My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

[ocmdiaz714]

I just bought a Cadillac and had to do a SMOG check in order to change ownership. Visual Inspection and Functional Check passed except for the Emissions test. The car has 149,153 miles and a new transmission. Here is the problem:

NO (PPM)

MAX

• 674
• 673

My score was:

• 879
• 734

As you can see my score is higher. If I understand correctly; in the California DMV you have 10 days to report you bought a used car, and 30 days to pay fees & taxes, correct? Meaning, I could go over and notify them about the sell and not worry about another smog test or paying the fees, for 30 days? If anybody can help me out on tips to decrease my score please let me know! I went to the cheapest SMOG check place in my town and it took the guy only about 5 minutes to let me know I didn't pass. He wanted to charge $70 for a diagnostics plus repairs but I walked about with the test only.

[rusty bumper]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Have you tried Amoco premium gas (now sold at BP stations)? If not, then I would fill up with it, and then pour in a can of 104+ octane booster. It might even pay to pour a bit of Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank too.

Be sure to drive the car as much as possible, and kick it into passing gear, on a hill if possible, to blow the engine out a few times.

I can't guarantee you'll pass the smog test again, but the above options helped me to pass a few times when my car was borderline.

[the_invisible]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Rusty Bumper is correct. Nitrogen Oxide emission, aka NOx, or NO, can be reduced by using higher octane fuel. NOx is caused by high combustion temperature. Increasing the octane rating of the fuel being burnt can very effectively reduce combustion temperture, thereby reducing NOx.

It would also help if you ensure maximum fuel delivery to the engine, as to have enough fuel cooling down the combustion. More fuel = lower combustion temperture. However, more fuel also equates higher Carbon Monoxide, aka CO.

With that in mind, you will notice that cars with high NOx emission usually emits lower CO.

What is your Carbon Dioxide rating?

[ocmdiaz714]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Have you tried Amoco premium gas (now sold at BP stations)? If not, then I would fill up with it, and then pour in a can of 104+ octane booster. It might even pay to pour a bit of Marvel Mystery Oil in the tank too.

Be sure to drive the car as much as possible, and kick it into passing gear, on a hill if possible, to blow the engine out a few times.

I can't guarantee you'll pass the smog test again, but the above options helped me to pass a few times when my car was borderline.

Is Amoco an additive or a gas spot like Shell and Chevron? So fill up gas with a mixture of both Octane Booster and Marvel Mystery Oil? I shouldn't fill up to prevent a leak right? Thanks for the info. My car is automatic.

Today before going over to the smog check place I drove my car for about 20 minutes in the street with about 1/4 of gas. What PSI should I have on my tires? I usually fill up with grade 89 gas at either Chevron or Arco. Thanks for the help you guys! Here's the rest:

HC:
15 mph: 7
25 mph: 5

%CO2
15 mph: 14.0
25 mph: 14.0

%O2
15 mph: 0.9
25 mph: 0.8

CO
15 mph: 0.23
25 mph: 0.22

[the_invisible]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Assuming that your other smog emissions are within limits, filling up with premium, some octane booster, and Mystery Oil (or equivalent) will reduce your NOx.

[ocmdiaz714]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Assuming that your other smog emissions are within limits, filling up with premium, some octane booster, and Mystery Oil (or equivalent) will reduce your NOx.

Mixing all of that into one fill-up? Does it matter when I do it or should I do it the day of the smog check? Thanks for the help. Also, would it matter the place I go to, I went to the cheapest in the area today and only got one test. And one last question about the mystery oil; do I have to add it to both gas & oil or can it be the gas alone? Because my oil is topped off. I can't find a Amoco gas station in Orange County, California.

[rusty bumper]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Is Amoco an additive or a gas spot like Shell and Chevron? So fill up gas with a mixture of both Octane Booster and Marvel Mystery Oil?

Amoco used to sell gas at their own branded stations, but they merged with BP Petroleum a few years back. However, Amoco fuels were so popular that BP continued the sale of it. Just be sure to look for the 94 octane gas at a BP station.

