Failed Emissions....ugh!

[Schultz]

Hi everyone. My daughter just bought a 1998 Ford Explorer with 118000 miles on it. I took it in for the emissions test but it failed...not horribly but failed nontheless....

Here are the numbers:

CO GPM 16.2596....15.000 is the limit
NoxGPM 2.615.....2.5 is the limit

I took the test result sheet to the local shop and they said probably about $600 or so to pass the test. There is also an issue with the front drivers side wheel are and we planned on spending some money on that but can't afford both....

Any idea how to get the #'s within the limits? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks......from a really stressed out mom...aka Lori!!!

 

[Sedition]

Looks like you only just failed there. I'm guessing that the engine light is not on, so that eliminates most of the expensive things. I would suggest changing the air filter if it's dirty and running an aerosol can of throttle body cleaner through the air intake while the engine is running. Make sure your radiator and overflow tank are topped up with antifreeze or water. Changing the oil could help too if it is black and hasn't had an oil change in a while. All these items can be purchased for around $50 and are easy tasks to perform. I personally believe that you should do this "service" after perchasing your vehicle anyway as people tend to neglect their car prior to selling it. Or sell it right at the end of a service interval with an empty tank of gas just because it is more cost effective to do so.

With that hopefully it should just scrape past...

If it still fails after that then I would recommend changing the spark plugs and leads, these items will set you back about $60.

Hope all goes well.

 

[Teejay4490]

Move to a cool kid state like florida where there is no such thing as testing.

I kid I kid, but no really do everything he said ^^^^^^^

 

[Schultz]

Thank you!!!!! We will do all those things this weekend and keep our fingers crossed.

And then comes the fun part! I took it to the shop the other day and the guy took it for a test drive to listen to the noise in the front tire area. He said it sounds like it's something really bad and we should sell it ASAP.

I think i'm going to have someone else check it out as well before I take that advice though.

He put it in 4 wheel drive high, put it in reverse, gave it gas while turning the wheel and something popped really loud. I thought he hit the fire hydrant....LOL. That did kind of scare me....

Thanks again for your suggestions!!!!

 

[Schultz]

I think he said it had drive shaft issues...

 

[Schultz]

Move to a cool kid state like florida where there is no such thing as testing.

I kid I kid, but no really do everything he said ^^^^^^^

 

[RomeovilleIL]

Thank you!!!!! We will do all those things this weekend and keep our fingers crossed.

And then comes the fun part! I took it to the shop the other day and the guy took it for a test drive to listen to the noise in the front tire area. He said it sounds like it's something really bad and we should sell it ASAP.

I think i'm going to have someone else check it out as well before I take that advice though.

He put it in 4 wheel drive high, put it in reverse, gave it gas while turning the wheel and something popped really loud. I thought he hit the fire hydrant....LOL. That did kind of scare me....

Thanks again for your suggestions!!!!

....

I think he said it had drive shaft issues...

Seriously, the mechanic told you to sell it based on that noise? Get another opinion.

1. Your mechanic should know better than to lock 4x4 and make a sharp turn on pavement. By definition it locks the axles and wont allow any speed differences between the left/right side when turning. Not only would guaranty loud noises and wheel hop from the front end but can actually damage your front differential if excessive.

2. There are only a few major components involved in that area: the hub/bearing unit, the brakes, and the CV axle. There are simple tests for each part the mechanic can run by lifting the front end and giving the tire a few turns/pulls/pushes.

For your own non-mechanical diagnosis:

If the noise is a rythmic popping/crunching sound that get worse when turning, it usually is the CV. Everyone uses the $60 rebuilt one and it isn't terribly difficult to replace, maybe 2-1/2 hours of shop time by the books although the job takes about an hour for an experienced mechanic to complete.

If the noise is a grinding that changes in pitch or goes away when turning one direction or the other then likely the hub/bearing unit is shot. These are all replaced with new parts. Standard grade/cheap part store brands running around $60 are commonly installed by lots of non-dealer shops, but most people on here would not recommend it since they tend to have a short service life (under 30k miles). Quality OEM parts from either motorcraft or timken are around $120-$150. Same labor time as the CV.

Brakes can be the cause, but I think you would have noticed if this was the case anyway since it would likely make the truck pull hard to one side or the other when slowing down and have changes in the noise every time you applied them. Pads, maybe a replaced rotor or even a replacement of a frozen caliper are not terribly expensive. (I would hope the mechanic would have already ruled this out for you anyhow)