Totally subjective

http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/stdPage....eSmokeTest.htm

Hey, I think I see smoke!

Gotta love Govt bureaucracies that answer to no one.
Kinda like the **** SS or the KGB.

After reading the law the best way to pass this test is to remove a section of your tailpipe.

I love it!!!!!!!!! ..... This is yet the best test ever, awsome to see the day when smoking cars are going to be a thing of the past!

How do these things keep getting implemented without SEMA's knowledge and alerting everyone?

I believe thats called railroading?

This isnt going to help cut back any smoking cars, they'll just get a waiver and/or free repairs. I've seen countless cars belching black smoke and the telltale stain on the rear and clean registration stickers just irritate me more. Thats the problem with government and legislation, in the end its totally worthless because it goes randomly enforced and nobody does anything to cure the problem. "Not my job."

The whole legislation is retarded anyway, black smoke from the tailpipe is a fail? Uh, I thought thats why you measured the HC coming out the pipe? Its just more legislation to remove cars from the road they dont want on the road. Diesels put out far more PM10 than cars, but they arent regulated in any way but we are.

Gotta love California... All this crap sure is making a move out of Cali look a lot more enticing

I think BAR has found the power of SEMA so now BAR is acting behind closed doors. I guess the law requiring open door policy doesn't apply to all govt agencies.

SS & KGB tactics.

Here's some reading for you, applies to subject at hand.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbidity

http://www.lenntech.com/turbidity.htm

Key quotes (Agree with my study in environmental, both air pollution and water quality):

Turbidity is the cloudiness or haziness of a fluid, or of air, caused by individual particles (suspended solids) that are generally invisible to the naked eye, similar to smoke in air.

What are the impacts of turbidity?
The main impact is merely asthetic: nobody likes the look of dirty water. (or air for that matter)

I've met a fair share of 'mechanics' that either couldn't tell the difference or wanted a few bucks in their pocket for white smoke that was stated as blue.

Even better. Per the actual text, any smoke is a failure. This includes white smoke from possible condensation, or... as most people with an IQ above 1 know, on cold days... yea it looks like smoke coming out the exhaust, just like that comes out of your mouth.

I see bad things coming from this...

I know, just take a picture of you on a cold day blowing out your mouth and then send them your next doctor bill and ask them to help pay for the repairs.

Gotta hit the buzzer on that one. The documentation states "Steam from condensation does NOT constitute a failure for smoke." Download the VST_Procedure PDF.

Failures are:
Black or gray smoke or soot from an overly rich condition

Blue or bluish-white smoke from burning oil

Smoke from any area other than the vehicle's tailpipe or PCV System, regardless of the cause, does NOT constitute a failure of the Visible Smoke Test.

----------------------------
The Tailpipe Smoke Test gets conducted AFTER the actual emissions test. The car is to be left idling and observed for 10 seconds.

The PCV Smoke Test gets performed during the visible fuel leak test. Same deal, leave car idling and observe for 10 seconds.


If your car is heaving smoke after being warmed up, driven to the test facility, then put on the rollers and tested, you've got serious mechanical issues. Odds are it wouldn't pass the regular test anyway.

That has to be part of the test manual for it to have any merit.

Just watch, days after this is implemented you'll see a post about someone failing due to steam out the tailpipe.

I think it just makes it that much more important to pick your smog test station carefully. The same testers who don't know what a CARB EO# means on an aftermarket intake system won't know the difference between smoke and steam.

GFL on that one. Most these test only shops that are owner operated change owners every couple of years. The shops with employees as techs have a larger turnover.
I get coupons for $45 test only all the time, but I would prefer to pay a mechanic I know the usual $60 just because I know him and they have a honest shop, but he does repairs so can never go test only.
And he wont put his license on the line for anyone, but he can read english and recognizes EO#'s.