Just failed emissions twice

[Gary Palmer]

Matt: I once spent a whole day helping a friend to replace a broken tie rod end, on a Toyota Celica. We broke 3 Craftsman Gear Puller's. At the time I didn't know you can just use a sledge hammer to hit the side of the joint real hard and the whole thing just pops loose, if you have a little force on it. Anyway, got off track, we finally called a front end shop to see how much he would charge, since he already had the part. The shop said $5. I was like "no way". At that point I would have paid the $5, just to see it done. Anyway we took the car down, guy get's out a "new tool" he had just bought from Snapon, put's it on the joint, put's his airwrench on, it blipped it about 3 times and popped off. It took the guy 5 minutes, to do what we had been futzing with all day.

Anyway, on your 87 Oxygen Sensor, if it's been giving you fit's, it would be worth it just to get a quote and let someone else do it. It isn't worth getting that exasperated about, even if it does sort of tick you off to let the thing whip you. For the $5, it was worth getting whipped, maybe it will be for you, also.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by Gary Palmer

Anyway, on your 87 Oxygen Sensor, if it's been giving you fit's, it would be worth it just to get a quote and let someone else do it. It isn't worth getting that exasperated about, even if it does sort of tick you off to let the thing whip you. For the $5, it was worth getting whipped, maybe it will be for you, also.

Heh... for this I'd pay $50 to get it replaced... I have no problem admitting I'm defeated.

[GasSavers_maxc]

Sometimes it might be easier to drill a new hole, clamp a new one in place.

[krousdb]

Just checked my new plugs now that I have a few hundred miles on them. 1,2, and 3 are perfect. #4 has the soot problem, but not as bad as before. The insulator is white except for the small area adjacent to the thingy that comes up and over top of the plug tip. Whatever you cal this thing that you bend to change the gap, it has black soot from the plug base until the thingy bends 90 degrees to go over the tip. At the bend the soot stops. I popped off the valve cover and noticed nothing awry.

I noticed that the EGR valve taps into the IM off of the #4 intake runner. Im wondering if a bad EGR could cause the funky happenings on the #4 plug.

Meanwhile the Outback passed inspection even though when I took it in, the CEL was on. Evidently it turned itself off when they started it up.

[Matt Timion]

Originally Posted by krousdb

I noticed that the EGR valve taps into the IM off of the #4 intake runner. Im wondering if a bad EGR could cause the funky happenings on the #4 plug.

Interesting idea. Perhaps the EGR just needs to be cleaned.

BTW, have you regretted getting the VX yet? Do you miss the del sol at all?

[Compaq888]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

Interesting idea. Perhaps the EGR just needs to be cleaned.

BTW, have you regretted getting the VX yet? Do you miss the del sol at all?

+1

[krousdb]

Originally Posted by Matt Timion

Interesting idea. Perhaps the EGR just needs to be cleaned.

BTW, have you regretted getting the VX yet? Do you miss the del sol at all?

No regrets, mainly because I needed more seats. The VX also has a better ride and is quieter. It also has better highway FE.

Yes, I have had to replace O2, axles and brakes at all 4 corners. But I learned a lot in the process and could easily do it again. The engine and tranny are solid and I will get this HC thing figured out eventually.

Today was another PB to work at 73MPG. The RT was 68. And again, that is according to the SuperMID which I suspect may overregister fuel consumed. Im at 300 miles right now. After hybridfest this weekend I will tear into the fuel tank to see WTF about the back pressure issue when filling the tank. Lots of things left to learn here. Maybe I will even crack the VX code.

[Matt Timion]

After much wrestling with the oxygen sensor we finally took it into the nearest Pepboys. They tried to remove it but also had the same problems. They recommended going to a muffler shop in the event that bung (hehe) was ripped out they could weld it back up.

Well, $100 later my wife now has a brand new o2 sensor.

Tomorrow morning I'll make sure the spark plugs are gapped correctly (does anyone know what the gap is supposed to be at?) and I'll ensure the radiator is properly bled. Then it's retest time.

[Compaq888]

good ****.

[krousdb]

So as I said in another post, it appears that my PCV valve is acting like an open pipe and potentially causing a vacuum leak at idle. Coincedentally, my HC problem is a idle only, so hopefully this will fix the emmissions problem.

Anyway, it turns out that you can't get a PCV valve for the CX/VX at your local auto parts store. You have to go to the Honda dealership. And they don't stock it. Maybe by Monday I will have a new one. For $17, I think it will be gold plated.....