as long as it is all working together

 

[kimcrwbr1]

if the computer dont sense the feedback solenoid working it goes into limp mode as well as the other sensors except maybe the knock sensor all it does is retard the timing when a knock is sensed. you might get lucky and not have to mess with it for a while but you are probably money ahead with the TBI so it will at least pass the visual I am pretty sure it will pass the finger up its ass test