Failed smog on friday, more than 3x carbon monoxide allowed, but everything else passed.  I went down today and had a full 2" exhaust, with cat installed today.  I went straight to the gas station and put in 32oz(2 normal size bottles) of 91% drug store alcohol in 1/2 tank, then filled the rest with 91 grade fuel to the top.  Drove 1/2 mile to the smog check and within 20 seconds on the dyno it passed easily.  If your rig isn't passing, just spend the $125 or so and have a new cat put in, your sami will pass too. 

Why the alcohol and premium fuel?  Is that a trick to make it exhale slightly cleaner for a brief period?

its a good measure if you want to make it have the best chance...

also Methyl Hydrate can be used for passing smog (does the same as alcohol)
use to use it all the time with older cars and smog...

I failed carbon monoxide so bad the first time.  I got one more try for the original $28 or I would have had to pay all over again.  I just wanted to have the best chance to pass that I could, otherwise I would have had to get another 3 day moving permit and waste a whole bunch more time.  I don't know if it was more the cat or the alcohol and premium fuel, but i'm guessing it was 99% cat, 1% alcohol.  I would recommend trying it if your sami won't pass.  Emissions are becoming one of the hardest things for older vehicles to pass, and here in az, we have to make vehicles all the way back to 1966 pass smog, it's horseshit.

Cheaters!


Lucky for me....no emissions here.       

The alcohol makes part of it run cleaner, but it also leans out the mixture, and can cause other numbers to go up. I can't remember which is which, but it should be a couple Google searches away. It's a balancing act, and you should know what you're doing before you just start throwing solutions at it. That said, a decently tuned up motor (good plugs, wires, cap) and good cat should take care of 90% of the problems you can run into.

I do not use cat at all, having carb feeded engine with strait-through design exhaust 2"->45mm, usually I'm driving on 95 grade premium gas and my Sammi passed Euro3 smog test with some parameters close to Euro4 standard. No alcohol, no additives, no smog... But I think I still won't pass CA smog test.

My engine has roughly 175k on it.  That being said, sometimes you do what you need to do to pass.  As far as just "going and dumping whatever into the tank", I checked around before I did it.  It wasn't just the co's that went down on the test, EVERYTHING went down in effect.  I did a full tune up and carb rebuild, this thing is running excellent, but still has a little lope at idle.  Was unable to find a mixture screw on the carb to adjust it.  Maybe someone will chime in and let me know if there is one, and where it is on the carb. 

Not sure if all states have it but Arizona used to have a waiver for emissions. You just had to say it would cost a bunch to get it to pass. It would allow you register it for one period so you don't have to pay to fix it right away. Each vehicle can do it once

Must be nice in the "Free World" I dread smogging my Sammi here in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia, I have a header with an "EO" sticker, most shops pop my hood and tell me to hit the road, luckily I have a shop nearby with internet access that can confirm my header is not Verboten! Last time I failed due to my gas cap not sealing correctly, funny thing is no one has a gas cap that seals correctly, even a 2001 BMW M3, all lies! Just another government program to tax the people.

http://bbs.zuwharrie.com/content/topic,2270.0.html

I just can't say enough good things about Surly's excellent thread on Hot and Cold Carburetor
Idle adjustment referenced above.   I would never have thought of doing what he describes in a million years.   My Sammy was cold idling high for a very long time at 2000 rpm until it warmed up and it was bugging me.  I attributed it to my header and K & N MegaFlow filter that I added on.  I had also ripped off all of the old air cleaner garbage and took out, of course, the warm air flow hose from the exhaust manifold. 

Using Surly's method, I now start up, fast idle at about 1500 and then it quickly settles down to 1100 rpm and purrs like a kitten.   Thanks Jeremiah for mentioning it again andTHANKS AGAIN Surly!   We owe ya!

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