Update#2. Re: Failed Emissions Inspection. AGAIN!!!!!

["content22207" <brobertson@xxxx>]

Do you have someplace suitable OUTSIDE in which to work? Maintain
eight vehicles without even a carport myself. Restricts you to fair
weather mechanicing, but is imminently doable.

Until you get some plugs out, does your exhaust system yield any
combustion clues? Any residue, dry or wet, in the tips? Let exhaust
bounce off a piece of white paper held by the tips to see what it
catches. After dark, shine a flashlight beam across exhaust flow to
highlight subtle smoke not visible in broad daylight.

Cap off all vacuum devices as you diagnose (mode switch is powered by
3/8" takeoff on passenger intake rail). Remember that not all vacuum
leaks are located at hoses. That's why you need some spray carb
cleaner to check various manifold connections themselves.

BTW: what kind of fuel economy are you getting? If your engine is
mistuned, you should see big drop.

BBTW: David T is correct -- you should use EITHER idle speed motor OR
brass screws in upper air assembly, but not BOTH. Can switch back and
forth, but only one idle system at a time.

Your questions in order:

1) I prefer low resistance plugs with high voltage coils. Allow as
close to full voltage as possible to jump bigger gap (spreads more
fire around cylinder). Also allows timing closer to TDC. Don't know if
"performance" plugs can do the same. By the time juice has fought all
that resistance, what's left to ignite the fuel? On a properly tuned
engine electricity is all you need. My plugs are 6 ohm Delcos gapped .38".

2) Timing is adjusted by rotating distributor. LOOSEN (not remove) the
hold down nut (11 mm) and move entire unit. Rotor button moves with
camshaft, so what you're adjusting is relative position of spark plug
terminals to camshaft position. Access rather difficult with idle
speed motor in the way (sorry, couldn't resist) but doable with long
pattern flat wrench. Timing mark is a notch on crankshaft pulley,
measured against scale bolted slightly on passenger side of block. My
engine timed 10 degrees BTC. You don't touch intake manifold (can't --
engine has to be running).

3) Fuel mixture screw isn't poisonous -- you CAN touch it (see message
#32067). In fact, regarding recent threads Re: disabled Lamda system,
imagine would need to adjust for altered fuel distributor dynamics
(lower chambers). I just wouldn't look there first (unless someone
else has been turning it...)

4) Have never adjusted PRV valves (actually tappets that push on
them), but don't look any different from other adjustable valve
trains. Time consumed isn't going to be actual adjusting -- is going
to be digging down to valve covers, then putting everything back.
You'll also lose time removing/replacing muffler to access big nut on
crankshaft to turn engine. Rotate timing mark to TDC on compression
stroke (watch cylinder 1 intake valve to open & close), then adjust
valves identified in tech manual. Tappet adjusts just like idle speed
microswitch bolt on throttle plate bracket. You want feeler gauge to
BARELY scrub tappet and valve stem. Will adjust half of intake valves
and half of exhaust. Then rotate engine 360 degrees and adjust other
half. Gaps are in tech manual.

Moderator may not let all this through (besides, I need to GET BACK TO
WORK!), so email me direct (brobertson(at)carolina.net) if you want to
discuss further.

Stick with it. Unless engine hopelessly worn or cracked, you're just
dealing with out-of-tune adjustments.

See now why I recommend doing your own mechanic work?

Bill Robertson
#5939

>--- In dmcnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "therealdmcvegas" <DMCVegas@xxxx> wrote:
> After running thru a little "cocktail" comprised of Berryman's
Chemtool, and 
> Bardhal FI detergent, the engine actually did indeed run cleaner.
The HC's 
> dropped down to 380ppm at idle. Unfortunetly, that still means that
it failed. 
> Sooo, I tried adding in some denatured alcohol. Lo and behold, the
emissions 
> became worse than before!!!!! Dammit! Maybe I did something wrong,
but I've 
> had it up to here trying the "better living thru chemistry" route of
automotive 
> repairs. I'm not going to put my motor at any more risk by trying to
run 
> distillates and detergents thru it.
> 
> So it's back to the drawing board, and doing what I refused to admit
that I had 
> to do before: actual repair work. 

[Moderator snip]