injdinjn

I don't know how many on here have noticed that CARB keeps lowering the pass numbers making it harder for older vehicles to pass their smog test. Just last year 5.7 TPI GMs were lowered 30%. It is my opinion that once emission levels are set for a vehicle they should not be lowered. I realize that CA wants our old cars off the road so they can steal more money from us thru vehicle sales tax and higher license fees, but, and I have told them this, my next vehicle will be a restored pre 1976.
I have sent a email to SAN (SEMA) discussing the above and the need for legislation to keep CARB from lowering the pass numbers, and preferably returning those lowered to their original numbers and remove NOX testing from cars like the mid 80's LG4s, which when built, were not subject to NOX emissions testing.
What I would like to do is get ALL the car clubs in CA behind this by contacting SAN. So anyone who wants to copy this or write their own and/or post this on other boards is welcome to do so.

This is the new director of SAN
Mike Dingell, Director, SEMA Action Network (SAN) at 202/783-6007, ext. 38 or miked@sema.org.

I posted this on about 5 boards, if SAN gets enough emails maybe they will get behind this. Then we can bombard our State legislators.

Thanks

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Yeah I'll send them an email deffinately. It really irritates me. My car runs so good but I have to worry about not passing emissions testing because they keep lowering numbers.

Mad_IROC-Z

Has anyone ever failed and have to retest?
This happens to me all the time, vehicle will fail, come back a couple days later after doing nothing and it will pass. But, when it does this, the numbers allowed are lowered the second time.
I have noticed this going back a ways. The next year (they sock me with a "random" retest every year)the numbers will be back up.... until they fail me again!

injdinjn

Interesting, because my van a 94 5.7 TBI failed and it was almost a month before I got a chance to take it back in and the pass/fail numbers were the same for both tests. In fact the first time he ran it on the retest it failed so he did it again and it passed.
I made sure the motor was a lot hotter the retest.


You don't say where you are, but I would tell them to take the off year test and shove it. Get in contact with the office of the head of CARB.

Mad_IROC-Z

I contacted the DMV before and asked why do I keep having to retest and they said it was random. Basically the person was not listening even though I told them their random retest is as random as the sun cumming up each new day.

I think its their way to get a bit more of the money needed by sending me each year to a test only. When I'm lucky, I smog for two years in a row and can skate one year without!

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Were you a gross polluter when you failed the first time?

kevmann

I have gone to get tested before and failed. Then someone told me to take a long drive and get on it a little and then come back in. Low and behold it passed the second time. I know you California guys have more strict emissions guidelines but I hope this will help. I know carbs can flood and cause emissions problems so maybe running the heck out of it burns more of the residual fuel built up in there. Not exactly a scientific explanation but hopefully it will help. Mad_Iroc, I commend your spelling in your post. However, the correct spelling for "cumming" is "coming". Just returning the favor. LOL jk.

Kevin

injdinjn

Getting the CAT real hot and clean helps.

Find a place with only 1 or 2 cars ahead of you and leave yours running and do a couple of high revs just before the guy takes it in.

3rdBird

iTrader: (1)

Perfect, then cylinder temp goes up & car fails for NOX.

injdinjn

Well you have to look at your last tests and see where your weak spot is and prep the car accordingly.
But, with the LG4 you might as will stick a gun in your mouth. or theirs.

Mad_IROC-Z

Thats when an EGR is used to low combustion chamber temps.

And I cannot believe I spelled Coming like that! I do know the difference between "***" and "come"

As for being a gross poluter I dont know. The vehicle may have been labeled as one from failing the year prior just from being over the numbers on the HCs'.
I will drive my vehicles about 20 miles or so before hand but at times, by the time the shop gets to it, the car and cat have cooled.
I did an engine swap on my mom's 84 S10 to a 97 4.3. When I went to the BAR station for its initial inspection and test they had it running in the shop for a long time as they did the visual. Smot test stations though have to get them in and out but there is still time for it to cool down.

kevmann

Man you guys have it rough. I understand wanting to have clean air and all but look at all of the smoke stacks billowing up, yet what little smog our cars produce is tested with a fine toothed comb.

kevin

injdinjn

We are easier to fk over than the trucking industry, port of LA/LB, etc.

Mad_IROC-Z

Its already been proven that the West Coast gets polution from the factories in China. Thank you US companies for sending jobs over there! That and being down at sea level with mountain ranges to the East and the polution is trapped so we can't share what we get from China with the rest of you guys.

And I can go on and on about the hole in the ozone layer being where the planes travel and not where the automobiles are and global warming being here since after the ice age..... but I won't bore you guys!

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

I know I had high Nox and a fresh new good converter made it pass. But 3rdbird should know what it takes being that he does smog!

Mad_IROC-Z

I don't do the test. I just have to fix them when they don't pass.
The Nitrogen Oxcide (NOx) is created when combustion chamber temps are high. The exhaust gas from your EGR lower the tempatures thus reducing the levels of NOx.
And thats as scientific as I can put it! I'm no Bill Nuy

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

Oh I know that. I work on cars for a living somewhat. Haha. But I have instances like on my car when the Catalytic converter put my #'s below on NOx.

wddavis

you should only have to have a smog every 2 years, most of our cars fall into a "high polluting" catagory which means ya gotta go to a test only(in enhanced-dyno) areas.

if the pass/fail numbers are different from 1 test to an other somebody screwed up, if the year was entered wrong, the standards could be different, on trucks the gvw and year will change the standards. Look at the V.I.R.(vehicle inspection report) and if the first test has the info wrong, ask for a refund, if the secont test has the year wrong, then you got an early x-mas gift.
driving a car hard can "wake up" the cat, air pump, o2 sensor, and maybe move a chunk of crap that was sticking in the carb; especially if the car is only used for short trips.

CATs have three functions(three way cat) 1 nox reduction- the o2 and nitrogen are separated 2 Hydrocarbon(unburned fuel) 3 Co(partly burned fuel) reduction. 2&3 happen because the cat gets hot, and gives the hc, Co, and o2 a second chance to burn to make H2O and CO2.


All of that being said, if your car is running correctly and efficiently(getting the most power with the least fuel) then it will not be polluting. if you fail a smog test, then something is wrong if the car is fixed properly then you should notice an improvement in power, economy, or both. th cat should be the LAST repair, if everything else is working correctly, then the cat should only be a final clean up, and mainly for times that aren't even tested such as closed throttle decel.

there are a lot of changes coming for the smog tests. most aren't even figured out yet, but it looks like cars year 2000 and newer will only get an OBD II test, which means that the tailpipe will not be tested.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

He is a smog tech!

xdevenx

The whole "smog" idea is nothing but a money game. There are actually studies that have been done on older "higher polluting" muscle cars that, in all truthfullness, burn CLEANER that our "emission controlled" cars. It's all about the tuning. I personally have seen my old 77 chrysler with a 360 go thorugh 2 tests. The first having everything set to factory specs, and all smog equipment functional. The second, all smog equipment disabled, and tuned for best performance..The second test passed by a much greater margin that the first. It's all a money game.

UnderCover89TBI

iTrader: (25)

That interesting. I know when my friend had his 77 trans am he never worried abotu the car not passing no matter how bad it ran. It always passed! it blew near 0's! everywhere! I was amazed.