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    #1

    Failed Smog Check! Noooooo!

    Alright, so, I was feeling pretty good a few days ago when I replaced several vacuum lines and fixed my '86 Grand Marquis's idling problem... but then I realize I had to go in for a smog check... I thought no big deal, it'll probably pass, but no...

    It failed on the Ignition Timging, and the CO%... the VIR printout shows the following highlighted...



    Any suggestions on what to do to get it to pass?

    I don't meet the requirements for financial assistance to get it fixed, and I would prefer to tackle it myself anyways. It's my only car right now, so I really need to be able to drive it!

    Thanks for the help!
    1986 Mercury Grand Marquis 5.0 LS, named "Ulysses "

    Tags: None
    #2
    lean the carb out, put low octane gas in and pour a few bottles of rubbing alcohol in the tank.

    if that doesnt cut it then you can get into more serious things
    1989 Grand Marquis GS

    Comment

      #3
      There's no carb on his car, it's a SEFI car. You might need to get a scanner and get the codes off of the computer and see what the problem is.



      Packman

      Comment

        #4
        When was the last tuneup?

        How do they test ignition timing?
        Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

        Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

        Comment

          #5
          The last tune up on it was before I bought it... so most likely over 2 years or more.

          I'm not quite sure how they tested the ignition timing at the smog test place... but from what I understood (he wasn't speaking very good English), it was way off what it should be...

          Would a low octane gas really help? When I went in for the check I had about 1/4 tank of 91 octane gas in the car...
          1986 Mercury Grand Marquis 5.0 LS, named "Ulysses "

          Comment

            #6
            i think it burns quicker so theres less chance of leftover unburnt fule out the tail pipe. the rubbing alcohol/gasline anti-freeze/"gaurentee-to-pass" exagerates this affect.

            i never had a sefi car so i cant comment on that.

            maybe the timings out a little and causing the extra smog?



            stock, these cars really only need 87 and they run fine
            1989 Grand Marquis GS

            Comment

              #7
              I would strongly suggest a tuneup, get the timing check by someone knowledgable (spout connector disconncted,set timing at 10) Check the PCV system....
              Builder/Owner of Badass Panther Wagons

              Busy maintaining a fleet of Fords

              Comment

                #8
                Originally posted by RunUoveR View Post
                i never had a sefi car so i cant comment on that.
                dude, you drive one daily

                Do a tuneup first. CO is unburnt fuel, and old tuneup parts can cause this. Check the timing, and make sure you pull the spout connector out to do it. If its where it belongs, ask the inspection nitwit to explain how exactly they are checking it. Fords have electronic advance, and unless you pull the little plastic plug out that lives next to the distributor, you cannot accurately check or set the timing.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment

                  #9
                  I just learned something from this. My timing is set at factory standards, so I never touched it. Now I know how to mess with it. Thanks!!!!!



                  Packman

                  Comment

                    #10
                    I like the part that says Inspection Reason: High Emitter Profile
                    Pete ::::>>> resident LED addict and CFI defector LED bulb replacements
                    'LTD HPP' 85 Vic (my rusty baby) '06 Honda Reflex 250cc 'Baileys' 91 Vic (faded cream puff) ClifFord 'ODB' 88 P72 (SOLD) '77 LTDII (RIP)
                    sigpic
                    85HPP's most noteworthy mods: CFI to SEFI conversion w/HO upperstuff headers & flowmasters P71 airbox Towncar seats LED dash light-show center console w/5 gauge package LED 3rd brake light 3G alternator mini starter washer/coolant bottle upgrade Towncar power trunk pull underhood fuse/relay box 16" HPP wheels - police swaybars w/poly rubbers - budget Alpine driven 10 speaker stereo

                    Comment

                      #11
                      +3 on the full tune up, and 87 octane fuel and no extra fuel additives

                      1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
                      2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
                      1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
                      1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
                      2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
                      1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

                      please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

                      Comment

                        #12
                        Just barely passed the HC test too.

                        Max 120 test 120

                        85 4 door 351 Civi Crown Victoria - Summer daily driver, sleeper in the making, and wildly inappropriate autocross machine
                        160KMs 600cfm holley, shorty headers, 2.5" catted exhaust, 255/295 tires, cop shocks, cop swaybars, underdrive pulley, 2.73L gears.
                        waiting for install: 3.27's, Poly bushings, boxed rear arms, 2500 stall converter, ported e7's, etc

                        06 Mazda 3 hatch 2.3L 5AT (winter beater that cost more than my summer car)

                        Comment

                          #13
                          Your rpms are 300 rpms higher at 15mph than at 25 mph, maybe it would pass if you had it in a lower gear at the 25 mph test, so the rpms are up higher and it might burn the fuel more efficently.

                          Now i have not idea if you could do that at the test, mainly because where i live we don't have to do smog checks.
                          sigpic

                          Comment

                            #14
                            I failed HC's at idle one time because I needed to have my fuel injectors cleaned. After I pulled them and had them sonically cleaned, the idle HC's were halved.
                            Originally posted by gadget73
                            There is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix.
                            91 Mercury CP, Lopo 302, AOD, 3.08LSD. 3g upgrade, Moog wagon coils up front, cc819s in the back. KYB GR-2 police shocks. Energy suspension control arm bushings. Smog deleted.
                            93 F-150 XLT, 302, ZF 5-spd from 1-ton, 4wd.
                            Daily--07 Civic Coupe. Bone stock with 25k miles
                            Wife--14 Subaru Outback. 6-speed.
                            95 Subaru Legacy Wagon--red--STOLEN 1/6/13

                            Comment

                              #15
                              Okay, I replaced all eight spark plugs today with Motocraft stock plugs... each plug had some nasty white gunk on it where it connected with the wire... I was able to brush most of it off. I gave the car a good wash too =]

                              So, next step I'll tackle is putting on a new fuel filter, oil filter, air filter... I'll grab those from Autozone tomorrow.

                              Luckily, this weekend I'll be meeting with a friend who has reset the timing on a few of his old cars before, so he should be able to walk me through it (though it looks complicated!)

                              I'll fill her up with some 87 rating fuel before I go in for the retest... I've got thirty days to do it before I'll have to pay again, supposedly... Bloody California and its damn clean air laws!!!


                              How would I go about cleaning the fuel injectors though?
                              1986 Mercury Grand Marquis 5.0 LS, named "Ulysses "

                              Comment

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