Failed Emissions test with carb'd '85 - what to do?

[Fox Body]

Originally posted by PKRWUD
Either way, you're running way too rich. What is your fuel pressure set to? You need to adjust your idle mixture, and lean it out a little bit, and you need to unplug your choke. When you have made the necessary adjustments, and are ready to retest, you have to get the engine as hot as possible. Drive around town in second gear for 30 minutes before the test.

How are your cats? If you still have them installed, they are probably clogged by now. Do you have the air pump hooked up?

Good advice PKRWUD

Yeah, you want to get your exhaust (cats and mufflers) as hot as possible to more efficiently burn up as much polluntants like HC (hydrocarbons) as possible. If you take it in there cold, there will be a big difference in the test results. .....But you also need to be careful not to burn up your transmission driving around in 2nd at too high an rpm for extended periods of time. I don't think I'd suggest riding around in 2nd on the street at all for over a minute. Just find a better way to get the car heated up like take the LONG way there, accelerate hard a couple of times, and if possible, leave the car running as long as possible until they test yours. Don't make it just sit (turned off). PKRWUD this is said respectfully, no malintent towards you.

Put in a good gasoline, like Chevron (with Techron), Amoco 93 (a slightly more refined gasoline), a few days b4 the test instead of Smile or some crappy gas. That will cut down (a LITTLE) on some emissions (I actually did some actual research on different gasolines and found Chevron--w/ techron-- to cut down on NOx a little, don't know about carbon monoxide and HC). Also, I read (I don't know if this is still the case) that Chevy, Ford, and Chrysler use Chevron gasoline to pass one of the EPA's most stringent tests-- not any other gasoline.

A tune up b4 going there would be great.