[200q20v] Emissions Saga

[Paul R. Luevano]

In case any of you guys care, my car now sports a nice, new MA inspection
sticker.

A little history, back on 6/22/2001. my car failed for high HC's at idle:
http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/200q20v/2001-July/004243.html

So then I did some stuff to the car:
http://www.audifans.com/pipermail/200q20v/2001-August/004612.html

So in total I did the following:
- Ran 2 tanks of Techron
- Ran a tank of "Emission Pass"
- Changed the oil
- Replace the K&N air filter with a new paper filter
- Fixed multifunction temp switch
- Installed new spark plugs
- Replaced O2 sensor (with generic 3-wire)
- Added a bottle of dry gas for the retest

Went for a retest.  Well, that was challenging. Spent days and hours trying to
get it re-tested. At the original testing station, for whatever reason, they
couldn't get the test to run all the way through. Kept resetting at the end of
the test, and starting from the beginning.  They rebooted, asked me to come back
in the am when it was cooler, called the people who run the testing systems,
etc.  Finally, they said they just couldn't do it, I would have to take the car
to another testing station.  If it passed, I got my original fee back.  Probably
spent over 5 hours there over 3 days.

So, I went to another station, one I used to goto when I lived in Somerville. 
All they do is inspections.  They were able to test the car in lass than 30
minutes.  I went out, and saw another "R" on the car.  Damn.  Handed me the new
report.

HC's went to 438 at idle!!! (first test was 393, limit is 220)  What the hell? 
How the hell did they go up?  All I did was replace components!  Did the dry gas
drive them up?

So, I called the RMV to see about getting a waiver, since I spent over $300
trying to fix the problem.  The inspector said he could overlook the issue of me
not taking it to a registered technician, but he could not overlook the fact
that the emission went up.

<sigh>

So, I ran another tank of emission pass.  Changed the oil again.  My only goal,
get the emission to go down, lower than the first reading so I could get the
waiver.  Nothing more.  

Went for another test last Thursday.  Went to the same place in Somerville.  I
watched them testing it.  Could see they were having some problems, and ran the
test at least twice, but after about 45 minutes, they pulled my car out.  I
walked over, the tech got out of the car and said "All set".  Didn't hand me a
report or anything.  I assumed it was in the car.  Got in the car. 

I notice that the sticker doesn't have an "R" on it anymore.  Get back out.  It
is a "9".  The car passed.  But there was no report to be found.

Did the car indeed pass?  Or were they just sick of seeing the car, looked at
the list of replaced components, and passed the car manually?  Either way, I
wasn't asking questions.  All I know is I have another 2 years before I have to
deal with this issue again.  

:)


-- 
____________________________________________________________________
Paul Luevano            |   AMA * MSF   |'99 CBR 600F4  (Racebike)
http://teamdaemon.com   | USM * CCS #898|'97 CBR 1100XX (Streetbike)      
Waltham, MA USA         |  NMA #116657  |'91 200TQ20V   (Winter)
________"Man's purpose is to live, not to exist."-Jack London_______