As for the other additives, be sure to follow the directions on the containers before adding them to your gas. It's usually recommended to add the additives, and then fill up with gas.

[rusty bumper]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

What PSI should I have on my tires?

That information is printed on the driver's side door, and it should be in the operator's manual too.

If not, then a Google search, including the make & model, should find it.

[ocmdiaz714]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Amoco used to sell gas at their own branded stations, but they merged with BP Petroleum a few years back. However, Amoco fuels were so popular that BP continued the sale of it. Just be sure to look for the 94 octane gas at a BP station.

As for the other additives, be sure to follow the directions on the containers before adding them to your gas. It's usually recommended to add the additives, and then fill up with gas.

The highest grade I've seen around here is 93.

[rusty bumper]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Mixing all of that into one fill-up? Does it matter when I do it or should I do it the day of the smog check? Thanks for the help. Also, would it matter the place I go to, I went to the cheapest in the area today and only got one test. And one last question about the mystery oil; do I have to add it to both gas & oil or can it be the gas alone? Because my oil is topped off. I can't find a Amoco gas station in Orange County, California.

I would do it ASAP so your car's engine has a chance to get cleaned out by these additives, and the Amoco Ultimate gas.

If you can't locate a BP station close by, then just fill up with some other brand of 93 / 94 octane gas. It's mainly the higher octane gas you are after, but it would be nice if you could find the Amoco brand.

Concerning the Mystery Oil, I would just add it to the gas. It can be added to the oil, but it is not really necessary.

Lastly, I don't know what to tell you about which testing place to go to. Here in North Carolina, most smog testing is done at repair shops, but a few are located at oil change shops too. Each shop has a computerized machine that is connected to a data bank in Raleigh, so I would assume the readings would all be the same (and the prices are set by the state, not the station), regardless of location. I have no idea how California is set up.

[ocmdiaz714]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

I would do it ASAP so your car's engine has a chance to get cleaned out by these additives, and the Amoco Ultimate gas.

If you can't locate a BP station close by, then just fill up with some other brand of 93 / 94 octane gas.

Concerning the Mystery Oil, I would just add it to the gas. It can be added to the oil, but it is not really necessary.

Lastly, I don't know what to tell you about which testing place to go to. Here in North Carolina, most smog testing is done at repair shops, but a few are located at oil change shops too. Each shop has a computerized machine that is connected to a data bank in Raleigh, so I would assume the readings would all be the same, regardless of location. I have no idea how California is set up.

Thanks for the help. I'll be buying the additives tomorrow and drop them in with the gas. The day of the next smog check I just fill up with gas alone.

[Lasthope05]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Actually you want to use a gallon or two of e85 to half a tank. Or you could go to homedepot and buy denatured alcohol if you can get e85. Reason is alcohol is a clean fuel and adding it to you car allows for a much full combustion and ignition of all the fuel thus reducing outgoing emissions. It totally works. Just look up "denatured alcohol emissions" on google.

[rusty bumper]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Actually you want to use a gallon or two of e85 to half a tank. Or you could go to homedepot and buy denatured alcohol if you can get e85. Reason is alcohol is a clean fuel and adding it to you car allows for a much full combustion and ignition of all the fuel thus reducing outgoing emissions. It totally works. Just look up "denatured alcohol emissions" on google.

e85? Is what they refer to as ethanol?

Can that be used in any car with a gas engine?

[Nappers]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

Your Catalytic(sp?) converter could be plugged up, if you have a handy exhaust guy to weld one in for you, it'll **** up that junk enough to pass a test.....

[the_invisible]

Re: My Cadillac didn't pass the smog.

e85? Is what they refer to as ethanol?

Can that be used in any car with a gas engine?

It can, but probably not on older cars. The sudden shift may cause roughness to the engine operation on a newer car. On newer cars, the engine management system may adjust slowly to the lower petroleum content. It may not even adjust at all and throw some misfiring codes.

On two exactly identical cars, one may run fine on e85 fuel, while the other may not. Happens all the time.