E-test time

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 1st, 2006, 9:15 am

Well, I picked up my '93 MX-3 V-6 5 speed Friday, and now it's time to safety and e-test. The safety should be no prob, it's in real good mechanical shape and everything works, but the e-test may be another matter. It runs real well but you never know. Does anyone have any tips/tricks/ideas about any preventive things to check or do to help it get thru the first time? I dread these things, and I'd really like to make it the first time. Thanks

mr1in6billion · Post by **mr1in6billion** » October 1st, 2006, 3:33 pm

If it's in good shape and runs well I can't see you having any problems passing. You should have the car warm when you test it, and even if you have to wait in line at the test station you should keep the car going. Thats about it.

Tropical Emerald 1993 · October 1st, 2006, 4:05 pm

you mean ecology test?

post if you went through

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 1st, 2006, 7:52 pm

I'm going to change the oil and filter, make sure it's good and warm and give it a go. Thing is, even a slight vacuum leak can nix it for you. You never know what the test machine will say. I'll let you know how it goes.

sampsonmx3sv · Post by **sampsonmx3sv** » October 2nd, 2006, 1:48 pm

You probably already know, but they say to let the car run for ten to fifteen minutes before going there. After my klze swap with different intake, and a mess of vacuum hoses I passed with flying colors.

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 2nd, 2006, 8:45 pm

That's encouraging to hear. The worse part of the whole ordeal is waiting for the results. The closest thing to it is waiting to hear if it's a boy or girl.

sampsonmx3sv · Post by **sampsonmx3sv** » October 5th, 2006, 5:31 pm

If everything is hooked up you'll be fine. I was super nervous though too.

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 18th, 2006, 10:05 pm

Well, it's all over finally and I'm legally on the road. The people I got tires from did the safety, and all they could find was one bad (right) tierod end. Not too bad considering there's 400K km clocked on it. The e test wasn't as simple. I knew nothing about the history of the car, so I just took her in with just an oil change and good and warm from a highway run. Passed on all the idle tests, but failed (FAILED BAD...I'll post numbers at the end) on the driving speed, all three gasses. I didn't have a lot of faith in their test, but figuring it was high in all 3, that tends to point to the cat. I found a decent price locally and got a cat (universal) put on. Took her on the highway for a few minutes, and took it to someone I trusted more. This time it passed on 2 of the driving speed ones, and barely failing the third. The kid that did the test told me to put on wires and plugs and bring it back. I took his advice and tuned up, and noticed a difference in the way it ran right away...took it back yesterday and breezed through it. Amazing what a cat, plugs and wires can do.......
HC ppm(max allowed 68) went from 146 the first test down to 23 the 3rd
CO% (max allowed 0.38) went from .59 down to.01
NO ppm (max allowed 526) started at a whopping 1162 and went down to 218.....Finally, I've had this car 2 weeks and it's legal at last!

panheader · Post by **panheader** » October 18th, 2006, 10:09 pm

Somehow this guy

showed up instead of the number eight in my previous post. Don' know how that happened

mr1in6billion · Post by **mr1in6billion** » October 19th, 2006, 1:48 am

8 + ) =