1979-1993 & 94 Conv [Subscribe to Daily Digest] |
Although I don't live there now, I was in MA when the new inspection program was initiated a few years ago. It works something like this: they drive the car into the bay, look at it, and if it's not new it fails. I am of course joking - sort of.
MA's test is done on a dyno and is a "simulated driving cycle" type-test. The tech sits in the car and watches a computer monitor. On the monitor, a (vehicle) speed-vs.-time graph is shown with a moving cursor. As the cursor moves, he accelerates and decelerates to keep the vehicle speed near what the graph calls for. Emissions are tested continuously the entire time. They also check things like idle speed, visual check for missing emission hardware/modification, and so on. The test is very stringent.
Saab turbos have a particularly hard time. The reason for this is that between the turbocharger, large exhaust, and distance from the engine, the catalytic converter tends not to get hot enough to work efficiently when the engine is idling. Also it takes a while for it to heat up when the engine is put under load.
So here's typically what happens: they drive the car onto the rollers and shut it off. They then do a visual inspection, check VIN number, take a few phone calls, talk to thier buddies, and 300 other things while the catalyst sits and gets stone cold. They then start the car, immediately run the dyno test, and the car fails because the cat didn't have enough time to heat up. They'll give you the standard line of "fill it up with premium gas and put in a can of fuel injector cleaner and come back". Can't say anything about your injectors, but premium gas will make *no* difference on the test.
The trick to getting it to pass, assuming the car is running properly in the first place, is just before the test starts, hold the car at 2500-3000 RPM for about a minute to get the catalyst hot. Then immediately do the test, and it will pass! Been there, done that many times.
Have fun!
Eric Law
posted by 206.96.16...
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