[Ron Mummert]

This episode MAY help some of you faced with passing the dreaded state emissions test with ANY car.
As some of you locals know, for the last few months I've been been playing games with my other S*X, the Nissan 240 SX, in an attempt to make it street legal in the state of Merryland. This car has allowed me to retire the true SVX into the garage for weekend touring & pimpin' duty; so I want to keep it on the road 'til the lug nuts rust off. A few weeks ago, after 4 hours of knuckle scraping to replace the PVC valve, which followed all the other standard tune-up upgrades (plugs, plug wires, distributor cap, rotor, 02 sensor, vacuum line checks, EGR check etc., etc.), I flunked the dam' test for the FORTH time!! Yes - I've heard about "Guaranteed to pass the Emissions Test in a Bottle" remedies, but I'm a skeptic.
Each test re-try costs $14.00, so I'm getting weary! One PLUS in Merryland. This state will give you a 2 year waiver after you donate $450 to your favorite mechanic's power boat payment in an ATTEMPT to make all in harmony with the atmosphere, so I decided to go first class & stick a new CAT on the exhaust system. After all, the original was still there after 12 years & 235K, so for $150 plus labor (not mine), I would at least add this amount to my previous expenses & get paroled for two years, pass or fail. So yesterday "Homer", my trusted wrench buster installed the CAT.
I drove the car home & noticed something. The turbo was working very well, indeed! Well...what I mean is, it was as if the car had gained 20 horses. Hmmm.... So today I stopped by my new best friend's place, the emission test station - yes, I'm on a first name basis with the station manager, & showed him my stack of "good intent" receipts. He says, "I'm optimistic - I bet you'll pass this time".
I drive up to the lane , & whip out plastic - fourteen more bucks.
I watch the rollers spin, while the kid plays with the accelerator & gearbox. He stops & drives forward to pick up the computer print out. He hands it to me. Pass. Huh? PASS?! MOI???
I run into the office - "Hey, you were right"! Bless you!!
We shake hands. I feel like I just placed first in some kind of world rally event. My car is GREEN!!!

Well, I guess there's a point to be made. The CATs can make a difference. When all else fails, go buy (in the case of the SVX) a few aftermarket CATs & see if you can pass the test after all else fails. Now I get to sweat the "true" SVX passing the same test in two months. Oy!

Ron (It's always fun with playing with my emissions).