DYNOED MY WAGON TODAY!
bam-bam
Council Member
..it failed 
In metro Atlanta we have emissions testing, and cars older than OBD2 get checked with a tailpipe sniffer on a dyno. The new swap failed for excessive NOx- usually a catalytic converter. when I adapted the DA1 exhaust to my car, I just used the cat from the integra- it looked fairly fresh and was already welded in there.
Since I had replaced the cat about 25K before the swap, I figured I'd give it a try before spending another $130. It's a 2.5" one (replacing a 2")
I plan to do a complete 2.5" exhaust, and move the muffler forward of the rear axle to make room for a hitch... that opens a whole 'nother can of worms...
made up some brackets to bolt to the existing tie-down bolt holes, then modded the hitch from that DC Integra I had awhile back.
In the middle of all this my welder decided to shit on me...again. Hopefully I can fixit with a new liner ($35) not a whole new lead ($200 :shock: )
In metro Atlanta we have emissions testing, and cars older than OBD2 get checked with a tailpipe sniffer on a dyno. The new swap failed for excessive NOx- usually a catalytic converter. when I adapted the DA1 exhaust to my car, I just used the cat from the integra- it looked fairly fresh and was already welded in there.
Since I had replaced the cat about 25K before the swap, I figured I'd give it a try before spending another $130. It's a 2.5" one (replacing a 2")
I plan to do a complete 2.5" exhaust, and move the muffler forward of the rear axle to make room for a hitch... that opens a whole 'nother can of worms...
made up some brackets to bolt to the existing tie-down bolt holes, then modded the hitch from that DC Integra I had awhile back.
In the middle of all this my welder decided to shit on me...again. Hopefully I can fixit with a new liner ($35) not a whole new lead ($200 :shock: )
Comments
Anyway, trying to get the hitch like I want it, so I'll know what to do with the exhaust routing.
Only other thing I didn't change with the swap was the fuel filter- just didn't have it on hand when the time came to connect it. It does have 25K on it, too, and I do have some on the wall now. Not likely to cause this problem, but I HAD forgotten about it.
The things that cause failures for our cars on NoPPM:
Cat convertor
Timing (either belt off a tooth of a distributor cranked out of whack)
Cooling system not working 100% as well as it should (as in late t-stat opening, fan not coming on as it should)
Some people will say "EGR man" but that only applies to the automatic Integras from 90-93. I know yours was an auto engine originally, but that shouldn't affect it.
I'm sure everything else is on order like you said, and a good cat will probably make it blow zeros.
The big #1: High combustion temps produce NOx. The cat just attempts to clean what it gets from upstream. High cyl. temp causes?
A) timing too far advanced- don't think so but I'll recheck
1) vacuum leaks- unmetered extra air
2) IAC or FITV -could be admitting too much air? idles and runs well, though.
3) low fuel pressure- check FPR for (vacuum leak), replace fuel filter, check rail pressure
4) MAP sensor? seems like it would code if it was out-of-spec, right?
C) Carbon deposits/too high compression- no way in this case
what else? I'm typing this mainly to order my thoughts, and procrastinating about going out in the SNOW to do something about it
I've also read some about small, inaudible exhaust leaks pre-converter admitting enough o2 to skew NOx readings. I don't think it applies, but I'll look.
Plan of attack:
change cat
check/read plugs for lean condition
change fuel filter
check/ retard timing a bit to reduce cyl. temp.
test FPR and look for vacuum leaks
reset ecu
cat needs to be hot (harhar)
Injecting water into the intake will reduce NOx by up to 50% (harhar even more)
EGR system is not working?
ignition timing
owhyeah you said that too
: )
-Changed the fuel filter( IT WAS NASTY!)
-suck-tested the FPR- wouldn't hold vacuum. found out it was the hose, didn't fit tight on the diaphragm. So there was a vac leak and a fuel pressure problem-solved
-went over the whole intake side with an unlit propane torch to check for other vac leaks
right now it's warming up to check timing, will go for retest in a bit.
