New Test For California Emissions Check

[Tracker]

My son and I took the MJ down for its smog test this AM. We were pretty confident because of how easily the old motor passed. The new one had to be even better. Then we found out about the new fuel system pressure test: :eek:

Phew. It passed, but even the guy doing the test was surprised. In this test they remove your gas cap and put a fitting on that goes to a separate test fixture with a nitrogen bottle and the usual assortment of mysterious gauges and buttons. And of course it's wired in real time to the State's DMV computer. In the test your system is given 1.5 psi of N2 and it has to hold it ALL for 5 minutes. The tech said the machine is calibrated to detect a .040 hole with one minute and a .005 hole within the 5 minutes of the test. The line from the intake side of the vent canister is pinched off but the canister is part of the test too.

So, California jeepers going in for a smog test, spend some time and money on your rubber or you'll keep coming back until it passes.

Pete- This is the price we pay for not having salt and rust.

[maddzz1]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

[Randy in Maine]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

 

That doesn't work any more. It is all done via computer through the state DMV so there really is just about no way to cheat the system.

 

Keep in mind that when the air gets to CA it is clean, when it leaves it is crap.

[pingpong]

I am sorry to hear that you guys out there have to go through all this crap to keep older rides on the road.... I am glad I don't :D

[JeepcoMJ]

:nuts:

 

i don't know what you're complaining about, we've had this test for many years in my county.

[TNT]

:nuts:

 

i don't know what you're complaining about, we've had this test for many years in my county.

 

Key word being "had".... WI will no longer test '96 and older vehicles after July 1st.

[JeepcoMJ]

:nuts:

 

i don't know what you're complaining about, we've had this test for many years in my county.

 

Key word being "had".... WI will no longer test '96 and older vehicles after July 1st.

 

10-4 on that.

 

sucks though, that i'm registering the new truck before then.

[maddzz1]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

 

That doesn't work any more. It is all done via computer through the state DMV so there really is just about no way to cheat the system.

 

Keep in mind that when the air gets to CA it is clean, when it leaves it is crap.

 

They do that here too. The trick is to have a car that will pass and hook that one up to the machine.

[Hawk]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

 

That doesn't work any more. It is all done via computer through the state DMV so there really is just about no way to cheat the system.

 

Keep in mind that when the air gets to CA it is clean, when it leaves it is crap.

 

They do that here too. The trick is to have a car that will pass and hook that one up to the machine.

You guys disgust me. How could you care so little of our environment? Don't you know what kind of horrible things come out of those engines, and what they can do to your ozone?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just kidding. I'm very happy we only have emissions on 96+ here, all they do is plug the OBD2 in, scan it, and sticker it. All my MJ needs to pass is safety, and that won't be a problem.

[johnj92131]

I am sorry to hear that you guys out there have to go through all this crap to keep older rides on the road.... I am glad I don't :D

 

I had to have my 91 Commanche smogged checked in April as part of the "random" sample. The truck has always passed the smog test with no problems. Well it fail it failed this time because of an old gas cap. The smpg station had a supply of good caps, the gave me one and told me to buy a new cap at NAPA for less than $10.00 to solve the problem.

 

It did, no extra check and less than $10.00

 

I have found a couple of decent, reasonable, HONEST, smog check places here in San Diego over the past few years. These places treat you right and still follow the CARB rules. Bottom line, is that they don't stick it too you for all it is worth.

 

Last correction I had to make was put a new cat. converter on an 89 Camery at around 125k miles. And I have 4 different cars, the newest one is a 1998.

 

The smog check costs me $50 on each car, usually every 2 years.

[johnj92131]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

 

This will not work in California. Besides, it cost me $90 to fix the problem last time I failed a smog check.

 

And in the next Smog Check you will be paying the same guy another $100 for a new sticker. And then there is the time after that. What will your total bill turn out to be?

 

Not a personal comment. Just a comment about longe run economic solutions compared to short term solutions.

 

I will not have to replace my $90 cat converter for another 14 years. And the Toyota will still be running just fine. Heck, I can see my unborn grandson driving the car. Can your imagine that, My Dad got the car new in 1989, my son still drives it today. He has no children yet, but the car should still be running fine with about 260K miles when his son is ready to drive.

 

I know my dad would be pleased to see his great grandson using the same car he got new.

[Tracker]

California also has two different kinds of test stations and your registration notice will tell you which one you have to go to. Vehicles deemed "Gross Polluters" (big V8's), older vehicles (down to 1975) and a random 2% of all other vehicles have to go to what is called a "Test Only" station. These stations aren't allowed to even put air in your tires. (BTW, that helps on the dyno portion of the test. Hard tires roll easier :brows: ) The theory is, a station that isn't allowed to fix or change anything is less likely to try to sell parts or service to a vehicle that might be expected to fail and need them.

And I think the bond is up to $50K so the days of cheating are about over.

[maddzz1]

Thats why last time I had a car that wouldnt pass I just asked the kid if he would sell me a sticker. I figured since I never seen him before he would say no. But he did it. I had to give him $100 plus the sticker cost. But I actually saved money because I didnt have to pay the fine for the ticket my wife got. :chillin:

 

This will not work in California. Besides, it cost me $90 to fix the problem last time I failed a smog check.

 

And in the next Smog Check you will be paying the same guy another $100 for a new sticker. And then there is the time after that. What will your total bill turn out to be?

 

Not a personal comment. Just a comment about longe run economic solutions compared to short term solutions.

 

I will not have to replace my $90 cat converter for another 14 years. And the Toyota will still be running just fine. Heck, I can see my unborn grandson driving the car. Can your imagine that, My Dad got the car new in 1989, my son still drives it today. He has no children yet, but the car should still be running fine with about 260K miles when his son is ready to drive.

 

I know my dad would be pleased to see his great grandson using the same car he got new.

 

The cars I did this with were the type of cars that arent worth putting the money into to actually pass inspection; you know, the kind that end up in the JY before the 2 year inspection is up. If it was a car I planned on keeping (like the MJ) then I will gladly do the repairs.

[TNT]

:nuts:

 

i don't know what you're complaining about, we've had this test for many years in my county.

 

Key word being "had".... WI will no longer test '96 and older vehicles after July 1st.

 

10-4 on that.

 

sucks though, that i'm registering the new truck before then.

 

Well the MJ and XJ both were tested this year and they both passed.

 

I made sure I used a gas cap with a good seal and put some Sil-Glide on all the seals surfaces. The cap that was on the MJ would have failed for sure. I take a couple extra caps with just in case.

 

You could also just get a temporary and renew it once. Then when you register it there won't be any more testing. :brows: