Unless you live outside the major metro and subrurban sprawled areas, this is somehting you should know about...

PA Emission Law Update... and it gets expensive
A buddy of mine just went through the new inspection process in the Allentown area. Basically, it's a sheet of paper with 2 bar codes, and layed out like a spread sheet.

On the spread sheet, the state has listed all of the emissions equipment that is to be visually checked. AIR pump, Catalytic convertor, PCV, EGR Vapor canister and gas cap integrity are all listed. Next to each item is "pass" or "fail."

Also inluded is your address, vin# inspection station #, mileageat inspection and the inspector swearing under oath that everything passes. You are required to have that sheet with you just like you would your car registration. A police officer can, and probably will ask for this sheet if you are pulled over.

Total cost done by Daniels Cadillac/BMW of Allentown was 43.00. I've thought about a classic plate, but I have to proove original condition, which my car isn't very original anymore.

So those of you who have or are thinking about scrapping your emmissions equipment in metropolitan or densly populated suburbia in PA, think again.

I know people in Jerz and California will ay it's nothing, but for us, it's a big deal... Anyone have a copy of this sheet they could share?

 

I just went through about 2 weeks ago and it was the easiest thing ever. They hooked my gas cap up to some machine and I passed that. They popped my hood and looked to see if I had everything, which I didn't, and they didn't say anything. Then they looked under the car to see if I had a cat. I don't have any of the EGR or AIR stuff on my car, but passed anyway. With our cars its not even a sniffer test.

 

Philadelphia, Bucks, Montgomery, Chester counties have had the IM40 inspection for over 8 years. If your car is clean you are cool. If the inspection station thinks you might be an undercover checker from the state they will go over your car with a fine toothed comb.

 

So let me get this straight. You didnt have to go to a mechanic to get all that stuff checked out. Its just a guy a the emmisions center. Thats funny. Wheres your egr? Right there(pointing in the general area of the engine). Hehe

 

I live in Delaware county and have lived in the Philly area all my life. It's gotten tougher every year. The SINGLE BEST THING you can find is a shop that will WORK WITH YOU. I've been going to the same places for YEARS. They guys know me and they will work with me to get me through.

There's 2 basic categories of difficulty:

1. Doesn't look stock/have all emissions equipment but blows perfume out the tailpipe. If you have a shop that will "work with you" they'll overlook a lot as long as it passes the sniffer. Hassle factor: 4 on a 1-10 scale.

2. Doesn't look stock/have all emssions equipments and WON'T pass a sniffer. Then you have to look at an "exemption." This is how much money they can FORCE you to spend to come into emissions compliance. Used to be a joke- $200. I've heard it's gone up to $900 since November when the new laws passed. If true there's a couple things you can do.... Try to apply the cost of various "upgrade" or "speed" parts you wanted to buy anyway to the $900 minimum. Always wanted a new MSD ignition? New injectors? Maybe they'll "work with you" to allow the cost of these speed parts to apply to the minimum. Second, there is a 5000 mile per year emissions exemption. Doesn't do you any good the first time through BUT in all successive years if you drive less than 5000 miles you get an exemption from emissions (technically it still has to pass a visual but not a sniffer). Know how to unplug your speedo cable? Then you too can drive less than 5000 a year. I actually DO drive my modified cars less than 5000 so that's not an issue for me.

I've gotten my 78 Malibu with a big cam, blower and NO emissions equipment through inspection for 3 years now. Never a problem.

BTW- classic pates can be had for ANY vehicle, regardless of level of modification. The main downside to classic plates is that you are prohibited from diving the car at night.

 

all good stuff to know... I have an extra speedometer that accidentally fell into the car this week, since i'm under the 5k rule. I'm not selling my car, and there's not a lot left original in it, so I'm not too worried then.

Didn't realize they were sending out undercover cars... Sometimes anarchy looks pretty darn appetizing...

 

There is some mis-information in this thread about antique and classic PA registration. Can go to this link for information:

http://www.dmv.state.pa.us/pdotforms...ets/fs-ant.pdf

A car with classic tags may not be used for daily transportation, is subject to yearly mechanical inspection and is exempt from emissions testing. May be driven at night.

Antique plates are the hot tip, no nothing, not even stickers on the windshield. Vehicle only needs to be 25 years or older and be in original or restored to original configuration. Can be driven at night if originally equipped with an approved lighting system (no candles in the lamp housing deal).

RBob.

 

I'm doing the less than 5000 mile exemption. I put around 1500 miles on a year if I'm lucky. Heck, I'll be lucky if I break 5K with my daily driver. Maybe I can get an exemption on that, too.

 

RBob's right- I read the link he posted. Nightime driving appears to be a non-issue (my foggy memory remembers that from perhaps previous laws). If it just can't be "daily driven" that makes things a lot easier- if your car's over 25 years of age (that's 1979, if I did the math correctly) which won't help any 3rd gen owner.

The 5000 mile expemption is the way to fly if you're newer than 25 years old. My local shop, who I jsut called, says you still have to TECHNICALLY pass a visual inspection under the 5000 mile expemption. You are ONLY exempted from the tailpipe sniffer. SO...... you can at least make it LOOK like all the emissions equipment is present (gutted cat, deactivated EGR valve, etc.) OR you can get to know the guy at the shop, work with him, and he'll pass any pile of parts without ever opening the hood (as is the case with my totally non-emissions blower-equipped 78 Malibu that does not have classic plates).

I wonder if the "emissions expemption" for classic plates is the same type of expemption or if it's a total freebie on emissions.

 

Yes, the change in laws over the years has been great. It wasn't more then 4-5 years ago I was having a car inspected and the mechanic kept telling me to get antique tags for it.

My response was 'I can't drive it at night and during week days' or some such. Nope, he replied, the laws just changed.

Even Classic tags at one time were only good on vehicles that had that model discontinued. My brother had a set for his car and they were revoked (because of this change). Now the antiques are on it.

One way to look at it is that the oldest 3rd gen is only 3 years away from Antique tags And, the newest 3rd gen is 3 yrs away from Classic tags.

As it is now my 3rd gen is under the 5K miles exemption. I just don't drive it every day any more. I'd like to keep it in good condition. Funny thing is, it is the cleanest vehicle I own. My daily driver only gets a tailpipe sniffer at idle.

RBob.

 

The car has to be 15 years or older for PA Classic plates. PA Collectable plates, which I have one, are not subject to the year rule.

 

You could also do what my original plan was before I decided on Collectable plates. Take your basic stock F-body, squeak it through emissions the first time, keep it under the 5000 mile max & then mod the crap out of it. As metioned above, having a shop you can work with is a big plus.

 

what was required for the collectable plates? is it as hard to get as I have heard?

where i live there is no sniffer yet, just the visual and gas cap check. trouble around here is that NOBODY can agree on the new laws, every garage tells you something different. one guy told me that the stuff still has to be there for the regular inspection, even if you apply for an exemption. anyway I just passed with my truck but the Camaro is seeming to be a hopeless cause...