| Smog Check
Do you live inLong Beach, Emissions are the exhaust of combustion expunged from your vehicle's engine. An emissions test is more often than not is done with a probe placed into the exhaust tailpipe of your car. If you have your car inspected by ACA Automotive, the emission sampler will "sniff" or sample the contents of the exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. Every vehicle produced today has specific clean air requirements that it is required to meet. These requirements are specified by the Environmental Protection Agency to limit the amount of pollutants exiting vehicles on the road today. Visit a reputable automotive mechanic, like ACA Automotive, where they will educate you and provide a thorough recommendation. Most emission analyzers are five gas samplers. This means that they measure and analyze five types of gases. The five gases that they measure are HC, NOX, O2, CO, and CO2. Let's start with HC, or hydrocarbons. HC's are unburned fuel that continues through the engine and out the exhaust. These hydrocarbons are notorious for causing smog and are not good for breathing. NOX refers to oxides of Nitrogen. This NOX is a by product of highly heated and compressed air containing any amounts of nitrogen in it. NOX at high levels can be an extreme health risk if breathed in. O2 refers to remaining unburned oxygen in the exhaust. While it is clear that O2 is not bad, it is often tested to identify people trying to cheat the test. Your car's fuel ratio can also be measured as the engine runs. This ratio is calculated by the percentage of oxygen in the exhaust. CO refers to the single oxide carbon monoxide. CO2 is the infamous toxin carbon dioxide. CO is odorless. Extended periods of exposure will cause headaches. Prolonged exposure will eventually kill you by robbing O2 from your body. While one can find CO2 present in the air every day, scientific research has shown that large amounts contribute to global warming. ACA Automotive suggests that before doing any emission test, the check engine light should never light up. If it does, it will cause the car to fail the smog check. It is also noted that the HC's are typically the most frequent problem for vehicles that will have to pass the test. ACA Automotive notes that many things can produce a high amount of HC's such as too much or even too little fuel, not all cylinders firing, advanced timing of the cylinders, a faulty catalytic converter, or an air pump that isn't working. While these are the most common causes, having your car smog check conducted by ACA Automotive can provide you with a list of causes. Tune-ups by a reputable mechanic such as ACA Automotive can prevent most emission problems. All engines produce NOX but the use of EGR valves will cool and slow down the burn rate of the engine's combustion. This considerably lowers NOX values. O2 levels are controlled by the fuel ratio being mixed within the fuel injector. In the case of an exhaust leak, all test numbers will read low and incorrect. The O2 reading will remain high and will void the test. The efficiency of burn within the engine is the main factor in CO. CO also is highly affected by the fuel to air ratio of the engine. CO2, like CO, is also an indicator of the engines set up. The HC's and NOX are by far the largest problem areas in a car smog check. A catalytic converter will clean the majority of the emissions from your car. ACA Automotive recommends replacing your catalytic converter when they break. A malfunctioning converter can internally cause a loss in power and more polluting emissions.
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