87 Camry smog

[Doctor J]

Smog test repairs and patches.

Two years ago when my 87 Camry wagon was due to smog, it failed pre test on NO reading that was 2000 ppm. The idle HC reading was around 350 ppm and it dropped to 57 at ASM mode.
Therefore the first owner in order to get rid of the car took it to the repair station. The smog technician pulled out The Mitchell smog guide, 2000 edition, and looked on the timing information table. According to the book, the timing for 87 Toyota Camry was listed at 5 degrees BTDC, versus faded under hood sticker that specified it to be at 10 degrees with jumped test terminal. So, the timing was retarded to 5 and the car passed with 500 NO reading, but the CO has climbed to 0.5%, which is well higher then average. The Smog tech also stated that the engine is too strong for the car that old (it had 112Kmi at that time). I have heard these statements before but I doubt if they could mean anything.
There are some items, which I corrected on the car after I inspected the emission control components:

• The idle passage for PCV was completely blocked, allowing the blow by to be purged only when throttle was in open position
• The throttle port passage R for the vacuum line was plugged with carbon that made EGR vacuum modulator inefficient.
• All spark plug wires have had internal breaks.
• I also cleaned throttle body and EGR valve to intake passage
• Finally, I plugged in loose ECU wire connector, which was responsible for stalling problems and erratic transmission shifting.

The feed back fuel trim learning value is 3.5 volts now, which is within limits (more then 0, less then 5).
.
In worse case I will:

• Set timing at 7.5 degrees (10 minus two, five plus two), hopefully, the tech will not complain about one half degree,
• Come in a rainy day, 20 minutes before the end of the workday (damp air turns NO into the liquid acid which is not detectable by the smog machine).

There are still possibilities that car may not pass due to:

• Contaminated and burned through catalytic converter
• Too tight valve clearances.

I will see how successful these repairs were on my next smog in April

[fredk]

sounds like a plan guy