95 Chevy Blazer 4.3L Automatic; 227,500 miles
On your recent post discussing Catalytic converter problem:
In California, older cars like my 95 Blazer are required to pass a smog test every two years in order to register the car. In 2019, high NO (Nitrogen Oxide) emission caused it to FAIL. The tech at the “test only” station said the cause is usually a bad catalytic converter. Took it to a respected muffler shop, and a $300 cat was installed, followed by another failed test. Took it to a mechanic and he “removed carbon buildup” in the engine, and PASSED. 2021: time to retest. Failed NO again. (Different testing station from 2019.) The tech wrote "Catalytic converter" on the test, including the part number and the price. I took it to a new mechanic who took the Blazer out on the freeway, “got on it” , so that the cat. converter would heat up properly, and got it tested immediately thereafter: PASS! I explained to him that I had delivered it to the testing station at “operating temperature” per my temperature gauge, but I had only driven around town for about ten minutes. He said that was inadequate to properly heat up the catalytic converter. So, the lesson is, Before the smog test. warm up your car. About 15 to 20 minutes of “reasonably enthusiastic driving” to bring your catalytic converter, which burns emissions, up to operating temperature.
Please comment.
Thank you!
Good to know. Thank you!
I've never lived in a place as batguano insane stringent about emissions tests as the Peoples' Republic. However back when tailpipe emissions were sniffed I'd always take cars out for a good high-speed run to get the cat nice and hot. (These days I only have to worry about passing OBD2 I/M readiness checks and pre-1996 cars are not tested.)
