Smog check went from 4% opacity to 34% opacity

[Faster]

Wow! I was shocked today when I almost failed a smog check. The black smoke rolling out of my exhaust whilst on the dyno was shocking. During hard driving I do not see smoke. Or if so, very little. This was a james bond smoke screen kind of smoke.

Last year I passed at 4% opacity. The only changes I have made this year are that I replaced the injectors at 200K miles with Firad 520s. The timing belt is due but I have not yet changed it. Also, I have been running a gas MAF sensor which I need to swap back to diesel.

I recently ran a can of diesel purge directly from the pump intake feed.

I'll be checking my air filter and injector timing at the pump. Anything else I should check straightaway?

My goal is not just to pass emissions but also to catch anything harmful before it becomes an issue....

Cheers!

Faster

 

[csstevej]

I’d be looking at your IQ......do you know where it’s set at?

 

[Faster]

Great question. I would normally tweak that after installing new injectors but was lazy since the nozzles were the same size.

I'll grab my VCDS and check it tomorrow.

 

[Nero Morg]

Wait you guys use a dyno to do emissions testing? Wow.

Anyhow...another suggestion would be to try running b5 or b20 bio and run diesel purge to clean it up. My car gets smoky until I run some cleaner through it, then it clears up for a few tanks.

 

[turbocharged798]

Crank up the IQ until the car barely starts, probably around 8-10 mg/str. You will likely need to hammer mod the pump. Adapt down the EGR to minimum also. Bet that alone will make it pass. Once it passes you can put everything back to where it was. Your injectors are likely the problem. Too much fuel and not enough boost.

 

[Faster]

Your injectors are likely the problem. Too much fuel and not enough boost.

Is there a way to increase boost? That would seem a balanced approach.

 

[Nero Morg]

Tuning is the only way to increase boost.

 

[PakProtector]

Tuning is the only way to increase boost.

Not quite. Not what I would call a 'recommended solution', but swap in a 3Bar manifold pressure sender. The OE is 2.5. The voltage output is the same across the scale, and the 'puter needs to know that full voltage is now 3 instead of 2.5. This will substantially increase boost, and could put low RPM boost attempts over the surge line.

The way to do it Right is to install a tune...
cheers,
Douglas

 

[Faster]

The way to do it Right is to install a tune...
cheers,
Douglas

A^2 - Go Blue!

Yeah, I would not have purchased these injectors had I realized they have a higher flow than stock. Colorado emissions checks are a pain.

I will check my IQ today (weekend got away from me!) and see if I can tweak it to compensate. I'd love to install a tune but the ROI on a vehicle approaching 300K (200K on the engine) may not be the best - especially with an ECU which requires socketing.

 

[Nero Morg]

I wouldn't worry about it too much.... I put a stage 4 on my daily... At 325k. Probably should replace the head at some point, but bottom end is solid.

 

[Judson]

Socketing?

i am up in Cheyenne and own a flashzilla if you decide to get a tune from Malone....

 

[Faster]

That would be great! My ALH has a Dec 1998 mfg date so unsure if flashzilla will support that old of a build.

 

[Judson]

Same - I'm not sure if it does!

 

[Nero Morg]

No it's too old, it will need socketed.

 

[burn_your_money]

If you get the IMMO deleted you can resell it and recoup some of your money. Although 99 probably doesn't have an IMMO anyways.
I think if you search ebay.co.uk you can find pretuned ECUs on the cheap

 

[B3achbum]

This jumped out at me:
" gas MAF sensor which I need to swap back to diesel."

Would they cover the same signal ranges?
I'm under the impression that the MAF and the O2 are read together to compute and adjust/regulate EGR flow. Oops, ALH no O2 sensor.
Still, could it throw his A/F ratio off if it's not the correct MAF?

 

[Faster]

Still, could it throw his A/F ratio off if it's not the correct MAF?

Yeah, the gas MAF causes the A/F to be richer - which is why I mentioned it. I wouldn't think it would jump me form 4% to 34% though.

If the Manifold Pressure Sensor is voltage based it may be possible to add a small resister in-line to slightly increase boost to match the injectors without causing wild over-boost scenarios. Has anyone tried this?

 

[Faster]

I think if you search ebay.co.uk you can find pretuned ECUs on the cheap

I have seen those but wasn't sure how to choose from among the offerings. There are also heaps of them from Romania. I assume the ALH ECUs don't vary much from year to year?

 

[burn_your_money]

I have seen those but wasn't sure how to choose from among the offerings. There are also heaps of them from Romania. I assume the ALH ECUs don't vary much from year to year?

There are 2 or 3 styles of ECUs for the ALH. For sure the early (pre 2000) ones don't work with the later ones. For some reason I'm thinking 03 was a different ECU but I don't know. Hopefully someone who knows for sure will chime in.

I would assume that ECUs in different countries have different programming on them to meet the specific emission targets of the country, but that's an assumption. It would have a different part number on it though. If it's tuned it doesn't really matter anyways.

Malone Tuning

malonetuning.com

 

[Faster]

I finally got around to working on my TDI. I checked the IQ and it was 2.0. I was able to use adaptation to bump it up to 4.0. I wish I had a way to test the smog but I am not seeing much, if any, soot.