It would be helpful to know the year/engine in the Cabriolet but the
readings indicate the following:
Over-advanced ignition timing raising peak flame temperature,
Increased compression due to excessive carbon deposits or machined
cylinder head,
Defective 3 way catalytic converter.

Check the timing, then replace the catalyst.

Dennis

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf
Of Karen Gritis
Sent: Monday, August 18, 2003 7:24 PM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Help needed for 88 Cabriolet emissions failure

Please take a minute to help us out, even though this problem isn't
Vanagon related.  (If it helps, I have a Vanagon.)  My daughter and I
went to get her Cabriolet emissions tested today.  We were shocked that
it failed.

The numbers were as follows:
HC ppm - 15 mph - (limit 152) - actual 56
CO% - 15 mph - (limit .86) - actual .64
NO ppm - 15 mph - (limit 1203) - actual 1614

So everything except NO was within acceptable limits, although the
inspector said that all the values were higher than they should be.
There is no visible smoke.  The inspector said that it could possibly be
the catalytic converter going bad, but he didn't know for sure.

The engine seemed to run hot during testing.  There is a water
temperature gauge with a light in the middle, the Cabriolet was running
half way between the light and the hot zone.  I have the same gauge in
my vanagon and I usually run just to the left of the light.

One other thing that might have some bearing on this is that it took 4
tries for the inspector to get a reading.  He finally had to take apart
the probe that goes into the tailpipe and blow compressed air through
it.  Then he was able to complete the three cycles.  So anyway, the car
was pretty hot by the time he could get a reading.

Any ideas??  Any suggestions??  Any and all are appreciated.

Thanks,
Karen