HC were high on smog on 1998 deville

SOURCE: 1992 cadillac deville looses power over 55 mph.

Have your Cat Converter checked, ASAP.

SOURCE: 1994 cadillac deville 4.9 engine fail smog check

Thanks for choosing FixYa and welcome. They are more then a few things that can cause this. First, you want to make sure you change the oil and get a new oil filter and air filter. Make sure you have no leaks (vacuum leaks) on the engine. Check your coolant and transmission fluids also. Next, you need to inspect the exhaust. Make sure it is not damaged or has any cracks or holes. Check your muffler. Make sure it doesn't have any damage, cracks, ect. It may just be the catalytic converter. It may need cleaned out. The most common beside the exhaust and muffler are the O2 sensors. If they are bad, it can cause you to fail. If your check engine light is on, take it to Autozone or Advanced to have the car scanned. This means that there is an issue with the car. The computer is built to pick up these problems and in return, the check engine light appears. It may show you exactly what is wrong if it is on. If not, check and do the above.

ZJ Limited

• 17989 Answers
• Posted on Aug 02, 2011

SOURCE: 1994 cadillac sedan 4.9 engine will not pass smog.

The HC is high because the CO is high, CO is caused by to much fuel being delivered. You will want to check the Oxygen sensor and make sure it is functioning properly. You will want to check the fuel pressures, including rest pressure. We have seen leaking injectors cause this problem. You will want to make sure the thermostat is working correctly also.

First thing to do is check over the sensors that control the fuel mixture as it sounds like you're runnign too rich. This could be due to a faulty water temp sensor. If this is the problem then the ECU (Engine Control Unit / aka computer) will be leaving the car constantly 'on choke' and not reducing the fuelling as the engine warms - so unplug the sensor and clean the contacts on both sides with some switch / electrical cleaner (not WD40) and inspect the wiring for any signs of damage to the insulation especially where it runs over other components and through the bulkhead

If the engine is running well and the state of tune and ignition timing is good (15 degrees BTDC) then most likely the converter itself is bad. Usually NOx readings will go down as HC and CO readings go up, and as a result it is extremely rare for a car to fail an emissions test with all three things if the Catalytic Converter is working properly.

A bad oxygen sensor can also cause a failure similar to this, but will usually cause HC/CO readings to be high (but NOx readings would be low), or the opposite - high NOx but low HC/CO readings. The O2 sensor is located in the exhaust manifold just before the bulge of the catylst and at the point where the 4 pipes join together.

Unfortunately there is no good way to test the Cat. Highly specialized equipment is necessary to do this, however a temperature test might clue you in to one that is bad.

After driving the vehicle for several miles, immediately check the temperature of the converter at the very front and the very rear of the unit itself. The rear should be at least 100 degrees (F) hotter than the front. If the two are close to the same temperature then it is proof the converter isn't working very well.

I have to note though that temperature testing is far from conclusive. I've seen converters that pass test with flying colors but still ended up needing to be replaced.

Aftermarket converters tend to be less effective than factory converters because they are not built specifically for your vehicle. Instead, a universal unit is welded into some exhaust pipes so that it will fit. Generally this isn't an issue, but if you live in a 'green' state such as California where emissions standards are very strict, it could pose a problem.

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