QuickPaws

I searched first, but didn't really find specifics // clarity // what I was looking for.

So that said, I went and got my emissions today ( northwestern Indiana, Lake County ) and I passed everything except my HC's. By .06. ( Yeah, point oh six )

It was at normal operating temp, normal driving conditions, yadda yadda.

It's an 89 XJ 4.0 w/ 5 speed. ( I cringed when the girl road the clutch driving it onto the dyno. *cries* )

It runs great, and save for my recent repair to the cps cable ( I had to cut and splice... replacing that thing is a PITA, and I'm short on extensions different story, different post. )

I passed everything else with flying colors, doing half or less the maximum allowed. So what's some things I can try on the cheap... I -just- started a new job so money is.. ultra short. I should mention it's my daily driver. And my plates expire tomorrow. Suggestions, ideas and anything cheating is appreciated. I've even considered drilling holes in the exhaust to help... lessen the amount coming out of the tail pipe. ..... I'd plug them up later with JB Weld. ( see, desperation breeds deviousness )

4.3L XJ

A new cat will fix that. Sorry about the expense

jeep3200

Here are a few simple and cheaper than a new Cat that you could try.

Having fresh oil in the engine can help. Change it if it has several thousand miles on it.
Is the air filter clean?
Put in fresh plugs, use the manufacturer recommended champion plugs. They are inexpensive and work.
Clean inside the distributor cap. Use a small rotary tool to polish the contacts in the cap and on the rotor. Or pit in new cap, rotor and wires.
Is the crankcase ventilation system working?
Do you have any vacuum leaks?
Consider changing the O2 sensors.

Drilling holes in the exhaust will not work as the test will not get enough CO2 to pass due to the air coming in and the noise will also be a give away.

QuickPaws

I'd have been ok with this. I'm all for simple // easy // quick. The Cat was new on it when I bought it last summer ( and it had passed emissions ) I would've never thought to grab a new one. ( Also, if it's running rich, unburnt fuel plays hell on cat's right? )

I just recently changed the oil, it didn't get driven much.. it's got maybe 1k miles on it or so. It could prolly certainly use plugs and other tune things, but as I mentioned, money has been short. I'm going to do about half the list you gave me here ( the clean contacts, check for vacuum leaks and the PCV valve ) ( if I can clarify.. is the PCV valve for the 4.0's the breather tube on the top of the valve cover, just ahead of the oil fill cap? ) I've been to 3 auto parts stores and they've all told me "the engine doesn't have a PCV valve... which I know has to be untrue )

You also said sensors... is there more than one o2 sensor?

I'm gonna grab a 30 day tag to get me by for the time being.

The hole thing was something I'd seen somewhere else, that someone did in an act of desperation.

Is there an easy way to check for vacuum leaks? My thought was to use smoke or another easily viewable product and waft it around the engine bay while it's running, see if it blows away, or get's sucked in anywhere.

( pardon the newbie questions.. I'm capable.. just inexperienced )

CattyXJ

If you want to go cheap and cross your fingers, do a seafoam treatment through the throttle body. One of the advertised benefits of their product is to help pass emissions, and at $10 a can it shouldnt hurt you too much...and x2 on don't drill holes...I don't know how it is where you live, but in PA an exhaust leak will fail you!

Buckshotmckee

Fill the tank with premium and dump a bottle of octane 104 in it go drive it about 30 miles in drive, keep it out of o/d, take it right in and it will pass

cruiser54

You have no PCV valve. It's called a CCV system.
You have one O2 sensor.

kyledye25

Wait till ur on E....put a few gallons of premium in with a few bottles of Heat. Heat burns really clean. Worked for me. And my HC number was well over the limit. I was over 200 and here in pa it needs to be 110 or lower. With just premium I dropped to 186. And then dropped below, well below when really hot, after adding Heat. It read between 30-60 most of the time at idle. I put in 4 bottles with 10 bucks of premium. Drove it around a good bit then ran it. I have a highflow cat too. Which I'm told doesn't help those numbers. But it worked for me. I hear seafoam works as well. I was also told to fill up with premium and a can of seafoam and test it when I was near empty. But went with heat instead.

mike mike

Here in Az theres a idle and 35 mph test. Mine with 5spd and 30in tires always just barely passed. We're taking .01-.02 close. the last time I tested I had just put a cluster with tach. figured out I should run it on their dyno in 3rd gear instead of 4th. Passed with flying colors and that was all I did different this year. Just food for thought.

QuickPaws

My 4Runner failed in AZ before I moved up here. I think it's the same test's here. We can't drive it ourself, they make a lane tech do it. It's the same test here ( idle // 35 mph ) I don't think the lane tech left 3rd gear ( stick )

I'd thought it did well until I compared this years test to last years numbers.... It actually seems like it failed by alot when sitting side by side.

QuickPaws

Jeeeze... I wish I lived in PA... 110.... I'd have smoked that test. X) Here the HC's are 2.20, CO is 50, and nO is like 5 something.

Funny haha - the Jeep's always on E. X) I don't know if I have an idle test though... I don't think I did.

QuickPaws

I live by "cheap and crossing fingers".

I've seafoamed before ( love that stuff ), and I think I'm going to take a mix of suggestions; seafoam, plugs, air filter, clean dizzy.

I'm glad y'all told me "don't go drilling holes". I'd likely not have done it anyway ( I hate cheating for this ), but if it was the difference between being able to drive to work, or not having a vehicle for work, I'd cheat if it'd help.

Here in Gary (WAY northwest Indiana ) people don't care much.. they only check to make sure the cat is attached... nothing else really matters.. which is good cause the NSS is gone, the right turn signal doesn't work cause it's corroded and rusted in the lamp box, wipers work when they feel like it.
... 4 wheel drive works great though!

QuickPaws

I thought about running higher octane, but I wasn't sure if it'd help, as I think it's already running a touch rich, and that better fuel'd make it run hotter // maybe raise the numbers a bit.

No over drive though, it's a 5 speed.

Unless 5th gear counts as over drive... I dunno, I've been rumbling along in fifth doing 20 miles an hour under a grand. Super gas saver mode. X)

Buckshotmckee

The higher octane is gonna make it run/burn cleaner. It will get rid of any sort of carbon build up you might have. It will not make it run richer. Rich fuel mix just means too much fuel. Premium is just a higher octane.

Drive it in 4th. 5th is overdrive

QuickPaws

In case anyone's watching: Going through emissions again today - going to test with premium in it, and see if that'll help. I only need to pass... I can fix the problems later. X)

A HUGE thanks to everyone for their suggestions and time. Y'all get beer credit IOU's.