Ford 1.6 emissions

[sazshx]

Hi guys I have a 2000 Fiesta 1.6 zetec s which has failed emissions, I'm trying to get my head around the cause and fixes (or not), results below

Fast idle test:
RPM 3081
Oil temp 80C
CO 0.946 (Fail), max limit 0.300
HC 499 (Fail), max limit 200
Lambda 1.069 (0.95-1.09 is acceptable)

Second Fast idle:
RPM 2842
CO 0.832 (Fail)
HC 481 (Fail)
Lambda 1.038

Trying to understand what this is really telling me, any help/ideas appreciated. The engine is using oil and producing blue smoke, however there's nothing to suggest its also running rich (fuel economy ok, no black smoke) other than the high HC. Would burning oil significantly affect the HC emissions, to the extent above? Lambda emissions, unless I'm being thick, also suggest to me its probably not running rich? They're a little higher than ideal but within limits. The air filter is relatively new. Engine actually starts/runs/drives happy enough, just its burning the oil for fun atm. 2 of the spark plugs had cracked ceramic, so swapped these for new, CO/HC and lambda all improved slightly but got the results above. The fuel is E5, although it is a couple of months old now as has been sat since May ish while looking for other parts.

Cheers

[stevieturbo]

It's running quite rich, yet lambda would indicate lean. This shouts of an exhaust leak somewhere.

High HCC is unburnt fuel, could be various things. Really though these should be lower than that without a car fitted....so to be that high with a cat fitted. Either the cat is buggered or there is a major misfire type problem too

[sazshx]

stevieturbo said:

It's running quite rich, yet lambda would indicate lean. This shouts of an exhaust leak somewhere.

High HCC is unburnt fuel, could be various things. Really though these should be lower than that without a car fitted....so to be that high with a cat fitted. Either the cat is buggered or there is a major misfire type problem too

Mmm does make sense that the cat could be buggered - for all I know the original cat is still on with 100k on the clock. Would this clean up both the CO and the HCC?

[Jaz2000]

I failed emissions test lately and used a bottle of Cataclean then passed a retest with much better results my co went from .34 to .12.
I was amazed as I thought it would be more snake oil but my tester advised it after seeing other good results with it.

[stevieturbo]

sazshx said:

Mmm does make sense that the cat could be buggered - for all I know the original cat is still on with 100k on the clock. Would this clean up both the CO and the HCC?

As already said, even with no cat and a healthy engine, your HCC should be lower than what you have.

It's not a case of cleaning up......it should already be lower than it is whether there is a cat or not. And as already said, the results also indicate a potential exhaust leak.