Need help with emissions...

Here is a log of what I went through to get my car passed in Ontario. The car itself is a '87 Diplomat, which means nothing really. It's a 360 with the MP .430"/.450" cam, #302 heads and a TQ. Also had the original catalytic converter on there......which might be a temporary option for you. A temporary bolt in one.

April 1 2005

Well I finally got the declaration from the dealer indicating that I had a "Hot Rod" which allows me to pass emmission to a 1980 standard. Here's my emissions results from today. I knew my TQ was idling way too rich but this was even higher than I thought.

My timing is 15 degrees initial + 20 mechanical at 2000 rpm. You'll notice that the 40kph test was done at only 950 rpm so I'm not making full use of my advance. I think if I advance the timing so that it's 35 at idle, the NO might go up and the CO might come down. The idle results are another matter entirely. Those are HUGE numbers. I've gotta lean that idle circuit out somehow.

40 km/hr (950 rpm)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---242-------218
CO%-----1.92------2.97
NOppm---2520------1194

IDLE (430 rpm)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---300-------1986
CO%-----1.5-------7.56
NOppm---n/a

April 4 2005

Went for emissions again today.

I looked at my results from yesterday and realized that if I could just get them to test mu idle at 950, my idle result swould be pretty close.

So I increased the timing from 15* to 25*. This had the effect of increasing idle speed to approx 600 rpm. I wanted to get it to an "idle" test rpm of 900 so I screwed in the idle stop until the tach read 900.

Today's idle results are much better.

40 km/hr (950 rpm)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---242-------178
CO%-----1.92------3.36
NOppm---2520------1316

IDLE (900 rpm)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---300-------336
CO%-----1.5-------4.69
NOppm---n/a

Tonight I swapped out my 1997 rods (.067" - .045" -.035") for a leaner 1940 rod (.070" - .060" -.045"). Hopefully this will reduce the unburned fuel (HC) and burned fuel (CO) coming out of the tailpipe.

JUNE 2 2005
I PASSED EMISSIONS!!!!!!!!!!

The trick was to use an exhaust gas analyzer machine to tune the carb until there were acceptable levels coming out the pipe. Then we hooked it up to the emissions test machine (which is just a exhaust gas analyzer) and took the test. That's the final test for this '87. My next test will be due in Feb of 2008 and by then she will be 21 years old and therefore exempt.

Glad to get this out of the way.....without using methyl hydrate. Well, I guess I sorta cheated by utilizing the hot rod clause.

40 km/hr (1634 rpm in 2nd gear)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---242-------100
CO%-----1.92------1.29
NOppm---2520------1634

IDLE (900 rpm)
--------LIMIT-----RESULT
HCppm---300-------109
CO%-----1.5-------.76
NOppm---n/a