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Got drunk and passed DEQ


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Well my car did. 50% blood ah I mean fuel/alchol level. I took the 86 Subie in for the 4th time to try and pass DEQ. Last three tries were miserable failures. I had read somewhere that you could just run your car on a 50/50 mix of gas and denatured alcohol to pass. So I ran the car down to near empty - got the little warning light lit- added a gallon of gas and a gallon of denatured alcohol and drove it as hard as I could get away with all the way to deq. Car passed with flying colors. HC standard 220 - subie 65, CO standard 1 - subie .0517. Afterwards went to the nearest gas station and filled it up. Tech at DEQ was a amazed a car that old ran so clean. Funny thing is this car needs a new cat and the mixture leaned out but it still passed as uber clean. Now I can build my cat/downpipe at my liesure. The GL is legally back on the road :clap::clap:

 

Renny

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That's probably about 25 to 30% actually. There's at least a gallon left when the light comes on - probably closer to 2 actually.

 

I'm in West Linn too - interesting.

 

BTW, there's no need to go through DEQ. None of mine do - I have mine registered to Vernonia. Any address outside the test area will work. Woodburn is probably closest.

 

GD

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That's probably about 25 to 30% actually. There's at least a gallon left when the light comes on - probably closer to 2 actually.

 

I'm in West Linn too - interesting.

 

BTW, there's no need to go through DEQ. None of mine do - I have mine registered to Vernonia. Any address outside the test area will work. Woodburn is probably closest.

 

GD

 

Yeah that was my next consideration, if this failed and then a new cat/downpipe didn't fix it. Thanks for the info about how much is left when the light comes on. That's good to know. West linn also cool. The normal car I'm into is volvos but since I've bought this car I'm really coming to like these. How fast has anyone made an ea82T go and what did it take to get there? I currently own a 13 sec volvo that should be in the 12s by the end of the summer. As fun as this subbie is to drive I miss the power of my brick. BTW it seems I"ve moved into the land of volvos and subarus.. got ta love it..

 

Thanks

Renny

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Fastest EA82T's have had the engine replaced with an EJ series :lol:.

 

They aren't condusive to modification. The cost outweighs the gain because so much of the desireable mods require custom work as there is just no aftermarket for them. Plus the heads just suck and the displacement is small. EJ22 N/A is 20 HP more without the complex turbo system, and the EJ22T is 50 HP more and capable of 500+ HP with commonly availible aftermarket parts. Of course the stock tranny won't handle that much....

 

GD

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Thanks good to know. I guess I'll just keep this the winter and offroad fun car and be happy it has a little pep. Btw I was looking at some pictures from different cars on here. My car as what looks like a single port head but I've seen some 87s that have what look like dual port heads. Are those better heads and are they interchangable with the heads on my car - 86 gl turbo?

 

Thanks

Renny

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Thanks good to know. I guess I'll just keep this the winter and offroad fun car and be happy it has a little pep. Btw I was looking at some pictures from different cars on here. My car as what looks like a single port head but I've seen some 87s that have what look like dual port heads. Are those better heads and are they interchangable with the heads on my car - 86 gl turbo?

 

Thanks

Renny

the turbo heads are dual port, they just don't look like it, you can mod the ea82t to get decent power but you have to do it right and be ready for reliability to go down hill pm steve09man, or look up any of his or wjm's posts they both have made ea engines go very fast

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Thanks I think I'll just keep this close to stock. I've got my other toy if I feel the need for speed. I would like to look at some of those other cars - I hear theres one in town here. I may go the lifted rally dirt sorta thing??

 

 

 

Thanks

Renny

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Where does one get a gallon of denatured alcohol?

 

 

 

Well my car did. 50% blood ah I mean fuel/alchol level. I took the 86 Subie in for the 4th time to try and pass DEQ. Last three tries were miserable failures. I had read somewhere that you could just run your car on a 50/50 mix of gas and denatured alcohol to pass. So I ran the car down to near empty - got the little warning light lit- added a gallon of gas and a gallon of denatured alcohol and drove it as hard as I could get away with all the way to deq. Car passed with flying colors. HC standard 220 - subie 65, CO standard 1 - subie .0517. Afterwards went to the nearest gas station and filled it up. Tech at DEQ was a amazed a car that old ran so clean. Funny thing is this car needs a new cat and the mixture leaned out but it still passed as uber clean. Now I can build my cat/downpipe at my liesure. The GL is legally back on the road :clap::clap:

 

Renny

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That is easy enough. Are there any negatives to running denatured alcohol for a short period? Does fuel injection make any difference?

 

I am having DEQ problems but do not want to damage anything.

 

 

A decent hardware store. It is a paint / finish solvent.
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You might also try a bit of ethanol if you have a station close... Running it will lean out your fuel mix but that usually results in higher combustion temps, lower CO but higher NOx... I once tried to get a first gen RX-7 to pass an E-test while running 200 proof alcohol... Lets just say the test guys don't like 4 foot flames that much:lol: :banana:

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yah, exposure is your only enemy.....

 

When we still had emissions testing, we always run as close to 100% denatured alcohol as practical for the test. Since most of our failures were on the fullsize van with 2 gas tanks, it was easy to run one tank almost dry and run almost straight alcohol.. Just fill your tank with real petrol immediately afterwards. Run THAT tankful most of the way dry, and fill up again. That methodology should get virtually every drop of booze out of your system within two tankfuls :drunk:

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That's a 10-4.

 

Will report my results after Saturday....

 

Well, just my luck.......I drained some of the tank; definately left gasoline in the tank; added 1 gallon of denatured alcohol; 1 gallon of gasoline; hasn't started since! AM I an idiot or just have terrible luck?

 

SO, I drained the entire tank; added 1/2 gallon of gasoline; no start. Added 1 gallon of gas/alcohol mix, purge the fuel line; no luck.

 

THis is on a EA81/EJ22 conversion. Does the alcohol trick not work on fuel injection?

 

ANy suggestiions?

 

Now I have a car that doesn't smog or start!

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uhm..... it should be fine??

 

Possibly, you freed up some gunk in the tank and clogged the fuel filter or the fuel pump pickup screen???

 

The only problem with burning alcohol is time and plastics/rubber.. which is why it is wise to dilute it with fuel and run it out of your tank quickly afterwards. it isnt a super-critical thing, though.....

 

If anyone contradicts me, I may well be wrong on it.. I am no guru, but I wouldn't be saying this if it weren't true to the best of my knowledge..

 

Try checking the filter and the pickup screen. to "check" your fuel filter without changing it, remove it by taking the top hose off first, and doing your best to keep the top hole plugged up while you unhook the bottom hose. Put a finger over the bottom hole as quickly as possible, and have a glass jar handy to catch the fuel that comes out. Dump all the fuel out of the INLET side of the filter (bottom side) and see if a load of crud comes out... it WILL be somewhat foul, but you are looking for major blockages. Chances are, after doing this and seeing what comes out of your fuel filter, you will change it anyhow.. but I have never had a problem that was actually caused by a clogged fuel filter... I have replaced them thinking it might solve a problem, and it is something you DO have to do to rule it out, but give that a shot.

 

The pickup screen is the more likely candidate.

 

If those check out, I can't think of any more to help you...

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Well, finally got it running again.

 

Not sure what I did exactly, but I think it is most likely because I pulled/cleaned the plugs. I did replace the fuel filter, but most likeley didn't need to. Anyway, now I have a can full of 4 gallons of alcohol and 1 gallon of fuel mix. May put a couple gallons of this mix and run her to tne DEQ and see how she does.

 

Thanks for the input.

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