Tom,
Man, this sounds like a nightmare.  I'm so afraid to bring my van into
SMOG testing next year.  I enjoy every day driving my van to the
fullest because I think that it may be off the road in 2005.

Is there some shop like BusLabs in Berkeley that has a dyno for
testing?  I imagine that a test center shop that isn't test-only would
also have a dyno.  The Test-only and test centers use the same tests.
So, maybe you can call around and find a mechanic's shop with a dyno
and with adjustment equipment that can give you a pre-test job?

I would try calling a specialist like BusLabs or Stephan's Auto Haus
in Sacramento.  http://stephansautohaus.enjoybeing.net/

At the very least, you'll get some sympathy from the vanagon brotherhood.

Let me know how it goes.   BTW, are you costs to get the van
SMOG-compliant limited to $500?  Or, is there no limit on costs under
the new CA law?

Regards,
Craig

On Tue, 26 Oct 2004 06:58:15 -0700, Tom Young <tomyoung1@comcast.net> wrote:
> From: "Dennis Haynes" <dhaynes@OPTONLINE.NET>
> To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
> Sent: Tuesday, October 26, 2004 3:26 AM
> Subject: Re: Calif Smog Issues
>
> > Ideally, the CO should be well under 1.0%.
>
> Well, the "standard" for the Smog II test is .94 and .74 so I guess I can't
> dispute that.  But, since the "spec" for the Federal Vanagon is 1% +/- .5%
> essentially California has set these vehicles up to fail even if *every
> part* of the engine is to original spec.
>
> > Excessive CO is due to insufficient O2.
>
> Typically expressed as the fuel air mixture is "too rich."
>
> > The mixture adjustment is not going to have any effect
> > at speed, something is wrong.
>
> If you're talking about the basic air/fuel mixture adjustment procedure
> contained in Bentley, then the mixture adjustment of course *does* have
> effect at speed.  My numbers at speed improved considerably after I went in
> and tightened the spring and then took the vehicle to the VW dealer to have
> the mixture set.  The question I asked, the one I'm trying to get answered
> is:  since the smog test is "at speed" but you set the basic mixture "at
> idle" how the hell do you ever know if you're going to pass "at speed"
> without going back and forth between adjusting the mixture and then taking
> the test, maybe several times?
>
> > Check the ignition timing, make sure it is
> > not over advanced and that the advance mechanisms are working properly.
>
> They're fine.
>
> > Is the EGR valve intact and working? This will help.
>
> It's there and working.  Since the EGR is there for NOx I don't think this
> is relevant.
>
>
> > Check the injectors
> > for spray pattern-balance. Last resort is to adjust the spring tension
> > in the air flow meter.
>
> I've already done that.  At this point I don't know, and can't know without
> a dyno, whether I have enough adjustment left with the mixture screw to get
> the engine lean enough or if I have to go in and tighten the spring again.
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------------------------
> Tom Young
> Lafayette, CA 94549
> ---------------------------------------------------
>