The Octane Odyssey
Jan. 14th, 2004 07:00 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ceagleor, Yin Yang Yesterday...
My lil' ole cah dinna pass the smog check :|
All it's life it's been a real trouper, way within the clean air specs, and still being reliable and chock fulla good mileage.. :>
Traditionally also, smog requirements of the time your car was made are the standards used to make sure you keep it running in top shape.
Then a few years ago, they added a nox test, and since it wasn't around when the car was built (1982-83), it can be tougher to stay in line with this. Tougher, but not impossible.
The lil' critter failed one other time after this was put into effect, but with some adjustments and work, it passed just fine.
Used to be a new air filter, oil chg and a minor tune would do it. But since it needs more now, I looked into it a bit, and it turns out there's some stuff you can get which guarantees you'll pass .. *warble* :>
The trick is, it says you have to add it to a full tank, drive until it's empty, then fill it full with super duper octane stuff and head over for the test.
gah. :|
Well, not impossible... but I wasn't totally prepared for the shock and detour... then I thought, 'if that'll help, let's go for it!' (needless to say I had no email or LJ time last night.)
So around 7:30p.m. I resigned myself to the task, went and bought the gear, did a few more errands for people, and grabbed a sandwich before diving in to it.
Changed the filter, then the oil (where's that darn oil filter wrench when ya need it!), and tried to figure whether I should get anything done on this time stretch or not, or even invite a friend along. (good thing I didn't... it took a LONG time) 8|
Decided to head south; that way I could drop off an overdue xmas gift, and leave a few notes at some friend's places, and also visit my grandma's ole town.
Got going about 11:30p.m., with the hope this stuff would still work if I used it on half a tank of gas. (I really didn't feel like driving 450 miles, a full tanks' worth, just to test this out on the spur of the moment... so I hope that won't be a big factor.) Got to see how things have changed where my grandparents used to live near Capistrano, and then headed back, getting in around 5:30a.m.
Mainly deciding between Chevron and Union76 for the second phase, I went for Union since it states that it has no MTBE and Chevron was unclear on that. Also 76 says it has Ethanol, which![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
makovette indicated might give me a cleaner burning edge too. :>
The only other deviation in the plan is that I am letting the car rest for an hour (because the shop isn't open yet), and I hope that won't affect the results either. *wags feathers*
I'll keep ya posted, and if this has benefitted anyone out there, it's done its job... :9
So that was the yang.. the GOOD news of the day was that, after all this time, we can finally watch DVDs on the TV!
Um, er.. yep. :> Years ago mom lost the original remote, so we haven't had any way to switch to LINE INPUT, so have had to watch DVDs on the computer screen. (Probably part of why I only have half a dozen or so.) *heh* I even looked on the internet about this tv model, and it was no help.. so we got by without it.
So then a few nights ago I stumbled across the original manual and dug in, and it turns out that there *is* an alternate method... just tune in to channel 00 !! *skreeeehaw* :D
...so if this smidgin of info has helped anyone too, or you can pass it along... the more the merrier!
Best Wishes y'all! :>
My lil' ole cah dinna pass the smog check :|
All it's life it's been a real trouper, way within the clean air specs, and still being reliable and chock fulla good mileage.. :>
Traditionally also, smog requirements of the time your car was made are the standards used to make sure you keep it running in top shape.
Then a few years ago, they added a nox test, and since it wasn't around when the car was built (1982-83), it can be tougher to stay in line with this. Tougher, but not impossible.
The lil' critter failed one other time after this was put into effect, but with some adjustments and work, it passed just fine.
Used to be a new air filter, oil chg and a minor tune would do it. But since it needs more now, I looked into it a bit, and it turns out there's some stuff you can get which guarantees you'll pass .. *warble* :>
The trick is, it says you have to add it to a full tank, drive until it's empty, then fill it full with super duper octane stuff and head over for the test.
gah. :|
Well, not impossible... but I wasn't totally prepared for the shock and detour... then I thought, 'if that'll help, let's go for it!' (needless to say I had no email or LJ time last night.)
So around 7:30p.m. I resigned myself to the task, went and bought the gear, did a few more errands for people, and grabbed a sandwich before diving in to it.