Added bonus from all this 'smog tuning': I think I found a few missing ponies! After Revmaynard left awhile ago I set the timing back to spec and went for a test blast... whooohoooooooo!
Timing is back where it was, so only difference is new fuel filter, new cat, no vacuum leak at the fuel regulator. Little things mean a lot.
Good to see you got it through though. I know it can be frustrating as hell.
Here it is one year later and the d@&n thing failed AGAIN. almost the same numbers! I'll pick at it awhile tomorrow, but I'm leaning toward another cat. When I put together this LS, I didn't do anything to the head and it's using some oil, which will kill a converter
It's just running so well, I hate to mess with it!
i know its rad! plus i run e85 i think im good.
DRIVING TEST:
MaxAllowable - Mine - Average Passing Reading
Hydrocarbons (ppm): 94 / 54 / 28
CarbonMonoxide (%): 0.89 / 0.43 / 0.33
Nitrous Oxides (ppm): 1282 / 1804! FAIL / 663
IDLE TEST:
Hydrocarbons (ppm): 116 / 128! FAIL / 13
CarbonMonoxide (%): 0.93 / 0.04 / 0.02
Grrr! I said, along with some other choice words for the government and their damn smog laws... On Saturday I took the wag and a "lady friend" into the bush and up a steep, smokey, rocky, rutted trail, where in my impatience / fear of getting stuck / joy of flooring it, I managed to sit the wag right on the muffler (VROOM! - I knew right away I had f*cked up some exhaust component but not which part) Grrr x2 I said!
I needed help to pass, so on Tuesday I took the wag to my local shady middle eastern mechanic, get'er up on the hoist and inspect the damage to the muffler - one thumb-sized puncture hole, one about pinky. Assuming the test station would tell me to fix the muffler before a re-test, I ak him to fix it, he searches for a 89RT4WD part, yada yada yada, he estimates $250 (installed)! :roll: Too rich for my blood! Then he says "maybe they won't notice the holes - what's the harm in trying?", to which I said "OK!"... We hook up to his emmisions tester, he changes my timing (adv / ret?) and pinches off a vaccuum line to my intake throttle body to bring down my offending numbers. I VROOM back to the Aircare station, where lo and behold they completely miss / don't care about the holes 8) ... Re-test!
DRIVING TEST:
MaxAllowable - Mine - Average Passing Reading
Hydrocarbons (ppm): 94 / 32 / 28
CarbonMonoxide (%): 0.89 / 0.48 / 0.33
Nitrous Oxides (ppm): 1282 / 1152! PASS / 663
IDLE TEST:
Hydrocarbons (ppm): 116 / 45! PASS / 13
CarbonMonoxide (%): 0.93 / 0.02 / 0.02
Happy happy joy joy! Take the wag back to my mechanic, who re-tunes the engine and returns vaccuum to normal... $100 bucks all said and done, and now I sound still like a Stuka
Now a question (yes I've searched, but not found - have mercy on a simple Wagonist, oh Gods on High of HCW
What other Honda / Acura models have mufflers that will be a bolt-on replacement for a RT4WD? Do I require a twin tip to maintain performance?
My mechanic is quoting me $200 CDN for a RT4WD specific one (new), but after reading "The 12 Min Muffler Fix" post I'm confident I can do it my damn self for way cheaper... I'm wanna go the junk-yard route, but if I can't find what I want, I'll order a new NON-WAGON muffler (maybe easier than dealing with the rust twice anyways) or aftermarket even.
Thanks in advance,
yer pal ScallyWag
Here's the parts diagram for the walker replacement system for the 4wd wagon, it has all the parts numbers on it. IIRC the whole muffler assembly is about $110 USD, so $200 CDN might not be that bad?
I think I may try a ghetto-style muffler repair first (a metal patch + muffler tape and maybe even some duct tape just for show
Thanks Again!
PS - the approx US / CDN exchange rate is 1.00US = 0.96CDN so $200 is still kinda steep :shock: