Help, looking for emissions experts!!!

[mike100]

All I did for my calibration was retain original VE and timing values below about 2200 rpm to pass the range of operation on the dynomometer for the smog check and also for reasonable catalyst lifespan during typical street cruise speeds.

accel enrichment tends to permanently enrich the mixture at whatever correction amounts/speeds you set. I turned that off at low speeds also.

lastly, the factory cats (or oem LT1 cats also) are ten times better than universal ones for actually scrubbing the pollutants.

Mine passes with ease with the right chip and factory manifolds, but it was kind of pushing it with an off the shelf tune using enrichment. Had I not had fresh cats and stock cams, I would not be surprised to see it fail.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by zr1don

I noticed in your original post you did not mention replacing the O2 sensors. When they get old or contaminated they usually send an incorrect signal that the mixture is lean causing the computer to richen the mixture. If you monitor O2 output with your Datamaster program and they are not providing a good signal, their output will show a lean mixture and the INT and BLM's will be trying to richen the mixture (incorrectly).

In your situation, where you know you have a rich mixture problem and the O2's are working correctly, they should show a rich mixture and the INT and BLM's should be working to lean the mixture back to soichemetric.

zr1don,

Thanks again for your input. The O2s are somewhat new, but before the rebuild so I'll put fresh ones in as well replace the plugs again since same deal. The motor was running "dirty" before the rebuild with burning oil and lots of carbon so probably contaminated. I could not find the INT and BLM reading while monitoring the data master and will look into it further tomorrow since I took a day off to try to work on this. Also going to school after work so my time is very limited.

I'll have a coworker the speaks the language try to call the testing facility today to see if he can break the code about the speed of test, gear selection and RPMS, etc. I will make a data file and send to Marc with the chip to see what can be done for more adjustments once I get some fresh plugs, O2s. I also need to replace my TPS that has low voltage on a separate issues that is cutting the car off at idle with A/C on and also having surging/bucking with A/C on to deal with.

Thanks again!!!

Craig

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by mike100

All I did for my calibration was retain original VE and timing values below about 2200 rpm to pass the range of operation on the dynomometer for the smog check and also for reasonable catalyst lifespan during typical street cruise speeds.

accel enrichment tends to permanently enrich the mixture at whatever correction amounts/speeds you set. I turned that off at low speeds also.

lastly, the factory cats (or oem LT1 cats also) are ten times better than universal ones for actually scrubbing the pollutants.

Mine passes with ease with the right chip and factory manifolds, but it was kind of pushing it with an off the shelf tune using enrichment. Had I not had fresh cats and stock cams, I would not be surprised to see it fail.

Thanks Mike. I will discuss more with Marc where to go from here about tuning. I am also checking with the original owner of the exhaust manifold/cats I was given to see what the mileage is on them but they look like takeoffs that were very low mileage compared to how my 53K set looked.

I think the huge problem I am havng is the SGC Stage 1 cams. I'm sure if I had stock cams I would have my license plates by now.

Craig

[FU]

LPE 385 R/B-SGC Stage 1 cammed etc. with shorty cat's. And no problems at all passing NYS emission's.

[zr1don]

Craig,

The terms in Datamaster are STcounts (INT) and LTcounts(BLM). Between those two and your O2 output, O2mV in Datamaster, are what you should be looking at. There are a lot of terms and an understanding of what they are supposed to do during normal operation to be able to make sense of the outputs you are looking at, but I am sure if you talk to Marc and provide him with the data you can pass the emissions tests.

Don

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Well, thanks to everyone who has replied and tried to help. I might have been attempting an impossible task from the beginning. A coworker called the testing facility to get some details of how the testing is done. I have not translated the document yet, but it is probably the most serious testing I have heard of. There is twelve tests with every variation and in each test is done for the follwing seconds; 26, 20, 4, 9, 7, 10, 2, 6, 5, 3, 6 and 22. The person said that it will be almost impossible for my car to pass. I am still waiting to hear more about the process and I am told there are shops that might be able to fix it to pass, but it costs about 400,000 Yen equivalent to $5,300 US dollars in addition to the already spent $2500. There is no way I am spending any more to attempt to register this car here other than the tuning like O2s, plugs, sending the chip back to Marc, etc.

I might give it one more shot and after that it will be garaged for the time here and ran periodically with temp tags.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by zr1don

Craig,

The terms in Datamaster are STcounts (INT) and LTcounts(BLM). Between those two and your O2 output, O2mV in Datamaster, are what you should be looking at. There are a lot of terms and an understanding of what they are supposed to do during normal operation to be able to make sense of the outputs you are looking at, but I am sure if you talk to Marc and provide him with the data you can pass the emissions tests.

Don

Thanks Don! I'll try a recording of a run with load and try to simulate what the 12 requirements are and see if it is possible to mail order tune with Marc to meet this. Ideally it would be great to find a tuner that could do this on a dyno with the sniffer and all, but that is at the cost of the $5300 so out of the question.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Yesterday I met with a local shop for a few hours and he is not able to help me, but was on the phone calling everyone that he knew and nothing yet. There was a way to pay about $5K to basically pay off someone it sounded to get me past the inspection and onto the next stage of registration. I am not willing to pay 5 grand to pass an emissions testing since I already had to pay $2500 to test so far. I have strike one and 2 more tries. 3 strikes and I'm out as I'm not going to pay another $2500 for 3 more tries.

Does anyone know any other tuners that might be able to help and one that understand California like standards as I imagine Japan is and possibly even stricter standards?

Marc stated there is nothing else he can do for my high CO and HC readings other than put my skip shift 1-4 back in (I already removed the plug and connected to the trans).

I guess the Stage 1 camshafts are the deal breaker and causing all the trouble, but I would imagine someone can tune it to pass. Ideally a local shop would be great if I can find one with dyno, sniffer and program to write as well as communicate with them my intent. I know it is difficult to get a mail order tune too, but I have 2 more tries before I give up and just store the car. I will replace plugs, O2 sensors and anything else I can think of related that might help like even PCV valves, etc. according to the link that Mike sent that had good info.

The folks here recommend replacing the factory cats with Nissan GT-R cats and another guy even said replace the exhaust system with all new components; claiming that new cats and entirely new exhaust will help to ensure a clean system. That does not sound necessary and then I might as well pay $5K with GT-R cats being $750 each not including labor.

I don't know if there is such thing as someone that can help to tune to pass emissions since most are just tuning for maximum HP. It is also difficult for anyone to help if they don't know how they are doing the testing and under what conditions. All I know is my CO is 4 times the max allowed and HC is 1 1/2 time max allowed. Skip shift 1-4 was disabled, but not sure how much difference that will make once I enable it back if nothing else is changed that new plugs and O2 sensors (which appear to be fine and somewhat new).

Thanks!!!

[XfireZ51]

We don't even know if a totally stock, untouched LT-5 would pass!

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Originally Posted by XfireZ51

We don't even know if a totally stock, untouched LT-5 would pass!

You are 100% correct on that!