How to Pass an E-Test
05-21-2008, 04:59 AM
#1
How to Pass an E-Test
I recently went through the pain of doing an E-Test and here is a little advice for those who are close but failed. I'm not sure exactly how much you can lower the numbers but I will show you mine.
I can only compare the idle test because the 2 times I went they did the roller test once and the fast idle the next. (They can optionally do the fast idle test here if they think the roller test could cause problems ie lowered car etc.
The tests were conducted on two consecutive days. The only emissions equipment I have is a cat that I stuck on the day of the test. There is no EGR, PCV etc etc. Also there is no NO ppm reading for the idle test just HC ppm and CO %.
1st Test
HC ppm Limit, HC ppm reading , CO% Limit, CO% Reading
200, 261, 1, 0.55
2nd Test
200, 34, 1, 0.03
So what changed? Absolutely nothing with the exception of 1.5 L of Rubbing Alcohol from Shoppers Drugmart. There are 2 kinds of Rubbing Alcohol and you need to read the ingredients carefully to make sure you get the right one. Some are Methanol based ie Methyl Hydrate etc. The one you want is Ethanol based. The one I purchased was 95% Ethanol. I purchased 3 bottles 500 ml ea and dumped them into my tank which had approx 6 L remaining or a 4:1 ratio. Don't put it in until you are about to do the test and don't do any WOT runs with it in. I stopped a couple of miles from the test facility and dumped it in and then drove normally to the test. After the test drive directly to the nearest gas station and fill up to dilute the remaining ethanol.
Thats it. I have read of people passing with no cat but I wouldn't recommend that as most facilities will check for that.
No animals were killed during the test and you are on your own as far as liability. This is just my experience.
Jim
I can only compare the idle test because the 2 times I went they did the roller test once and the fast idle the next. (They can optionally do the fast idle test here if they think the roller test could cause problems ie lowered car etc.
The tests were conducted on two consecutive days. The only emissions equipment I have is a cat that I stuck on the day of the test. There is no EGR, PCV etc etc. Also there is no NO ppm reading for the idle test just HC ppm and CO %.
1st Test
HC ppm Limit, HC ppm reading , CO% Limit, CO% Reading
200, 261, 1, 0.55
2nd Test
200, 34, 1, 0.03
So what changed? Absolutely nothing with the exception of 1.5 L of Rubbing Alcohol from Shoppers Drugmart. There are 2 kinds of Rubbing Alcohol and you need to read the ingredients carefully to make sure you get the right one. Some are Methanol based ie Methyl Hydrate etc. The one you want is Ethanol based. The one I purchased was 95% Ethanol. I purchased 3 bottles 500 ml ea and dumped them into my tank which had approx 6 L remaining or a 4:1 ratio. Don't put it in until you are about to do the test and don't do any WOT runs with it in. I stopped a couple of miles from the test facility and dumped it in and then drove normally to the test. After the test drive directly to the nearest gas station and fill up to dilute the remaining ethanol.
Thats it. I have read of people passing with no cat but I wouldn't recommend that as most facilities will check for that.
No animals were killed during the test and you are on your own as far as liability. This is just my experience.
Jim
Last edited by Jime; 05-21-2008 at 07:00 AM.
05-21-2008, 06:27 AM
#2
removing the cat is a $2000 fine in the USA (anywhere in the country, regardless of emission testing or not)
running alcohol in the gas is a trick as old as emission testing itself. Alcohol burns cleaner than gasoline does so it has cleaner emissions for the most part. it does however raise your NO2 levels because it burns hotter than gasoline does.
running alcohol in the gas is a trick as old as emission testing itself. Alcohol burns cleaner than gasoline does so it has cleaner emissions for the most part. it does however raise your NO2 levels because it burns hotter than gasoline does.
05-21-2008, 06:59 AM
#3
removing the cat is a $2000 fine in the USA (anywhere in the country, regardless of emission testing or not)
running alcohol in the gas is a trick as old as emission testing itself. Alcohol burns cleaner than gasoline does so it has cleaner emissions for the most part. it does however raise your NO2 levels because it burns hotter than gasoline does.
running alcohol in the gas is a trick as old as emission testing itself. Alcohol burns cleaner than gasoline does so it has cleaner emissions for the most part. it does however raise your NO2 levels because it burns hotter than gasoline does.
I didn't suggest you remove the cat just saying its possible to pass the test without it. You would have to be pretty stupid to go to a test facility with no cat.
My NOX ppm was less than half the allowable on the alcohol, it has a minimal effect on NOX.
05-22-2008, 08:41 AM
#4
This is actually good to know! Last time I had a smog they didn't even bother completing it because they said my car would fail.
I had not changed anything from the previous smog so I don't know why they said it was going to fail.
The smog technically wasn't for my car...it was :ahem: for someone else's Maxima.
I had not changed anything from the previous smog so I don't know why they said it was going to fail.
The smog technically wasn't for my car...it was :ahem: for someone else's Maxima.
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