Changed the filter, then the oil (where's that darn oil filter wrench when ya need it!), and tried to figure whether I should get anything done on this time stretch or not, or even invite a friend along. (good thing I didn't... it took a LONG time) 8|
Decided to head south; that way I could drop off an overdue xmas gift, and leave a few notes at some friend's places, and also visit my grandma's ole town.
Got going about 11:30p.m., with the hope this stuff would still work if I used it on half a tank of gas. (I really didn't feel like driving 450 miles, a full tanks' worth, just to test this out on the spur of the moment... so I hope that won't be a big factor.) Got to see how things have changed where my grandparents used to live near Capistrano, and then headed back, getting in around 5:30a.m.
Mainly deciding between Chevron and Union76 for the second phase, I went for Union since it states that it has no MTBE and Chevron was unclear on that. Also 76 says it has Ethanol, which
makovette indicated might give me a cleaner burning edge too. :>The only other deviation in the plan is that I am letting the car rest for an hour (because the shop isn't open yet), and I hope that won't affect the results either. *wags feathers*
I'll keep ya posted, and if this has benefitted anyone out there, it's done its job... :9
So that was the yang.. the GOOD news of the day was that, after all this time, we can finally watch DVDs on the TV!
Um, er.. yep. :> Years ago mom lost the original remote, so we haven't had any way to switch to LINE INPUT, so have had to watch DVDs on the computer screen. (Probably part of why I only have half a dozen or so.) *heh* I even looked on the internet about this tv model, and it was no help.. so we got by without it.
So then a few nights ago I stumbled across the original manual and dug in, and it turns out that there *is* an alternate method... just tune in to channel 00 !! *skreeeehaw* :D
...so if this smidgin of info has helped anyone too, or you can pass it along... the more the merrier!
Best Wishes y'all! :>
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no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 06:41 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 08:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 09:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 10:50 am (UTC)FWIW, assuming the fuel system is working properly, twisting the disty to add or subtract a couple of degrees can make a big change in NOx levels.
Retarding the timing typically lowers them (lower cylinder pressures == lower temps == lower NOx and also, less power and MPG). Be sure to put the timing back where it belongs after the test.
If things are still dicey, mix in a gallon of straight alky into 8-10 gallons of dead dinosaurs and that should clean things up quite nicely. Post test be sure to top off the tank with more gas to reduce the % of the alky to minimal levels.
Congrats on the DVDage too, although I dunno if Animal Olympics is on DVD yet? :-)
Hi Mom! Meow to MEOW too :)
CYa!
Mako
no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 01:29 pm (UTC)I hope your car passes
w00t
no subject
Date: 2004-01-14 05:37 pm (UTC)You see, there is a smaller-than-its-average 14" TV on the living room and a larger-than-its-average 17" Monitor on my computer... But I can only watch that on the TV 'cause I've got no DVD Drive. ;(
But that's life! I am planning to buy a DVD drive very soon!
*hugglepurrs!* ^_^
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:22 am (UTC)I hope ya likes!
*hugs you and the tiggerbird*
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:23 am (UTC)I'm gonna write up a little note here inna few... all is not lost :>
*hugs*
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:24 am (UTC)Yeah.. I've been trying to use 'em more... iffen my post is gonna go more than a couple paragraphs... that's the plan ennyway.. *scritchees yer feathers* Glad ya likes!
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:26 am (UTC)I may need ta call ya for delineated detailz....
Be posting results in a subsequent note here shortly...
*wags feathers*
I 'spect ya got home safe n sound?
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:28 am (UTC)Still shining as clean as ever for the tests that were required of it for near 20 years... just sort iffy on the brand new test... 8|
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:29 am (UTC)Well, at least they are getting very affordable, yup!
*hugs the purrin' cat raht back*
:>
no subject
Date: 2004-01-15 10:58 am (UTC)And not sure if Animalympics is on DVD yet... I never got the VHS because noone could ever tell me if it was in stereo, and I *really* want it in stereo :> *chirp*
no subject
Date: 2004-01-16 04:42 pm (UTC)