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Classic Cars Project Cars--You Get to Vote on "Hold 'em or Fold 'em"
19442 messages, Last post on Dec 09, 2009 at 11:20 AM
You are in the Classic Cars Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright
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Replying to: andre1969 (Nov 05, 2009 9:43 am) CA tests vehicles from 1976 on up. Again, what comes out of the tailpipe doesn't matter. You could put a 2005 Prius engine into a 2008 Hummer and you'd fail the smog test.
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Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Nov 05, 2009 10:09 am) That is my experience, for sure. The testing up here (Fairbanks, AK) doesn't even include pipe sniffing any more for vehicles that are computer-controlled. They pop the hood to do a visual inspection and plug it in to a computer. If that's good, you're good to go. I have a friend with an '85 Chevy van. He had a 305 in it originally, but replaced that with a 350 and some exhaust modifications. He took it to a local shop and had them tune it up to run "as clean as possible." In the end, I think he said the results were that tailpipe emissions were 1/3 of the allowable level, but he could not renew the tags on it because he had pulled the air pump system off it. But, he showed them. Rather than put all that garbage back on there, he drove it to New York, shipped it to Amsterdam, and now has it in Finland, where he lives for part of every year.  I other words, it has nothing to do with emissions, it has to do with revenue. 
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Replying to: xwesx (Nov 05, 2009 10:36 am) I guess we're just lucky in Maryland. I've never had them look under the hood of my car. Just take a mirror on a stick and look under to make sure it has a catalytic converter. And sometimes they'll take off the fuel cap and test it. They used to have this thing that they'd stick in your fuel filler to measure the opening, to make sure it wasn't routed out so you could put leaded gas in it, but I guess they quit doing that around the time they quit selling leaded gas. Maryland is also inconsistent about emissions testing, as some counties require it and others don't. And if it holds out until January 1, 2020, I can get historic tags for my 2000 Intrepid, and never have to deal with an emissions test again! 
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| but otherwise, this '77 Grand LeMans sedan looks like it would make a nice companion to my '76. It's even the same color (well, the proper shade of FireThorn...my '76 was repainted a darker maroon). I wonder though, with 94,000 miles, if its 301 engine might be close to the expiration date? | |
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I have never had the hood opened while driving through the DMV inspection station. The do the OBD test now (plug it in and no codes = GTG). Think that might be starting with 1998 models? They still have the rollers and tailpipe sniffer for older stuff. So, I assume a 1991 volvo would get that, and I doubt the rocket scientists working there could figure out there was a V8 under the hood. These are the same people that failed my 2001 Miata, because they didn't have the right plug for the port (or something ridiculous like that). So since they couldn't hook it up, they just failed it. ANd didn't bother to tell me why until I went back and harranged them. Anyway, just do what the rest of the gross polluters in the state do. Go to a private shop of low repute, and for your $50, you get a sticker.
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Replying to: stickguy (Nov 05, 2009 9:29 pm) When did they start that? I took my 99 S-10 in March '08 and they put it on the rollers. My daily drivers are leased so I never have to have them inspected while I have them (3 yr lease, 4 year new car sticker, ) |
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Replying to: stickguy (Nov 05, 2009 9:29 pm) |
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Replying to: stickguy (Nov 05, 2009 9:29 pm) When I took it for emissions they decided to do an underhood inspection. I was pretty nervous I wouldn't pass. An older lady walks up, I pop the hood, I look and she had the same crappy diagram as me. She peered at the mess for about 20 seconds, kind of shook her head and said, "looks good to me" and I was on my way. |
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While we have testing stations in the metro Denver area, the state has also introduced a nifty way to test cars. On highway on-ramps, there is a truck with a sensor that "sniffs" the exhaust of cars that pass by. Along with a camera, it records the information and, when your renewal notice comes in the mail, you're told if you have passed or not - if not, then you'll need to go to a testing station. The cost of the drive by emissions test is added to your registration amount. At the stations, they do put the cars on rollers.
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Replying to: michaell (Nov 06, 2009 6:51 am) |
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