Questions about smog laws? - Page 2 - Engine Swap - Third Generation F-Body Message Boards

Air_Adam · 07-16-2003, 02:41 PM

I heard about that "crush pre-76 cars" bill too... they seem to think they make more of a polution problem than newer cars (1980+).

It was happening for awhile.. PHR magazine even got a running '67 Camaro SS from someone for $300 who was bringing it to be crushed!! they also said that they saw lots of vintage Mopars and stuff crushed too (a '69 Charger R/T in particular)

They got it all wrong... there are so few cars that are pre-1976 being driven on the street regularly today that they have so little effect on the environment its not even funny. Seriously, how often do you see an old 440 Charger or a '69 Camaro on the street? Or even a measly 318 Dart? Not very often...

And plus, these cars are trailered everywere now anyway, lol.

nedry · 07-24-2003, 10:44 AM

Don't know if they do a visual or just make do with an up-the-pipe check, but the magic number for vehicle age in the Evergreen (should be EverRED with the Commies we got runnin' the place thanks to Seattle) State is 28. Example: first thirdgens in Washington get to do their final emission checks in 2006. After that, no more inspections, so far as I know (unless the Reds have something up their sleeve)...

Just thought this info might be useful. If you're really gung-ho interested, check out http://www.ecy.wa.gov/programs/air/c...tive_pages.htm .

Later.
nedry OUT

jimbo69 · 08-14-2003, 01:47 PM

You get your tags here for 2 years and the last time I took my car in they just put the sniffer in and a thing on my hood that detects rpm, didn't even look at the engine.

Some crate engine manufactuers have gotten there engine's certified. Wonder what this involves, if you engine produces low emmisions then you should be able to get smog certifcation. Any lawyers around here. There's always some loop hole or another to play around with. Did a search on the internet and found very little.

Of course we are not manufacters of engines and they probally pay a pretty penny to get there engines certified. What about individuals wanting to do that, is there an avenue?

1bad91Z · 09-10-2003, 07:21 PM

Hey guys, Texas just adopted California's emission standards and I understand it. I got my car inspected right before the change over! I have no clue about next year though! Maybe I'll just put the emissions stuff and the stock exhaust back on for my next inspection. This stuff is

They should go after the big-*** 18-wheelers that shoot tons of black soot and smoke in the air everytime they change gears!

Our cars just run so much better with-out all that crap in the engine bay!

tamatt27 · 10-11-2003, 12:38 PM

Damnit, so Texas has Cali's emission's laws??? Is there any way to get an LT1 in a /88 Ta inspected and pass????

Roads88 · 10-11-2003, 04:24 PM

As one who lives in california just let me say " I feel your pain"

I few guys have gotten vortec motors past emissions here.

As far as im concerned it should just be a sniffer check only. It should be no ones bussiness but yours whats under the hood.

cubano · 10-21-2003, 10:56 PM

I ran across this great web site JTR (Jaguars That Run)--they write manuels on how to swap V8 into Jaguars/Volvos/S-10s/Astro vans, cars that weren't equipped with V8.

They are based out in CA and have delt with smog laws for many years. This site is very informative and will clear many questions about CA smog laws:

http://www.jagsthatrun.com/Pages/Che..._V-8_Smog.html

if someone has already posted this, forgive the repeat

Roads88 · 10-22-2003, 03:51 PM

Now that was a helpfull post. Thanks

x_wolf · 11-03-2003, 04:25 AM

hmm well I live in WA, and there is no laws governing my county with smog rules. Its not densely populated around here, and the cities aren't very big (and arn't getting real big either) so I don't think I have anything to worry about. at least not until my car is past that 25 year age limit

Nedry what part of WA are you from??

cheers

Abaddon_fallen1 · 11-19-2003, 02:15 PM

I hate the EPA as much as I hate, well I'll just leave that part alone. I seriously don't need some monkey in a suit to tell me what should be coming out of my car's tailpipes, as long as it's not fire or black smoke, "They" should be happy. Anyways, the EPA is the government and I have just seen the biggest bunch of ****ing morons out there. I live in Chicago and had to tangle with the EPA before, let's just say they don't know how to help out and they disrespect your car, and this dyno **** for emmisions just puts even more wear and tear on your car. Here's my story: Had to take the 'Bird in for the test, wait in line, do all this other crap, finaly they're ready to test my car, must've been a new employee or smoething cuz he asks me if my car is FWD, I tell him "only when it's in reverse" (think about it). So the dumbass puts my car on the dyno with the front wheels. I'm just like, "what the **** are you doing?" And he says "you said it's FWD" then I say "look underneath the car and tell me" so he does, comes back up "oh, sorry".

Needless to say the car passed, barely, and a comment was made about my rear brakes sucking. It's called BRAKE TORQUE, FIGURE IT OUT!!!!

Black363IROCZ · 11-20-2003, 12:26 PM

lol, california is so backwards they have all this emissions crap and still have the worst air and water in the country.

377ciTT · 12-04-2003, 05:28 PM

um as far as the cops and stuff down here they can be so lcueless i have blatenly if (thtas how you spell it) disobyed the emissions law (black hellicopters oh no) in my state even once being pulled over for an out tailight and he asked where my muffler was i told him it fell off with my cat (prick still gave me a ticket for the out taillight) but half the cops dont know or dont care

Irocster · 12-04-2003, 05:49 PM

I thought the emissions applied only to '73 and later cars....what's with the '66 and later? I thought all cars older than '73 were exempt from somg checks?

five7kid · 12-04-2003, 06:23 PM

When I rolled into San Diego in 1986, I had to have the '57 smog inspected and tested!

