Help with CA smog problem (95 M3)

[dang]

My son's '95 M3 is not passing smog and I thought I'd post the readings to see if anyone has any ideas.

Quick history: The car was a friend's and his son got in an accident in it two years ago and parked it (not his fault). They were going to make it a track car but finally decided to sell it. My son bought it and fixed the damage and got it driveable pretty quick but it failed smog. It passed the last time it was tested about three years ago.

It failed both 15mph and 25mph tests the first time. He replaced a few things and now the 25mph test passes but the 15mph numbers are still horrible.

What he's changed:
- new plugs
- new vacuum hoses
- new intake boot (elbow)
- swapped ICV with known good one
- added a good electric fan (helped NOx a little bit)
- swapped MAF sensor with a known good one
- new O2 sensor

... at this point the 25mph test barely passed but the 15mph test failed miserably.

- swapped cats (downpipe and cats) from '95 M3 that just passed smog
- swapped fuel injectors (since car sat so long and we're running out of ideas)

... readings were about the same as before.

High CO, HC and NOx. Gross Polluter!

 

[sfdon]

You need to temperature gun your radiator and water pump/ tstat... Post your reading here.
Flush your radiator
High ethanol gas (Valero) will help
Have your fast setting aux fan running all the time before and during the test. Jumper the fuse box at the relay.
Test first thing in the morning
Do NOT fail anymore tests- pretest only until you can test and pass or you will end up at referees

 

[verde2002]

My most recent smog consisted of the machine connected to my ecu port. For the first time the dyno was not part of the test and I was told the new smog system does not require actually running the car on the rollers. I am located in Los Angeles so you should have the same test being in Cali.

 

[sfdon]

Which of these cars have an ecu port?




__________________
76' BMW 2002
71' BMW 2800CS
81' BMW 633CSI
88' BMW 635CSI

 

[dang]

My most recent smog consisted of the machine connected to my ecu port. For the first time the dyno was not part of the test and I was told the new smog system does not require actually running the car on the rollers. I am located in Los Angeles so you should have the same test being in Cali.

Not the case for all cars, although the smog tech has heard rumors of other changes coming.

 

[dang]

You need to temperature gun your radiator and water pump/ tstat... Post your reading here.
Flush your radiator
High ethanol gas (Valero) will help
Have your fast setting aux fan running all the time before and during the test. Jumper the fuse box at the relay.
Test first thing in the morning
Do NOT fail anymore tests- pretest only until you can test and pass or you will end up at referees

He's tested it several times, most are on manual mode.

The first test was done with only the aux fan going on low speed. High speed was blowing the fuse and there is no fan on the water pump. The tech suggested more air after the first test so my son bought a good puller fan and mounted it on the backside of the radiator. The next test passed at 25mph but not the 15mph. We've run out of things to do so I'll let him know your suggestion. He can run the puller fan along with the aux fan on low speed.

Since we're out of ideas we also called our car psychic.

Dan

 

[HB Chris]

My most recent smog consisted of the machine connected to my ecu port. For the first time the dyno was not part of the test and I was told the new smog system does not require actually running the car on the rollers. I am located in Los Angeles so you should have the same test being in Cali.

Only for cars with OBD II equipment, post '96 I believe. Earlier cars still get the rolling road and sniffer tests.

 

[dang]

My son has been searching around for ideas and another guy had similar numbers and it ended up being the computer. Anyone ever heard of this? He has access to one (friend has a '95 M3).

 

[x_atlas0]

How long did they drive with all the new parts, and did they clear the engine adaptives prior to the test? Re-teaching the ECU can help substantially. Also, how are the coils?

 

[3nsahalee]

I had an e36 M3 a few years back. It was all Dinan'ed out, ran like a scalded cat but wouldn't pass emissions here in WA..
The more I fixed and replaced, the better it ran.... Still would not pass!
FINALLY, I found a thread about the 'oil separator'.
I had already replaced the PCV, but there's a small rubber hose that runs from the PCV down to the oil separator, near the starter.
This hose was completely blocked internally with schmarm, and the oil separator was totally gummed up too.
Replacing the hose and 'oil separator' unit cured my emissions problems and it then passed the test just fine.
Maybe this is the same problem your having..... Best of luck to you!
E36 M3's are great cars.

 

[dang]

How long did they drive with all the new parts, and did they clear the engine adaptives prior to the test? Re-teaching the ECU can help substantially. Also, how are the coils?

The car is being driven daily, not sure if that would clear them. We also have a Snap-on scanner. How do I clear "adaptives"?

 

[dang]

I had an e36 M3 a few years back. It was all Dinan'ed out, ran like a scalded cat but wouldn't pass emissions here in WA..
The more I fixed and replaced, the better it ran.... Still would not pass!
FINALLY, I found a thread about the 'oil separator'.
I had already replaced the PCV, but there's a small rubber hose that runs from the PCV down to the oil separator, near the starter.
This hose was completely blocked internally with schmarm, and the oil separator was totally gummed up too.
Replacing the hose and 'oil separator' unit cured my emissions problems and it then passed the test just fine.
Maybe this is the same problem your having..... Best of luck to you!
E36 M3's are great cars.

We'll check it out...

 

[x_atlas0]

The car is being driven daily, not sure if that would clear them. We also have a Snap-on scanner. How do I clear "adaptives"?

Easiest way to reset the volatile memory is to pull power for ~10 min. That will reset most of the fast adaptives.

The adaptives are there to compensate for manufacturing variance of things like injectors and heads.