The Chrysler K-Car Club

Today, my car threw a code 32. I have had some electrical gremlins and codes over the last couple years. My car kept stalling and stalling numerous times earlier this year, whether I was going 75
or stopped at a light, and then basically "shook" if off to where it totally stopped doing it. Still afraid it will stall again though. At low RPMs when idling, the engine is noticeably erratic, but smooth
under acceleration with plenty of power since I sunk $1000 into the car and had the throttle body rebuilt. My mechanic who did the $1000 tune-up mentioned something about a clogged or worn EGR, that
my car was now passing smog better now with the new throttle body, but could probably use an EGR rebuild at some time to reduce my smog ratings. What do you think? Could my EGR be the culprit all along?

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Thanks for your advice. Its that California is DELIBERATELY reducing smog limits for old cars to force us to get rid of them. My car passed at the same ratings, even with the problems, but the state decided to reduce limits 32% by each make and model for anything before 1993. So, I barely squeeked by. They did this reduction thing last year and probably destroyed 10-20% of what was left. Example: NOX limit was 121 for the 89 Aries. Those m'"f decided to reduce it to 89 NOX. I passed with 86. What they did was TOTALLY unethical. Target the old cars so no one can own one. If they do this again by that margin, no one will pass, as the NOX limit would be around 50, and we will be forced to do illegal smog tests, and no more 80s cars will be used as daily drivers anymore. The STATE has already shutdown illegal smog shops and jailed the smog techs and fined them $1,000,000. When my car didn't have its intermittent problems, it passed NOX back in 2005 with 38. So, I basically have to make my car 100% PERFECT to anticipate California Smog Nazis. Also, my car has been plagued with intermittent issues nonstop for years now, and I don't have $1000-2000 to give to a mechanic to find out what might be wrong. But, I do know I have some wiring issues. Thats why my smog readings aren't terrible, but they could be lower.

I am going through the SAME thing with my 88 Aries wagon. (CA Smog is absurd). This will be the last year, Im done with the 1988 anything, Im going pre-1976 from now on. Have been dumping money into the Aries, EGR works, new Cat, new O2 sensor still failing NOX. Car is running a bit erratic, but engine is only 5 years from engine/TBI rebuild and 2 years on timing belt and coil. This is a rock solid reliable car that should be outside of CA where it could have a long and happy life.

Steed Auto of Buena Park did it. Passed Smog today.

Always passed HC and CO by a huge margin, this Aries only has a few years on a well done engine rebuild.
It was NOX that was killing me. Went from 1100 NOX to 5 at 15mph and 40 at 25mph, max allowable is 535.

It set me back a few hundred dollars and took a month to get it to pass, but thanks to Steed Auto Repair for continuing to fight for this car, it will live on.

To help you pass, here is what we did:

Checked the EGR, it was fine, but we had a vacuum leak in several hoses (including EGR).
That dropped NOX by 300.
The fuel was too rich, cleaned injector and replaced 2 year old cat that dropped us another 100.
At this point it passed at Steed, but driving it to the Star place we failed again.

This is where Steed earned their pay.
We were still in 700s and failing but we noticed that the heat was too high. (Temperature is what changed while driving from Steed to Star shop that we use).
Changed temperature sensor, removed thermostat, replaced a couple of small hoses that started leaking with the full flow of not having a tstat, got timing fine tuned, dropped a quart of Duralube into oil and Steed tweaked it for a few more days and that is how we finally passed. Serious pain in the caboose. But now this is a pristine machine.

%CO2 14.4 @15mph & 14.6 @25mph
% HC 38 @15 & 24 @ 25
CO% .21 @15 & .1 @ 25
NO as mentioned are 5 @ 15 & 40 @ 25

Hope that this helps others.

What a thread!!!!

That is absolutely pathetic! What sort of a Government do you people have in California?

If they tried that Downunder we'd just boot 'em out at the next election. What Nazis they are!

I really feel sorry for you people, with authorities like that you don't need enemies!

GEES!