Matthew :
High CO (carbon monoxide) is almost always a result of the fuel/air mixture
being too rich (by smog standards).
There are usually a handful of possible causes, and I am not familiar enough
with your car to comment on all of them. Most likely a minor carb overhaul
by a competent mechanic and a "low emissions" adjustment (using a CO meter)
will solve the problem.
My first guess would probably be a torn/leaking diaphragm (which would be
replaced as part of the minor overhaul). Other possibilities include :
1) Choke not releasing fully
2) Mixture set too rich (this should be impossible, but there's no telling
what some previous mechanic has done).
3) Float level set too high
4) Leaking float valve
5) Fuel saturated float
6) Worn needle or jet
7) Liquid fuel in the carbon canister or vacuum lines
8) Wrong carburetor (from an earlier model or a different car entirely)
Note that 6% CO at idle, while way above the allowable limit for your car,
is pretty common on older cars. Your car likely runs 'better' with the
mixture set that rich than it will once it's been corrected. Engines that
run poorly with the correct tailpipe CO usually have ignition or compression
problems.
Another thing you need to know : Did the smog guy do your test on-line (ie
were the results sent to the state) ? If so, your car has been tagged as a
'Gross Polluter', and there are special procedures you need to follow to get
it certified. Not too terrible, but different. See
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/StdPage.asp?Body=/Smogcheck/default.asp
for more info.
Randall - in smoggy So CA
> > > Hi:
> > >
> > > I don't know if you could help me, or direct me to
> > > someone who can, but here
> > > goes.
> > >
> > > I recently shipped my 1980 Triumph Spitfire to CA
> > > from OH and just today tried
> > > to get it smogged. It failed (Badly?). The guy
> > > said it (carburetor) was
> > > running too hot and that the idle CO content was too
> > > high (6% compared to the
> > > state's 2 threshold). I failed for both of these
> > > reasons. What can I do,
> > > short of moving to another state? Will a carburetor
> > > adjustment fix the
> > > problem?
> > >
> > > Any advice you can give me would be greatly
> > > appreciated. Or please forward
> > > this to someone else, if necessary.
> > >
> > > Sincerely,
> > >
> > > Matthew Kay
/// triumphs@autox.team.net mailing list
/// To unsubscribe send a plain text message to majordomo@autox.team.net
/// with nothing in it but
///
/// unsubscribe triumphs
///
/// or try http://www.team.net/cgi-bin/majorcool
|