tip for california emissions
12-20-2005, 12:21 PM
#1
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tip for california emissions
I was at AAA registering my car yesterday and there was this guy there who was so happy he couldn't stop telling people how he finally after a year of nightmares got his car to pass smog.
It was an 86 1 ton van that when sold wasn't required to get smog tested. Now the state wanted it. As the car was never intended that way, he spent a year trying to please the state smog gods. A basically impossible task. He had a 1 inch thick file folder to prove it too.
The way he finally did it, he put 10 gallons of gas mixed with 2 gallons of methanol in his tank. The numbers came out cleaner than anyone at his smog testing place had seen in a long, long time. They couldn't believe how clean it came out.
I know methanol can be nasty and not something you'd want to run all the time but it was a good tip that i'll be filling away.
It was an 86 1 ton van that when sold wasn't required to get smog tested. Now the state wanted it. As the car was never intended that way, he spent a year trying to please the state smog gods. A basically impossible task. He had a 1 inch thick file folder to prove it too.
The way he finally did it, he put 10 gallons of gas mixed with 2 gallons of methanol in his tank. The numbers came out cleaner than anyone at his smog testing place had seen in a long, long time. They couldn't believe how clean it came out.
I know methanol can be nasty and not something you'd want to run all the time but it was a good tip that i'll be filling away.
12-20-2005, 01:36 PM
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I just got my re-reg. for my 944 which requires smog check this year. I'll try it and post some #'s. Once that BS is out of the way I can start bolting on my Callaway crap finally.
12-20-2005, 07:08 PM
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The only problem is methanol can turn many seals and gaskets to mush. I used to get an old Jeep to pass this way but this was on a low pressure carbureted system. On a fuel injected system running 3-bar every soft seal is a potential fire so be very careful. Most new injectors have a synthetic rubber seal material compatible with alcohols but older seals at fuel fittings might not be so forgiving. If you do use methanol to pass, immediately tank up afterwards with a full tank of gas to dilute it.
12-20-2005, 07:15 PM
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Dunno how current this info. is, but I'll check the one on W. Olympic:
Chevron, 1600 W. Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles
Olympian, 2690 3rd Street, San Francisco
Chevron, 4490 Central Way, Cordelia
Ramos Oil, 597 N. East Street, Woodland
City of Yorba Linda, 4845 Casa Loma, Yorba Linda
National Park Service, Yosemite National Park
Chevron, 1600 W. Olympic Boulevard, Los Angeles
Olympian, 2690 3rd Street, San Francisco
Chevron, 4490 Central Way, Cordelia
Ramos Oil, 597 N. East Street, Woodland
City of Yorba Linda, 4845 Casa Loma, Yorba Linda
National Park Service, Yosemite National Park
12-20-2005, 07:26 PM
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The only problem is methanol can turn many seals and gaskets to mush
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12-20-2005, 07:39 PM
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I suppose I could test some spare rubber bits for durability before the run. I'm thinking run the car damn near out of gas, add maybe 2-3 gallons of gas and 2-3 gallons methanol, drive the car over there, let 'em smog it, then immediately top off the tank at the nearest gas station with gas as soon as the test is over - that way it's minimum system exposure to higher methanol concentrations in either case. . .
12-20-2005, 08:29 PM
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I've had decent improvements using Iso-Heet, a fuel system anti-freeze additive. I used it in my 97 GSR and it dropped the HC by 25 points. The 96-97 GSRs are notorious for failing the 15mph HC in CA, so that is a significant drop.
12-23-2005, 03:36 AM
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My old man used to have to run 20-25% alcohol in the fuel of our old suburban to pass AZ smog. It ran like **** but passed every time. Try a hot rod shop for alcohol or the local circle track or drag strip, it is really common for a bunch of V8 race cars.
12-23-2005, 04:39 AM
#11
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Methanol is Methyl Hydrate, available at Home Depot in 1 gallon jugs.
Lots of farming places carry it too, but that may be more difficult to obtain, depending on your area.
On a side note, you need lots of methanol to make biodiesel, which I have been researching extensively.
With that much methanol in the tank, it will run miserably. The emissions guys might get suspicious.
Lots of farming places carry it too, but that may be more difficult to obtain, depending on your area.
On a side note, you need lots of methanol to make biodiesel, which I have been researching extensively.
With that much methanol in the tank, it will run miserably. The emissions guys might get suspicious.
