89 300TE MA emissions test failure

[turner]

I have a recently acquired 89 300TE with 210K on it and it failed the MA emissions test. Specifically:

HC gpm 2.31 (limit 2.00) FAIL
CO gpm 85.50 (limit 30.00) FAIL
NOx gpm 0.38 (limit 3.00) PASS
CO2 gpm 207.15 (no limit)

I am taking it to M & J Foreign Auto Repair in Rowley MA on Wed for diagnostics and repairs.

It also has a possibly related problem:

98% of the time it runs great, idles from a cold or hot start
just fine, great acceleration etc..

Occasionally I lose all power on a fresh start after a run to the store (engine warm) or at a stop sign. I've never had it happen on a cold start.

When it's from a warm start the idle is rough and I can tell it's going to do it.

If I floor it and release it sputters in the middle.

If I put into neutral I get the same power problem.

It goes away with about 30 sec of playing with the pedal.

CE light came on once while I was having the problem.
ABS light never comes on .
OVP fuses look fine, relay has a 1996 date on it.

Any thoughts/opinions are greatly appreciated!

This sounds familiar to a lot of other hesitation issues other people have posted about.

Although none of them seem to match exactly.

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John Turner
Ipswich, MA (home of the Clam Box)