My e-mail address is wrenbird68@gmail.com
My name is Wren. I am e-mailing to ask for help on how my car can pass inspection this year. It’s a 92 Mit. Mirage. My car smokes. My mechanic’s have said they have saw many cars smoke worst than mine and still pass the inspection to get your tag. Last year when my car passed(by the grace of God’s:)) the inspector said I need to make sure I try to get it to stop smoking before I return next yr which is this year…I have asked 2 mechanic’s and they said their is nothing I can do to STOP it…bc it’s an old engine. But there are small things to help it…so far I have been using Smoke be gone product…it helps some but doesn’t stop the smoke. I am very worried about passing…I really need the tag(as we all do). I am unalbe to afford another car(used or new right now). My time is coming up shortly to go for the inspection and I felt you guys know every thing there is to know about cars…I need you badly…please e-mail me back soon with some advice. Thank you for your time.
Wren
Better edit out your email address. It’s going to generate lots of spam.
It would help to know what stte you live in.
Not to be critical but your car is wore out. You were aware the problem existed last year. You have had all year to repair it but you ignored it until the last minute. If you can not afford to fix the car properly then you should not be driving it.
~Michael
If this is blue oil smoke then Dartman is right again.
It’s worn out and there gets to be a point where you have to toss in the towel; junk it, fix it, or trade it off quickly.
Miracles in a can don’t work that well.
The piston rings are worn out, and the cylinder walls are possibly scored. The engine will need to be removed from the car, torn apart, and completely rebuilt by a competent mechanic.
There is one product you may want to try. It is a can of ‘Restore’. It comes in three different cans, one for four cylinder, six cylinder, and eight cylinder engines. It is suppose to ‘fill-in’ scratches and scores in the cylinder walls to improve compression and reduce oil burning. You can try it for far cheaper than a rebuild. Follow the directions to the letter. But, don’t expect a miracle. It may or may not work.
Good luck.
“It comes in three different cans, one for four cylinder, six cylinder, and eight cylinder engines.”
Is this for real, or is it the work of the same marketing genius who promoted color anodized TV antennas for better reception of color TV back around 1970?
It’s real. Been sold for years. I still see the TV advert every now and then, and I’ve seen it sold at Autozone and Pep Boys. I just never felt the need to use it.
Straight 30W or 40W should help it stop smoking, but who knows what else it could do.
Smoking while running is going to almost definitely be blown rings. That means a full rebuild. Unless you want to do that, junk the car. Unless that miracle chemical works, do me and my children-to-be a favor and stop pumping all that smoke into my atmosphere. Yeah, I said it, MY atmosphere. It’s as much mine as yours. And as they taught us in elementary school, yes this is a free country and yes you have the right to do what you want as long as it doesn’t break the law, but you do NOT have the right to encroach upon someone else’s rights in the process. I have a right to the cleanest air feasable.
If it’s smoking, fix it or stop driving it.
If you choose not to fix it, and to continue to drive it, not intending to be mean at all but frankly I do hope it fails inspection and is no longer allowed on the road.
-Matt
You are missing the point of a inspection. Its aimed at vehicles such as yours. Sorry,but you are polluting the atmosphere with toxins and whatever, I bet your car has mechanical problems to that would keep from getting a inspection sticker.
Your right Michael in the sense she had all year to fix it. She however may not have had the money to do so; have had the ability to put money aside as she doesnt earn enough; etc. Its really easy to be critical when you dont know the circumstances like you and others were to us in our emissions nightmare. Its also really easy to be judgemental when you have a good job and comfortable lifestyle when others are not as lucky (for whatever reason).
She probably doesnt have family to turn to for help either so we hope if the car doesnt pass; that she has a good public transporation system and a job / college or whatever that doesnt require her to use a car to do it so she may be able to put money aside for another car.
Her state could also issue a waiver like CO does so she could drive it for another year.
I remember when “STP Engine Oil Treatment” first came out. For cars with worn rings, it was often a temporary bandaid to reduce or eliminate the smoking (sometimes requiring several cans). It essentially just greatly thickened your oil (likely with some negative lubricating effects).
I also strongly agree with the many replies in this thread that tell you it’s time to get the car fixed properly or taken off the road.
Joe
jmfay:
First let me say this will be my one and only response to you on this thread. I am tired of posts getting so far off the subject.
Second while I may be critical of the poster a fact is a fact. The OP was informed a year ago that the vehicle was going to need repairs. The OP has neglected these repairs for a year and now wants a miracle fix. It is not going to happen there is no miracle solution to pour into your engine and cure what ails it.
Third most states have a program through there welfare office. In Washington it is called work first. This program pays for needed mechanical repairs through a certified shop just for people who are low income.
Fourth do not think I am uncaring. I have low income clients that come to my shop who are in desperate need of assistance. I help them when I can. I can show you a stack of invoices for repairs that I have done that I agreed to take payments on. I have a single mother with three kids who has had an open account with me for 3 years. She pays me $20.00 a month because that is all she has. She works hard to support her kids without assistance from the government and I appreciate that.
Yes I live a comfortable life style now. When I graduated from high school twenty years ago I didn?t have two nickels to rub together. I got where I am at by working hard sometimes 18 hours a day. Hell I didn?t have a day off for 8 years. I worked all day and went to college at night to provide for my family. If a person is working trying to better themselves there are people willing to help. If you just want to whine and complain about your plot in life and expect everyone to take care of you don?t whine to me.
~Michael
Well we hope she lives in one of those states cuz CO is not one of them (doubtful she lives in CO since the stickers for 82 and newer are 2 years)
Glad to hear you are helping people out but not everyone does that and no we arent whining we are talking reality here. We also work long hours when we work due to seasonal work but we still cant get ahead and we get no breaks from people so we hope Wren is able to get some kind of a break cuz it sounds like she will need it. (Though we dont like her being waived as she is going to be out polluting; we can understand since they waived our car.)
The best you can do is make sure the car is fully warmed up when you go in for inspection. Then it will either pass or not. Best chance is fully warmed up.