1980 Vanagon won't pass California smog

[Nitramrebrab72]

[do.dah]

I run high content zinc, engine oil, which is bad for CATs.
While my engine doesn't burn oil, about once a year, as a possible preventive maintenance deal, I remove my o2 and spray this stuff into the cat.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DHB2Z88?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

When I had my engine rebuilt, my engine builder wanted me to use a very high zinc break-in oil.
I asked him about using the spray-in cat cleaner after running the break-in oil, and he was ambivalent about it, but did say it couldn't hurt?

I have no idea if the stuff actually works.
I do have an after-market cat with about 40k miles on it, and last time I took it to my mechanic to have him double check the health of my van, one of the things he does, is stick a sniffer into the tailpipe, and it all checked out fine.

It would be kinda interesting if you tried some kind've spray-in cat cleaner and reported back if it made any kind've difference?

[LordHuron95]

Just talked to a local VW mechanic. Showed him my emission results and talked about changes I made between each one.

He said he feels my CAT is okay, not new but doesnt think it is the issue. He pointed towards the AFM, specifically the spring. He mentioned turning the CO screw 2 or 3 full turns out, and if that wasnt enough, to tighten the spring a couple notches.

Gonna take a look at things and will report moving forward.
_________________
Never swing a mean loop. Never do dirt to man nor animal.

-1980 Vanagon Westy

[Xevin]

[E1]

We all do things differently, but:

1). Premium gas will burn cleaner
2). Octane booster helps, pour it in before filling tank and drive a few miles

3). To see if the cat is working, buy an infrared temp gauge, get engine up to full temp, let idle, measure cat temp at inlet and outlet pipes on the cat itself
(I’ve tested a dozen times this year, and another dozen before on bad cats)
4). Take several readings and average them, temps will jump around a little, outlet should be hotter than inlet by about 100-150 degrees F
5). If equal temps after several test repeats on different drives, cat is shot

6). Check a spark plug before and after adjusting the AFM screw, and KNOW where you started!

Good Luck.
_________________
If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s

AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?”

[LordHuron95]

[Nitramrebrab72]

[Abscate]

[LordHuron95]

[E1]

Measure the cat temps to find gold.

Or at least to discount a bad cat.

If you meant the van was stationary at 2-3,000 rpm for 20 to 30 minutes, know that that’s *really hard* on the engine when freewheeling it.

If you were driving, apologies, the above is how it read to me.
_________________
If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s

AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?”

[LordHuron95]

[E1]

An infrared is invaluable, and cheap.

Engine builder is dead wrong, Sorry.
_________________
If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s

AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?”

[Nitramrebrab72]

High revving out of gear is not good for both a worn in engine and more so for an engine breaking in ... You need compression load on the rings, when breaking in an engine, that is staying in the high bhp part of the power curve,(through fast accelerations or climbing hills) this increases the pressure behind the piston rings as much as possible pushing them hard against the sharp edges of the cylinders honing scratches before they become blunt and are no longer able to shape the rings to the exact form of the cylinder wall something needed for a good ring seal...

As for cleaning the cat you need exhaust heat and exhaust volume. So up in the revs and load a combination of fast accelerations, and/or up a hill and/or a long motorway drive at least 55mph with accelerations upto 65mph for a sustained period of time.

[Abscate]

There is a simple reason cheap cats are 1/4 the price of OEM cats - 1/8 as much of the expensive material. OEM cats last 20-25 years - well, do the math...

I plugged up two cats on an X83 and had one look at the Magnaflow replacements and sent them back. OEM was a 1500 sting but went in like butter.
_________________
🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🍊 🍊 🍊

[LordHuron95]

Tested fuel pressure just to knock that out as an issue.

With pump running, 38psi
Immediately after letting off, it drops to ~35-36 and creeps down.
After ~20 minutes it still read 26 psi.

I say this instead of the CAT temps because for some reason it isn’t starting. It wants to but refuses. All I did since last driving it was compression testing each cylinder. I have triple checked plugs, wires, vacuum. I added fuel to the tank. Not sure what the issue is right now...
_________________
Never swing a mean loop. Never do dirt to man nor animal.

-1980 Vanagon Westy

[E1]

Did you pull the fuel pump relay or unbolt the pump ground (and pull and ground the coil wire) to do the test?

If you didn’t, it’s probably massively flooded. A friend once did the same thing ( ) — Once.

See if the dipstick smells like gas. If it does, pull and clean all the spark plugs and air the crankcase out overnight.

It is wise to do an oil change if it does smell gassy, if not the filter, too (or at least empty the oil from it if it’s fairly new).
_________________
If ever twice as rich, we’re gettin’ a double-wide
’84 “Westfailure”/2.1 Digijet/5.43 Ring & Pinion/Peloquin/D-rated BFG KO2s

AI has spoken to further illiteracy, to steal, to cheat, and to replace humans
The caveman’s first question to the headhunter: “Hey, you got any coffee?”

[LordHuron95]

[LordHuron95]

Update: after confirming fuel pressure is good, the engine wouldnt start. Would turn over, crank spark inconsistently but not start. Had planned on checking the temp on the cat but obviously cant do that without it running.

I took the plugs out and noticed they were all pretty wet. Left them out for the fuel to evaporate for the weekend. Came back, popped em back in. Engine started but died, then returned to not starting.

Compression test because why not. All 4 cylinders were roughly 125-130. Okay.
Spark plugs out again. I wiped them down as they all were wet and black again. Re-gapped them as well. One was particularly open. Also lightly sanded their points to clean off the carbon. Friend mentions that on such new everything, a FI engine shouldn't have such carbon buildup. Says it points to running extremely rich, which we know has been a possibility.

As an aside, there is a fresh new puddle of oil under the engine. No idea why considering I've only been turning the engine over and not starting it.

(Is everyone on here in on the prank and I dont actually get to drive this thing ever? )
_________________
Never swing a mean loop. Never do dirt to man nor animal.

-1980 Vanagon Westy

[LordHuron95]

Just tested the injectors. All read 2.6 ohms. Book says 2-3 is spec so that's good.

I tested each one by building pressure with the afm and then with a battery hooked to the injector terminals, manually firing it. I think they shot okay. Went through them all again just holding them up and building pressure, didnt see any dripping/leaking.
_________________
Never swing a mean loop. Never do dirt to man nor animal.

-1980 Vanagon Westy

[MarkWard]

Probably time to investigate the 5th injector or cold start valve operation.