Change CATALYTIC Converter.
(Parts + Labour) approximately 200 -250
** Find a honest garage (NOT Canandian Tire which is expensive....)
After market parts are good for three years, but much cheaper.
Good luck
Many thanks to Yingwa. What's CATALYTIC Converter? Would you please recommend a garage for me?
I noticed the light of Engine Check is on for about one year with my car. Checked the maual book, it says which is related to the emisson control. Not sure if it's the partial of reason caused the test failure. Do I need to fix the problem?
Anyway, I just want to get a pass test and cost as less as possible.
I found the document very informative!
ikaf:
If you live in Ottawa, I recommend
DRAGON AUTOMOTIVE SERVICES
Address: 916 Gladstone Avenue
Phone: (613) 236-1615
Give them a call and ask them about the cost.
There is another garage which is close to the above, but it becomes expensive now, son of the owner is driving a BMW convertible and daughter driving a Mercedes Benz coupe.
Good luck
Go to Canadian tire to buy a bottle of ignition cleaner (4.99$) to fill into the gas tank. Drive the car on highway for 100Km then run to the emission test center (first-come first serve). You may pass the emission test.
My 1999 car failed first time (0.59% CO) but passed the 2nd time with a bottle of cleaner.
You may try it.
Go to Canadian tire to buy a bottle of ignition cleaner (4.99$) to fill into the gas tank. Drive the car on highway for 100Km then run to the emission test center (first-come first serve). You may pass the emission test.
My 1999 car failed first time (0.59% CO) but passed the 2nd time with a bottle of cleaner.
You may try it.
IKAF:
The above is an option.
Ask yourself you want to use your car for how many more years.
If two years, you need a pass this time, the above may work.
If more than two years (say four years), you have to repeat that two years again?
Think about the cost of:
a) That additive
b) Cost of gas, (plus others, like wheels, ...)
c) failure means 30 dollars for re-test?
d) inconvenience (time)
If the problem is catalytic converter, changing it can guarantee you have peace of mind next time (pass this time and pass two years next time).
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In 2006, because of the fact that my > 13 years old car (brand new Japanese car bought in November 1992)
was marginally passed in 2004, my mechanic in Toronto advised me to use that additive. He said I have to
drive and until the gas tank is clost to empty (i.e. when the red link is on and for another 30 -40 km). Which means the cost is nearly a tank of gas.
For some reason, I drove from Ottawa back to Toronto and I still have 10 litres or so in the tank, my mechanic was a little bit hesitiant and he asked me to give it a try (have the emission test), and my car failed.
After changing the converter, it passed with flying color.
It passed again in 2008, and 2010. Which means changing that part I can drive for another six years. (When my car retires in 2012, it is close to twenty years old).
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It does no harm to give it a try with that ADDITIVE.
Good luck
Go to Canadian tire to buy a bottle of ignition cleaner (4.99$) to fill into the gas tank. Drive the car on highway for 100Km then run to the emission test center (first-come first serve). You may pass the emission test.
My 1999 car failed first time (0.59% CO) but passed the 2nd time with a bottle of cleaner.
You may try it.
YINGWA,
I expect my car can last two years and only two years. One reason is the major condition of the car currently is good, including 4 new tires changed last year, new windshield, breaks etc. Another reason is I 'm not ready to buy a new car yet.
** (YINGWA) - If you maintain your car well, you can use it MORE than two years.
The most expensive repairment is TRANSMISSION failure.
If change the catalytic converter can solve the the issue, then it will be my first choice. The problem is not sure where cuases the CO% as high as 0.80. To do the Repairing Test which will find the issue, but will cost $165. So......
IKAF,
1. It does no harm to give a call to the garage I mentioned, tell them the problem and ask them for options. (I doubt Canadian Tire fellows will answer you, they probably give you a long list of repairment). ** I visited that place once. I never talked to the mechanic, but my impression tells
me he is competent and honest.
2. If you don't plan to SELL your car (which is > eleven years), there is a option you can consider - GO for "conditional pass". Ontario ministry of Transport will issue you a certificate issued to your car after you have spent certain amount of money on reparing, that certificate allows you to can drive the car for another two years, but you cannot SELL your car. Ask your mechanic for details.
3. I recommend you fill your tank with PetroCanada 91 once every four times you filling your tank, the quality of PetroCanada gas is better and the additive really can clean your engine. Please note that my car failed the first time after 15 years (and most of the time I fill with PetroCanada gas).
4. If you read the article posted by ccc, source of CO is gas, is incomplete conversion of CO to carbon dioxide. The Catalytic metals (most platinum) inside the converter is so dirty that it fails that conversion. Also if you haven't change your spark plug, that may be also ONE of the reason why CO is that high. I myself usually will tune up my car before emission test. My definition of tune up is new spark plug, new engine oil. They together cost nothing relative to buying a brand new car.
By the way, if your car is a Japanese car, you are guaranteed not to have transmission failure for at least three hundred thousand kilometers. In 2006, when my car failed emisssion test first time, it has over four hundred twenty thousand kilometers, and up till now, transmission is still running fine.
Good luck.
5.