Bassani x-pipes w/ cats failed smog

[hyperider]

My 2004 Cobra has stock headers, Bassani x-pipes with 2 cats and Bassani cat back system. Couple years back it passed smog barely few points. But this time it failed about 24 points on HC(PPM) Max 52 my reading is 76. Some people told me its my x-pipes w/ cats, the cats goes bad after a few years to just put back my stock ford x-pipes. But when I called Bassani technical they said that it's 95% the problem are the 02 sensors that goes bad. So he told me to just replaced all four 02 sensors on the x-pipes and I can get away with not putting back my stock x-pipes. So can somebody give light to this on what should I really do? Shall I go ahead and try just replacing my 02 sensors or I really need to install my stock x-pipes back? Its a pain to do it almost no muffler shop here in California would do it now because they said it's illegal. The old shop I use to go closed down. Plus my tune will be all messed up if I go back to the stock x-pipes unless I don't have a choice.

Thank you in advance! I appreciate any feed back I could get.

 

[Drewmanchu]

Up to what you want to spend.

Could do the stock x-pipe yourself if that was an option and try that (cheap)

Or go with all new O2 sensors as they recommended (more expensive)

Long story short: you live in CA and are fighting a losing battle and it won't be getting any easier to pass as the years go on : /

 

[DE07GT]

If the cats were bad, your hydrocarbons would be much higher than 76 ppm. I use alcohol to pass inspection with an off-road x but emissions are much more lenient than they are in CA.

 

[hyperider]

so do you think it's the 02 sensors that are bad? that's what the bassani tech support told me that 95% of the time is what happens. he said those 4 sensors, 2 before the cats and 2 after goes bad around 50k miles. i'm just getting desperate now because my due date is coming soon. thanks!

 

[moonltgold]

Get the engine really hot, run it hard to blow it out, mix some alcohol in the gas on a low tank and try it again. You're not that far off.

 

[hyperider]

oh well. i decided to just have it smog my way you know what i mean. but thanks for the info guys. i did tried to make it really hot because it did sat there while i'm waiting for my turn so i drove it out to the freeway took two exits and came back and even let it sit on idle running. but it still failed on the HC(PPM). I really didn't know the alchohol thing until now but it's good to know for the future.

moonlt, how low on my tank should it be? and how much alcohol and what kind should i put in? sorry i'm really knob on this things.

 

[DE07GT]

I use 2 quarts of denatured alcohol in about a quarter tank (gauge almost to E, but there are still 4 gallons in the tank. You shouldn't need anywhere near as much as that to only lower it that little bit. Using alcohol will increase combustion temperature, so other emissions may go up.

 

[hyperider]

cool! thanks for the info DE07GT i'll keep this info for future smog test. had i known this before hand i should have tried it. i'll try it when my 2014 smog comes.

 

[moonltgold]

oh well. i decided to just have it smog my way you know what i mean. but thanks for the info guys. i did tried to make it really hot because it did sat there while i'm waiting for my turn so i drove it out to the freeway took two exits and came back and even let it sit on idle running. but it still failed on the HC(PPM). I really didn't know the alchohol thing until now but it's good to know for the future.

moonlt, how low on my tank should it be? and how much alcohol and what kind should i put in? sorry i'm really knob on this things.

Yeah, 2 quarts denatured -- just when the "low fuel" light comes on. You still have 2-3 gallons in there.

 

[hyperider]

Yeah, 2 quarts denatured -- just when the "low fuel" light comes on. You still have 2-3 gallons in there.

right on! thanks man! i'll try that in my next smog test.