a little help here.

Just bought this rex/regina 740 base model. Sweet little ride at the right price.
Struggling to get it to pass smog.

207k. Previous owner had new cat installed at 197k due to failed smog. From a Speedy Lub Shop. I question quality.



Here are car's numbers:
Prev owner data
........................HC..........CO..................NO....max allow/measured PPM
170k......15mph.........114/56......0.73/0.19...........785/770 pass
..........25mph.........88/28.......0.61/0.07...........724/584 pass



193k.......15mph.......114/49.......0.73/0.20..........785/1396 fail
...........25mph........88/18.......0.61/0.05...........724/866 fail

new cat installed
114/69.......0.73/0.30..........785/728 ok
88/28........0.61/0.06..........724/65 ok



I buy it from PO with 207K


1st try
15mph/1758rpm...........114/31......0.73/0.19........785/832 fail
25mph/1821rpm............88/19......0.61/0.07........724/702 OK


took car back home, cleaned TB, rigged airbox thermo shut, replaced some
vacuum lines, Idle control valve to air filter box pipe reconnected. Thought that should do it?


2nd try
114/55......0.73/0.25.........785/958 Fail
88/32.......0.61/0.14.........724/704 OK

went back home again, stuck a leaf blower up the pipe with soapy water and found down pipe gasket leak and O2 leak and #1 manifold gasket leak and small Y pipe leak. Fixed them. Took O2 sensor off and Cleaned O2 cap holes with acetone. O2 voltage is going up and down. Appears good. OK, That should do it!


3rd
114/45......0.73/0.17........785/813 NG
88/28.......0.61/0.11........724/676 OK

Checked OBD for codes, nothing all is good. This car runs perfect.
I have the PO's records(2nd owner). Don't see a new O2 sensor put in. must be original.

Car had a new cat installed at 147k due to failed smog!
new air mass sensor, air mass housing, coolant temp sender at 167K.

Has New wires, plugs, cap/rotor. Timing spot on.

I am thinking about getting a new O2 sensor.

Oh, side note: I was leaf blowing some air into the airbox tube to TB while spaying the vacuum lines and such with soapy water spray to see what bubbled.
Got some bubbles from the cold start valve(one that goes up into the upside of the intake manifold). Oh, the car did not like the water spray! It sputtered and would die out if I throttled it quckly. Would die, knock and blow a cloud back out the TB tube. The upward facing Cold start injector connector trapped water. Things dried out overnite and all was back to normal.


But also found out I blew the secondary timing belt pulley oil seal out from the hard running knocking misfiring wet engine. Had to bend a little file to push the seal back in place with removing the pulley.

All help is welcomed
Rob