The old 283 still had the original road draft tube, so the first thing was a "PCV kit". $75. For a nipple on the back of the block, a PCV valve, an oil fillter cap with a nipple, a nipple on the air cleaner, and a couple of pieces of rubber hose (remember, this was 1986 dollars, for a new college grad with a wife and 2 kids).

Then the sniffer. It passed the cruise easily enough, but had a valve that would hang at idle. Wouldn't pass. $95 later for points, condenser, plugs, wires, cap & rotor (I wasn't allowed to do them myself, or it wouldn't count against the repair costs), it still didn't pass but was cleaner. The next step would have been a valve job, which would have taken me over the $ limit (I forget exactly what it was then), so since it was cleaner than it was before, I was issued a waiver.

That was the 1st and only time it had to be "smogged".

If the car had been in California all its life, none of this would have been required.

Irocster · 12-04-2003, 10:17 PM

But say, I had an older car, like a '66 Chevelle, would I have to get it smoged every other year, like I have to with my '89 camaro?

madmax · 12-04-2003, 10:39 PM

Not anymore. The cutoff right now is 1974 I'm pretty sure. Doesnt mean you cant get a ticket from a cop for disabled emissions... though I'd bet thats a rare occurance at best. They changed the year when they went to the smog check II program a few years back, it jumped a few years here and there, until it hit the year its stuck at now. They want to revert back to the old deal, no real surprise there. They did freeze the year though, it was supposed to be set at a fixed year, like anything more than 25 years old wouldnt need a smog, but thats gone bye bye. At least the 1957-1965 cars owners dont have to get their cars smogged when they sell them anymore, that changed around 10 years ago or something like that.

Irocster · 12-04-2003, 11:49 PM

O.K., so if an older car still has to go in to have a smog check done, it isn't required to have all the C.A.R.B. stuff right? Because it is '73 (or '74) or earlier. How do all the guys will old muscle cars at the shows do it? Maybe it's just me, but this smog B.S. is really confusing.

Orinackra · 12-05-2003, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by 86BirdSE

I think every state has their own website. PA even has a link to the new emissions standards.

Do you or anybody else have that link to PA's emission laws? I learned a little in my fuel class, but not too much than what been posted here. I'd like to find out more.

Orinackra · 12-05-2003, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Irocster
But say, I had an older car, like a '66 Chevelle, would I have to get it smoged every other year, like I have to with my '89 camaro?

As far as I know, a 74 or older car doesn't need to get emission testing. They just give you a visual inspection and give you one sticker. Buuut, if you have emissions equipment, I think its a federal law that you can't remove them. Anybody know if thats accurate?

Irocster · 12-05-2003, 07:56 PM

The only emissions equipment that I know of on older cars is the PCV system. That's no big deal though.

madmax · 12-06-2003, 02:56 AM

Yes, thats true. Anyone who removes an emission control device is in violation of federal law. Doesnt much matter what your local or state laws are, the feds dont care.

Now when was the last time you saw the feds bust someone for taking off their PCV valve?

Some of the older cars had AIR systems too, 66 Mustangs had them. Wasnt until about 72-73 that EGR's came around, and 75 or 76 for the catalytic converter.

Irocster · 12-06-2003, 11:01 AM

Alright, I gotcha. You see, I don't mind getting my car smogged, but what I don't understand is when getting our year range of cars smogged, why can't they just hook up the sniffer and be done with it? Who cares what parts we use! I mean, if it passes it passes. The selection of our parts is totally irrelevant. Most of our engines are just as efficient if not more so than new cars with all the crap on them. Oh well, so much for living in CA.

jrg77 · 12-22-2003, 01:10 AM

Here in Lake County, Indiana they didn't even open my hood. That leads me to think as long as they see a catalytic converter, and it blows the right numbers I should be okay.

So, how do I find the right numbers?

Is it reasonable to expect that a shop with a dyno should be able to help you tune the car to pass the sniffer part of the test and make power?

92 Formula · 01-14-2004, 06:24 AM

Thank goodness that Virginia is generally a car hobby friendly state!

Nevertheless, for the benefit of any fellow Virginians:

http://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/ci.../emissions.asp

http://www.deq.state.va.us/air/regulations/airregs.html

http://www.deq.state.va.us/air/regulations/air91.html

Hope this helps those who needed the information on Virginia.

Russ-So Cal · 03-02-2004, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Irocster
Alright, I gotcha. You see, I don't mind getting my car smogged, but what I don't understand is when getting our year range of cars smogged, why can't they just hook up the sniffer and be done with it? Who cares what parts we use! I mean, if it passes it passes. The selection of our parts is totally irrelevant. Most of our engines are just as efficient if not more so than new cars with all the crap on them. Oh well, so much for living in CA.

You forget the MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR CARBEO #-$$$.
It really has nothing to do with smog control. It has nothing to do with air pollution or the reduction thereof. Aftermarket speed equipment manufacturers pay millions to the state of Ca. to get their carb eo numbers. California will continue to insist on visual inspections to force manufacturers to get carb eo #s for their products. Furthermore it is a process that never ends. Take as an example Vortech, the supercharger manufacturer. They have carb eo #s for most of their applications, but the 2004 models have just come out. Guess what? If Vortech wants to put there blowers on new cars, they need to get carb eo #s for any 2004 models they want to build kits for. If anyone besides the state of California tried to do this, it would be called racketeering and we would be in prison. In the name of smog control, California is legally out doing anything the mafia ever thought of.

Abaddon_fallen1 · 03-09-2004, 10:38 PM

Well, at least I'm no longer in an emissions testing area. Wait till next year southern Florida:rockon:

HanSoloWS6 · 03-09-2004, 11:22 PM

After the contract runs out here in Ohio next year, we might not have a sniffer test anymore. Perfect timing too, since by then my swap will be done and it wont matter, lol. But then my car will only see the drag strip anyway.