Well, it's smog time again here in California. Bastards. Every year I have troubles and now have to go to a test only. I'm going to beat them at their own game this time!!
I'm putting a can of SeaFoam in the oil and a can in the tank. I'll run that for a while, then change out the oil and the plugs just prior to going in for a pretest.
I've been running a bit of Sea Foam (actually, a lot) through a vacuum line to clean up the combustion chambers. I've noticed that no matter how much I run through, the motor smokes like I'm burning coal instead of gasoline. Compression was at 180 +/- 2 when I checked it at the last smog problem 2 years ago. I figured there was some build up in the combustion chamber and started using it then.
It's a 1992 pick up 4x4 extra cab (red) 22re with about 260,000 miles on it.
Things I've been wanting to do that may affect smog here in CA. A new EB head with oversized valves. I've got a TRD cam in it already and would swap that in. No, I don't need a new head but would be easier and faster to swap a new one in than send mine off to a machine shop.
I'd like to port the throttle body a bit. A good friend has a 3mm port on his and that motor seems to respond a bit nicer/smoother/snappy whatever you want to call it. I have no idea if this will be a smog problem. Besides, I've never taken off the throttle body to clean it. I've gone in there with a little brush and cleaned it as best I could while installed, but that's about it.
If I pull or have the head pulled, I may as well send the injectors out to be cleaned/balanced. That's never been done either.
I've also got about 150,000 miles on my timing chain. It's making a little bit of noise when cold, but not bad. I want to replace it for piece of mind.
Wow, I've yapped a lot! I meant to ask about the SeaFoam only. Will it stop smoking when the carbon is burned away or will it continue to smoke anyway? I'm off to the parts store. I'm surprised I can even buy this stuff in CA anymore. I hear it isn't legal to fart in CA anymore unless you have a catalytic converter installed in your shorts. I'll need to have that mod done too. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />
** I took the truck in for the smog test with fresh oil, plugs, new Toyota plug wires, a can of Guaranteed to Pass, 1 tank of gas & a somewhat recent valve adjust. 2 years ago, I had a new cat installed and I replaced the front o2 sensor.
Today, the truck failed a pretest miserably. NO at 15 mph max is 1058, my truck measured 1496. NO at 25mpg max is 918 and my truck measured 1172. The truck was driven a bunch prior to the test.
The nazi running the test didn't like my headers or the K&N filter-that's OK, I don't like either of those mods myself, but they are legal and carry an EO number. I didn't have the numbers with me so I have to go back with that.
I've never replaced the rear o2 sensor-not in 260,xxx miles. I figure that's probably a good idea. I'm going to pull the EGR and replace it if it's not too expensive or attempt to clean it if it is expensive. I just had a new cat put on and checked out the old one. It was full of funk... kind of a black, oily slime. It's the same stuff that leaked out of a pinhole in my exhaust when I used the Seafoam. The exhaust shop said it was pretty contaminated and not to use stuff like Seafoam.
I don't know what else to do to get this thing to pass smog. It's never burned any oil and I maintain my vehicles better than most anyone else that I know. Every time I have to get it smogged there are problems and I'm just about fed up. Suggestions?
