You definitely want to get the engine good and warm so that the catalytic
converter is well heated
so that it is doing the best job it can for a smog test.  Driving just down
the street will not warm it
up enough.   You need to drive it for 15 minutes to 1/2 hour, especially
with the cooler temps in
your area.   If you have not done a tune-up in a while, I'd be sure to do
that as well.

Steven
91 Westy

On Fri, Sep 22, 2017 at 2:46 PM, David Boan <dboan@outlook.com> wrote:

> I recently moved to Idaho and had to get an emissions test for my '85
> Westy, which I did today.  It failed one part of the test - the HC (PPM) at
> idle were 350 (the standard is 220).
>
>
> I spoke with my mechanic who said it was possible that the catalytic
> converter was not warmed up enough (I had only driven the van down the
> street a few miles before the test).  He suggested driving for awhile and
> test again.
>
>
> Has anyone run into this?  Does that advice sound right?
>
>
> Thanks
>
> David
>
> Boise ID
>