Emissions

[P72Ford]

My brothers '88 CVPI had to go through emissions today and it failed. Legal HC was 86 ppm, it put out 686 ppm. So it failed really bad on that account, although the CO and NOx emissions were very low.

The car has hollowed cats, and we swapped on stock mufflers and tails (it previosuly had no tails, which is a no no). The car was running on methanol too. The methanol has been laying around for two years, and from what I've read, the shelf life is between 6 months and two years.

The thing is, I'm not entirely convinced the reason it failed was because of the lack of cats. The car opretty much runs like crap at an idle (very rough). There are no vacuum leaks, and my dad says the timing is right. He has checked it several times.

We have never had something fail while running on alcohol. This being the first time I am thinking it is because the methanol was no good.

We have ordered two new cats for the car.

I guess what I want to know is this:
1.) Did it fail because of a lack of cats, or a poor running condition (running alcohol without necessary timing/ mixture adjustment; as well as the fact that it doesn't even run well on gasoline)

2.) What are other possible causes of a high HC count? I understand the cats are where unburned fuel is supposed to be burned up, but is there anything else that could lead to a high HC count? It does not seem like the car runs rich.

3.) If the car is running rich, how can that be adjusted via the VV 7200?

4.) Any thoughts you have on the situation, and emissions tricks, etc in general.

Thanks guys

Nathan

[torquelover]

The methanol will make your car run lean, so if it was on the rich side, it would be less so now. I am going to try to pass with new cats, a thorough tune-up, and some carb changes from wide-band o2 data. My car is AIR-pump-less at the time. Could you describe how the car ran gas vs. methanol (which still has some gas in it) without any changes? I was going to go that route, but it seems methanol/E85/alcohol is not good for my car without taking some pretty thorough measures. Perhaps it's just not so bad to do it once, and then flush it out with gas right away?

[P72Ford]

The methanol will make your car run lean, so if it was on the rich side, it would be less so now. I am going to try to pass with new cats, a thorough tune-up, and some carb changes from wide-band o2 data. My car is AIR-pump-less at the time. Could you describe how the car ran gas vs. methanol (which still has some gas in it) without any changes? I was going to go that route, but it seems methanol/E85/alcohol is not good for my car without taking some pretty thorough measures. Perhaps it's just not so bad to do it once, and then flush it out with gas right away?

After looking at the reaction equation, I had a few insights into the rich/ lean ordeal. Of course, it should be running lean as is, seeing as it takes more alcohol to do the work of gasoline.

I don't think its terrible for the car if you run the alcohol one time and then flush it out.

Now, for how it runs. On regular 87 it is very rough at idle, as though there is a miss. The idle speed is around 700 as read on the tachometer. Once you step on it it smooths out and tends to run fine. It just idles like crap.

On the methanol: the car could not be driven everyday. It stalls at idle, so we bumped the idle speed to 1000, so it would at least stay running. When you step on the gas its like it is going to stall, and then it surges. The car makes no power; it struggles to get to 55 mph. I suggested to my dad that he adjust the timing, and he said that wouldn't be necessary.

In the past, we have passed cars on methanol, even though ethanol is a better choice. Also, I have never had a CV run this bad on the stuff. that is why I'm thinking maybe the alcohol is spoiled.

[mrltd]

Give it a tuneup, check the egr for being clogged, vacuum lines etc.

I was able to pass with out cats or the smog pump.

[Tiggie]

Man it sounds like it's hardly driveable. I'll have to get my VV book out and see what all it says, but I know you are fairly knowledgeable with them.

You can lean out a VV a little by turning the Cold Enrichment Rod counterclockwise. The name is decieving, yes, but it will lean it out at all times. The CER wears overtime and usually needs adjustment on the older cars. The factory adjustment at the top is epoxy sealed, so it's easier to just turn the whole rod.

[gadget73]

The lack of cats isn't helping your case much. One of the major things they do is take the unburnt fuel (hydrocarbons) out of the exhaust. The rich running at idle also isn't going to help things any.

[ironstealth]

i was told by the local test facility that a high amount of hydrocarbons means oil is getting burned up and getting dumped out of the exhaust,and the usual place is the piston rings. any smoke coming out when you step on the gas? have someone drive it and follow behind and watch. and if it were mine i'd use 93 octane.

[mrltd]

Check the PCV system

[P72Ford]

Check the PCV system

Good point. The last engine used to recirculate alot of oil. This one seems to have the same problem. It tends to soil the breather filter regularly.