WWGRM do with a cheap, but beloved car that won't pass smog?

I am moving and will no longer need our trusty Ford Festiva. I absolutely love this car, and want it to go to someone who will love it too. 

A friend expressed interest, so I went and had it smogged today. Sadly, the car failed smog with high NO at 25 mph of 775 (max is 579). From my limited understanding, this could be as simple as an O2 sensor, EGR problem, or as complex ($$$) as a new cat. 

There is a state buy back program that would buy the car for $1,500, but I hate to see the car scrapped, and that may also take weeks (I'm leaving Tuesday). 

Any ideas on what to do? I don't think I can transfer the title without a clean smog, and I get the sense that my friend isn't THAT interested that she wants to sink the money into the car to get it to pass.

Help save Flaco the Festiva!

What state? 

John Welsh said:

What state? 

Sounds like kalifornia.

Do you have to have smog passage if the car is going to an out of state buyer? Like I have a Michigan title that clearly has my Tennessee address on it. My intention was to title in TN... until I sold it.

I would give it a loving home, I'm a weirdo and a Festiva is on my bucket list of dream project cars. But getting one from CA to CO is probably a bit of hassle. But CA smog status doesn't concern me.

I actually just figured out a potential recipe for a 2.0 Ecoboost swap Festiva using all OEM axles and parts :D

Yeah, I'm in CA. 

@Ranger50, I am not sure about the smog passage for an out of state buyer. A quick google search doesn't tell me much. I would guess not since the buyer would be registering it in CA.

Newrider, if something else doesn't work out, you could fly out here and drive it back to CO I suppose. 

CA smog status would be completely irrelevant in a non-smog state.  Find an out-of -state buyer?

In reply to 1988RedT2 :

That seems to be the "usual" way to handle this. Like, sell it to someone in NV who lives in a non-smog county or similar. Happened a lot when I lived out in NV.

Ethanol effect on NOX

Page down to figure 10 to see graph how ethanol increases Nox 

So if you empty the tank and put 5 gallons of ethanol free gas maybe it would drop the Nox enough to pass?

Quarter tank of gas, three bottles of "Dry Gas", retard the timing and hit the rollers again. Or so I've heard....

The real answer is out of state. Anything older than 25 years is smog exempt here in Georgia, might be the same in a nearby state.

Wow thats tempting

I would go to the parts store and buy the parts for a tune up but don't install them so you can return them after the fact.  Pull the plugs and gap them way the heck out.  It will run like e36m3 but will be super clean and lean.  Pass test and continue driving after correcting gap.  Return tune up parts and enjoy.

Sounds like I can transfer title here if I place it under Planned Non-Operation status. 

NOX is related to high heat and in some cases chasing high NOX in smog tests clean oil and a clean cooling system can drop the reading to pass the test I heard this from people who got  test passes and not conditional passes.

I know this sounds crazy, but one bootle of Techtron turns off my engine check light in my 175,000 mile Suzuki.  So, some of the above solutions may work.

Or register it on Montana or Florida...

In reply to Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) :

Or move to Montana. 

Facebook marketplace normally has a few ads advertising inspections. Usually in Spanish and usually for a bit more. Must have really good coffee (or similar...), for the additional cost. In Texas at least, not sure in California.

Last time I tested my e30 I was chatting up the tester and she said high NOX can be as simple as air entering the exhaust system  outside of the exhaust valve. May just need to check for holes in the pipes/ tape joints?

I will say I once used 'guaranteed to pass' gas additive when my B14 SE-R failed. I burned the the required gas tank with GTP, maybe changed plugs and I did pass in CA. 

I was too cheap to spend $300 on a camshaft actuator so I could pass emissions again, so I bought a $4000 car and gave the cheap but beloved car to a friend in a non emissions county. (Legally, a dollar passed hands, as witnessed by the notary)

It's the end of the line, the final journey

PS - I still check Autotrader/eBay Motors for nedcar S40s, because that car ruled in all the ways.  But I must have one with the wing, which is apparently really rare.

Also, with NOx that close, and assuming that the Festiva had a distributor, I'd fill the tank with the highest octane fuel you can reasonably get, retard the timing three or four degrees, and try again.

I found that with an aftermarket converter, Cadillac 4.9 engined vehicles would need the timing retarded as much as 20 degrees in order to pass NOx.

All helpful info, thank you guys.

The friend decided to receive the car after all. I’ll register it as PLanned non operational. I’ll forward this advice to her.

Man a solution before I could even suggest a BP swap, or B6T swap, with dry gas.