bgssamson

Here's what happen 2 weeks ago my HC ppm is high nothing else so I went to jiffylube and did an oil change with synthetic, fuel injector (in engine and in gas) and I drive the car for a week as its been a while not driving it but I always warm it up in the morning. A week later I went to take the test again and HC ppm PASS but the NO ppm failed the guy (emmission test guy in the gas station) told me that he is 100%sure its the cath converter so I called around and the nissan dealer want $1000 just for cat, called 2nd shop $460 inc. labor then my cousin knows a guy (co owner as well) that expertise is exhause like maidas shop since he's my cousins friend he just chage me $250 parts and labor I said ok then he ordered it. Today got it installed and went back for another test. The same guy did something in the hood and run it, to my surprise it failed again he said he still think its cat nothing else he told me go back monday and he will fix it for $200 and pass. I said i'll call him and went back home as soon as im home check the hood and the wires for the plug valve is loose I think its #4 plug. Do you guys think it as anything to do from my failed emmission, do you guys think he took it out just to make $200 bucks for me.

Please help me as I am desperate!

PS. I forgot to mention that I always give the guy tip whenever I go ther for the test.

-Brian

505max94se

iTrader: (15)

$1000 for a cat....

mikekantor

iTrader: (5)

Do you know which engine you have?

If not, whats the trim and year of your car?

bgssamson

Its 1993 GXE (VG30E SOHC if im not mistaken). Yeh i though the parts guy was iether kidding me, or comes the whole pipe, cat, censors and etc.. or I just heard him wrong but I ask him again he said that's right $1000 plus tax for just CAT. that's why I shop around and the 2nd shop told me $460 everything he even mention that if you go get the nissan part it will cost you $1000.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

oem is always way more expensive. courtesy has the best oem prices, for a dealer, but look at this ...
if the plug wire was disconnected, it could have caused the failure. however, since im not familiar with emmissions testing, why was he doing anything under the hood?

bgssamson

No idea what he's doing, but I saw him touch those wires that's why when i got home I check it and it was loose (very loose). Does it has any connection with the NO ppm failure? that thing that tick me is he said that maybe they (the one that put my cat) did put a cheap and not good cat and he then said that he can fix it for $200 just "DOING THIS AND THAT" (his exact words). I think if its bad cat he can't do anything about it unless he install another one right? he keep insisting bad cav (think he mentioned it 7 -8 times).

Jmahad01

iTrader: (8)

$1000 for just the cat. Warpspeed sells performance cats for $100 IIRC. Not cool wasting all this money on passing emmissions. The plug wire could have made you fail. Im not sure if the mechanic even has to go under your hood for an emmissions test. Just stick a probe in the exhaust and run the car on the machine. Since I personally know someone in a shop I always pass inspection/emmissions and he has never opened the hood to do anything for it.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

how much does it cost for inspection? you may consider finding another place to check emmissions.
did he get under the hood the first couple of times you went?

bgssamson

I'm going to other emmission shop on monday just to try if its that the real cause even if I have to pay for another $28 for emmision test. If I pass I will go back to that place and ask for manager.

BenStoked

iTrader: (7)

!!!

bgssamson

I'm still eager to know if that plug wire will cause it to fail NO ppm. Does anyone knows?

hoyshnin

iTrader: (1)

what state are you in? here in california they have smog test places (emissions=same thing), and then smog test ONLY places. the smog test only places cannot work on cars, so they tend to be more honest. i'd recommned trying to find somewhere like that. oh, and watch them carefully, i always do

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

if your NO is high check your EGR valve for functionality.
a high NO indicates high combustion chamber temperatures which can be caused by several different things.

maximaman1313

They are not suppose to go under the hood for anything on emissions test... Sounds like he is scamming you for extra cash in his pocket. I'd check everything under the hood you can, yourself, and go, back. make sure they don't touch anything under the hood.

doesn't NO have to do with the egr valve? maybe a hose is lose if so. im guessin that lose wire on plug was the cause tho.

Big_E-Dog

iTrader: (14)

in cali they have to go under the hood to put the spark wire clamp on, make shure all the hoses are connected and that nothing is modified.

high no can be caused by a few things, egr not working(not hooked up, leaking), low feul pressure, vaccum hoses not connected, misfire, or dead cylinders. aftr he touched something did the car run with a lot of vibrations(kinda rough) if so then he prolly did pull a plug wire.

now cats cre kinda expensive but here in daygo ive seen none higher than 175 installed, if it is universal then itl be lower.

could he be scalmming you prolly, ive beeen looking for a smogshop for a long time now and i think i finally found one in lemon grove. if you feel like your gettin scammed go somewher else

Wiking

Missing spark for a cylinder must cause a failure in emission tst, otherwise the test is a sham.

A wire may be loose, but sitting on the plug, still able to give [poor] spark...

Hood has to be open, tester rpm sensor is attached on to spark wire.

shoult

iTrader: (1)

Here in NashVegas they do not need to open the for emissions testing. There is no need from the testing equipment to know the rpm. They test at idle and if they see a reading they don't like they ask you to go to a "high" idle. If you have a tach they ask you to keep it at about 2500 rpm.

Other states may have visual inspection where they will look under the hood, but I have not run into a testing facility that actually touches the engine.

Big_E-Dog

iTrader: (14)

well dont come here (CALIFORNIA) youll think youve been violated....

internetautomar

iTrader: (30)

Illinois got rid of emission testing OBDI vehicles entirely last year.

Wiking

I guess there are myriad testing equipment available. I just wanted to point out that on some cases opening hood is a must, not hoax. Our requirement is idle and 2500rpm test results on paper; these will be fed into gvmt database in the yearly inspection. Test equipments can only get exact rpm electronically, here these systems take it from spark pulse, printout will log that exact rpm etc. OBD connector would be another source to get the rpm...

bgssamson

Thanks guys for all the inputs, I will try another testing facility and will let you guys know.