Failed inspection

94SubieSVX · #1 07-04-2007, 08:47 AM

So my SVX failed the emissions inspection yesterday

The report said that "HC" standard was "100" but my reading was "285".
I don't know what I should do to fix this, any ideas???

SSSVX · #2 07-04-2007, 11:46 AM

do you have engine check light? how does your engine run? how many miles on your SVX now?

Your use premium gas on your SVX right?

Delfonso · #3 07-04-2007, 02:20 PM

when mine failed I was told it was the o2 sensors, but the guy at the shop just passed me anyways, and I haven't been back to check yet after I changed them.

svx_commuter · #4 07-04-2007, 02:28 PM

I failed last fall with 198
Then I did a few things and passed with Hc=100

How many miles you got on the CAT's?

I am pretty sure mine are burn up and done No more catylist......~300k miles

So I was very pleased when I passed.

94SubieSVX · #5 07-04-2007, 08:16 PM

theres not check engine light on. i have 145xxx miles on it. the engine runs pretty good overall, except when i get up to about 65-70mph it feels like a real faint hesitation for about a minute then it stops. And im almost sure that its the stock cats...Also i went to a state inspection facility so they're probably more strict than a mechanic.

b3lha · #6 07-05-2007, 04:07 AM

Does HC mean hydrocarbons? ie. Unburnt fuel vapour in the exhaust.

I failed an inspection for the same thing with my old Vauxhall. It turned out that one of the valves was leaking. That car didn't have a cat. If your cats are working properly then I think they should oxidise the HC to CO2 and water. New cats might lower the emissions to get you through the test. If not then you need to figure out how unburnt fuel is ending up in your exhaust.

svx_commuter · #7 07-05-2007, 07:41 AM

Mine was at the state center.
I clean out the Throttle Body, Changed the oil/filter, added injector cleaner, added Lucas Oil Additive, drove for a week, floored it a couple of times a few days apart to clean out the intake valves. When they are clean there is no black smoke out the exhaust when accelerating.
On the day of inspection I drove for an hour to get everything warmed up before I took it in. It just made it past.

I think your CAT's should be OK the milage is not that high.

The center I go to always turns off the car for a awhile before doing the exhaust test. I do not know if this is part of the procedure or not maybe the workers just need a break when I get there

. But it has occured to me that a leaking fuel injector would spray gas into the engine when it is turned off for the 5 minutes or so. This can't be good for Hc

Take care,

John

ItsPeteReally · #8 07-05-2007, 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b3lha

Does HC mean hydrocarbons? ie. Unburnt fuel vapour in the exhaust.

Well, it means unburnt hydrocarbons, but it might not be fuel, it might be oil vapour (any visible smoke?).

The other figures would help the diagnosis, if the CO was high then you would suspect overfuelling and then might want to look at the oxygen sensors. But if the CO is low, which I suspect it is (otherwise he would have mentioned it), then it could well be oil..........

But, on the other hand, if he reports a slight misfire/hesitation then it could be an occasional cylinderful of uncombusted fuel getting in the exhaust.

You just can't tell at this distance.

I wouldn't encourage him to run out and buy new cats unless he was sure they were going to help.

Pulling any stored codes might well be a help in diagnosis.

In short, I dunno.

SSSVX · #9 07-05-2007, 11:29 AM

Well, I might be able to help you,

http://www.subaru-svx.net/forum/show...light=emission

This was 2 years ago. Some people don't believe but it works for some people. That guy is not active in the forum so maybe his account is set
to inactive. That was in 2004 after he passed with flying color. In 2006,
he passed it again with flying color and done nothing. In colorado, they probably need to do inspectations each 2 years. He was thrilled and I was happy too. I sent him an e-mail yesterday and got his respond today. He
still has his SVX and run great.

If you need help, send me e-mail. (you can use the same e-mail I have in the thread above)

Good luck to solve your problem.

94SubieSVX · #10 07-05-2007, 01:44 PM

Well I have been planning on taking out or replacing my plugs since I don't know the condition they're in. Also, do you think it could be my injectors dumping too much fuel in and be causing the misfire/hesitation. I forgot to add the last fill-up I got I added Injector cleaner then got it inspected a day later. Could that have bumped up the unburnt HC?

ItsPeteReally · #11 07-06-2007, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 94SubieSVX

Well I have been planning on taking out or replacing my plugs since I don't know the condition they're in. Also, do you think it could be my injectors dumping too much fuel in and be causing the misfire/hesitation. I forgot to add the last fill-up I got I added Injector cleaner then got it inspected a day later. Could that have bumped up the unburnt HC?

I'm not convinced that that's your problem, if injector cleaner made cars perform worse in this regard then they would never sell any. If your car was overfuelling then you would have failed on the CO reading.

It couldn't hurt to pull the plugs, and check the colour and state of the electrodes. If you've got 145,000 miles on the current set, then changing them might not be such a bad idea.

94SubieSVX · #12 07-06-2007, 01:10 PM

Took the plugs out...what a pain(especially on the drivers side). They definately need to be replaced as there's about an 1/8" gap on all of them and the electrodes are turning yellow/brownish. My chilton book said that type of wear means the plugs have been in there for too long. I was thinking about getting the NGK G-Power plugs, they say they lower emissions. Anybody use them or have a suggestion to what I should get?

94SubieSVX · #13 07-07-2007, 07:59 PM

Got bosch plugs(platinum +2) today...$5 a pop. Put them in and now my battery is bad

And when i start it up, the power light flashes 16 times. That's a bad injector #3. That may be the reason I failed inspection

dannmarr · #14 07-07-2007, 08:25 PM

CHECK ENGINE light with 16 flashes is injector #3, NOT the POWER light.

redsvx · #15 07-07-2007, 08:40 PM

I Use this product
"Guaranteed to Pass"
I get it at Canadian Tire in Ontario but it should be available in auto parts stores in the US
It works like a charm
My 94 SVX passed with flying colours and I had some CEL issues
All my "old" cars have readings so low the guy can't believe it!
Bob