Hey Guys

Got a question. I just had to do my emissions test on my beloved t5r and i failed the test. I was surprised that i did. I passed the gas cap test but failed the emissions. I have recently changed the plugs and fuel filter. The car sits most of the time and i only drive it on weekends when it is nice. I have noticed the it seems to run rich. I think this due to the smell when i start it at my shop to warm it up. I have a month to fix the problem but dont know where to start.

State standards HC(ppm) are 175 i did 408
CO% 1.00 i did 8.29

Does anyone have any ideas what to look for to get my numbers down???

 

Do you have a cel? How old is the gas in the car? I really don't know anything about those test because our state doesn't even require state inspections but I would suspect O2 sensors.

What kind of T-5R do you have?

 

The gas isn't old. The o2 sensors were replaced last year. The car runs great. I am getting ready to drive it from MD to Florida Monday. I had it at the local VOLVO dealer and had them do a safety inspection and all it needed was a motor mount. I was happy to hear that. I do think it may run rich but i was told maybe letting it sit so much and maybe carbon is built up in it. Changed the plugs and they really weren't bad.

Its a 4 door (black) got pictures on here some where?

 

if i don't have any check engine lights on could it be a o2 sensor. is it bad to drive a car that runs a little rich. i do sometimes think i get bad gas mileage. sorry so many questions.

 

run some seafoam thru it, also try cleaning the MAF, or try to find one out of a yard

 

What is seafoam? What is a good way to clean MAF.

 

it comes in a can you run about half a can from a major vacuum source into your engine after it has warmed up, then let it sit 5-10 minutes and then run it for awhile it while smoke for a while after wards, and you can get MAF cleaner at an autoparts store. can you smell gas in the engine bay?

 

I don't smell gas in the engine bay.

 

How many miles have you put on the car over the past 30 days? I think it just needs to be driven a few hundred miles. If your O2 sensors are newer (than 5 years old) and your gas is not older than 30 days old.

These computers (ECU's) adjust for octane, spark, etc. so it could be trying to adjust for things not being run that much. You will probably be fine after the drive to Florida.

 

I haven't driven the car more than 200 miles in the past two months. I have heard alot about vacuum leaks and noticed that the sensor on the air intake hose near the turbo was not pushed in and maybe leaking. I tried to push it in and could not. So I pulled it out and see the rubber is messed up and was put in with some black sealent. Would this make it run rich and can I just push it in and seal it. At least until I can get a new one.

 

That is quite rich! So when was the last time you changed the oil? Pull your dipstick and sniff it; if it smells like gas you found the issue; you got a leaky injector maybe... Gas in the oil will definitely make the car fail emissions test.

Has this car passed state test before or have you recently purchased it? i.e. maybe previous owner took out the cat and/or chipped it for more pwr?

BTW: running too rich is not good for your engine; you're washing the lubrication oil off the cyl walls and diluting your oil in the crankcase. Not to mention the extra pollution and wasted expensive gas...

 

The car passed the test last time I did it but I think I remember them saying it hardly did. I have had it for four years now. I just changed the oil couple of days ago. I will smell the dipstick to see if I smell gas. It does have the cat on it still I just put on a new Supersprint cat back exhaust over the winter time. I dont think it has a chip in it it was bone stock when I got it. I know u can't see the chip just guessing on that one. The car is fast as hell though. Would messing with the wastegate make it run rich? Thanks again for any info.

 

I just pulled the dipstick and I dont smell any gas. I had the car running and tried to smell the exhaust to see if it seemed to smell I had my wifes jaguar running next to it and both exhaust smelled the same. Im sure this isnt the way to see if its running rich but I was just checking. Does a car that runs rich make the exhaust real black? My exhaust is chrome at the tip and it only has a small bit of black on the bottom.

 

Do you guys think it could be my coolant temp sensor. I have been reading other sites and they say that a bad temp sensor will think the car is not warmed up and make it run rich. In the winter my car seems to never warm up the gauge gets to half way mark in city driving but on the highway it stays real low.

 

Well I took out the thermostat so I could get to the coolant sensor cause I thought it was maybe bad. It turned out my thermostat was broke and stuck open. I think it maybe didnt let my computer or something think the car was warmed up and kept dumping gas in fhe motor and maybe made my car run rich.

I put in a new thermostat and the fuel smell is gone and it runs better.

 

good luck, in PA we have an exemption for less that 5k year, my truck always gets it and my 850 got it to (the odo did not work) Which was good because the air pump was shot as well. There is also an exemption by appeal. Maybe you would qualify for something like this in your state?

 

You probably hit it with the t-stat. Cold cars run rich. Also, anytime my car has popped a cel for rich running it has been a vacuum like loose, the one at the end of the PCV near the turbo (small one). Hope that did it for you. To bad the guys at the inspection station didn't tell you that the car was cold.

Get yourself a OBD-II reader so you can check your temp and stuff like that. These older 850 need them, probably should be sold with them.

 

I just wanted to thank you guys hope I can be of help one day.

 

Wow! That "detail" about the engine not getting up to temperature would have tipped us off right away; broken/stuck therm is very common issue with cars this old...

Drive around a bit before going back for inspection; should pass now. Good luck..

 

Well guys just made it to Florida. Last night and today is the most I have driven the car in a year. Made it down no problems drove straight through. The tailpipe is still clean and doesnt have a sign of black smoke on it like just a trip home from work would of done. Also the gas mileage is great maybe even twice as good. Thanks again for all the help.