Emissions Testing

[scottfab]

Each state has their own way of measuring emissions.
In the state of Oregon one of the nice rules was that when
your car reached 20yrs old they no longer measured emissions.
That was very nice for my 73 LS6 because I had to put all the
air injection crap on it every 2yrs.

Anyway, I've just taken the ZR-1 down for testing here in
Washington and they no longer put the car up on rollers
for the test and they no longer inspect the gas cap !!!
Just a run up to 2500rpm for about 5seconds and that's it.
The PASS slip no longer shows levels of gases either.
Not sure if the FAIL slip does.

In a time when I see and hear that other states are stiffening up on
emissions it's good to live in a state that seems to be lightening up.

I am curious about how many states still use the rollers when doing emissions testing.

[tomtom72]

Hi Scott, yes I experienced the same change in testing procedures that NYS/DMV applied to cars in high density areas. It seems that two years ago the roller test was abandoned in favor of a short, fixed rpm test with an exhaust gas analyzer and a data link using the ALDL. Even the results of the analyzer are left off in favor of a "pass/fail" statement. The roller was not a state wide procedure, it was only in high density areas that actual tail pipe emissions through out a "simulated driving loop" were measured. There was a bit of 'raising the bar' with the emissions levels that they would call "passing" on older OBDI cars. It wasn't as bad a creep as CA is using, but I was beginning to think where will they stop. NYS/DMV Antique status is 25 yrs, and they have not decided to include OBDI cars in the same group as pre-OBDI cars that have an exemption from emissions testing in high density areas. I was always proud of my OBDI LT5 passing the testing even if it was shooting at a moving target.

I miss the actual gas content results. I used to use them as a "window" of sorts to what was going on inside the combustion chambers.

:cheers:
Tom

[Z Factor]

No testing whatsoever here in Florida.

:cheers:

[dredgeguy]

In Maryland you can put Historic plates on your car when it is 20 years old. No emissions or state safety inspection is required with Historic plates.

[Locobob]

Scott, last time I checked the Oregon 20yr old rule only applied to cars up to 1975 - so basically anything built after 1975 still had to pass emissions. Has this changed? Would be great if it has.

[scottfab]

Scott, last time I checked the Oregon 20yr old rule only applied to cars up to 1975 - so basically anything built after 1975 still had to pass emissions. Has this changed? Would be great if it has.

Ya know, I actually don't know where they are with that now. I lost interest in that along with the Ducks and Beavers in favor or the Huskies and the Cougars a decade ago :)
I do know my 73 did not have to go in anymore.
PS I decided to go with "Neighborhood Watch" for my new router name.
That should get some attention.

[Paul in SC]

No testing whatsoever here in Florida.

:cheers:

Ditto for South Carolina...

[efnfast]

In NH as long as the "check engine" light isn't on, you pass. They figure the car is doing it's own testing continually. Makes sence to me.

[SteelBlueZR1]

I never got to find out, as my 1991 ZR-1 is registered in MD as an Historic vehicle, and is thus exempt from safety and emissions inspections.

[Ronstar]

No testing at all in Michigan

[mike100]

Ca only uses BAR 97 5-gas test on the dyno for the enhanced areas (big coastal cities and Sac) etc.

The more rural areas still use 4 gas (no NOx) two speed idle test- so the answer to your poll is both yes and no, but most areas are subject to the dyno testing.
however... starting next year, newer OBD2 cars will only get scanned for readiness monitors and codes- no sniffer, no dyno. Visual inspection still applies and that is the killer in this state.

[4-cam]

In Colorado we have two types. The sniffer with rollers and a drive by test where you drive by a roadside testing station twice in a given time period. If you pass the drive by then no visual inspection. They still charge you when you renew your plates.

[USAFPILOT]

In Houston TX we are screwed. Damn rollers for our cars, but a new car can spew all kinds of crap out the tail pipe, but a computer diagnostic that shows the emissions equipment installed is enough to pass.

[jimmy b.]

Haven't had my Z inspected since 2007 when at the state inspection station the fat POS inspector almost ripped the steering column out of the car trying to get his fat a** out of the car after doing a rolling brake test. But lately I've been hearing that police have been towing and impounding cars for stupid minor infractions, easy money I guess.

So I got nervous I took it this time to a private inspection facility.(gas station)
I made an appt. last Saturday morning. The owner was so impressed with the Z, he said he never seen one let alone having to inspect it. He took really great care with it. The only thing he checked aside from the proper credentials was the emissions. The test consisted of checking it at idle and then at 2000 rpm for 20 seconds. It passed with flying colors, he said the emissions were really super clean and low based on the limits for the year of the car. He also cleaned the old sticker off the car entirely before putting on the new sticker. Normally they charge $75 but only charged me $50. ( " It pays to be the KING " :) ) Plus the sticker is good for 2 yrs. This guy was great I couldn't thank him enough especially for the care he took inspecting it.

Now last year New Jersey MV sends me a letter stating They now don't require my 2500 HD Duramax pick-up to be inspected anymore they say it is self inspected. I didn't believe them so I took it to a state inspection station. When I got in line they came over scraped my old sticker off , told me to get out of line and don't come back. Go fiqure? Now when I drive to work every day I 'm constantly looking over my shoulder just waitng to get stopped.

[Kevin]

yes and no, depends on the county

[scottfab]

Unless you live in two counties (or other locations) in a state then the answer would be whatever the county does that you live in.

[Paul Workman]

In IL rural counties are excluded entirely, as are all OBD1._

[Hammer]

Canyon County, Idaho now requires it every two years if the car is 1981 or newer. I had to pass an idling sniffer test for OBD I and all the emissions equipment has to be there. Passed with flying colors.

[-=Jeff=-]

In IL rural counties are excluded entirely, as are all OBD1._

in Emissions areas of IL all 1996 and newer cars are tested. all 1995-older OBD 1 cars are exempt

[Kevin]

Unless you live in two counties (or other locations) in a state then the answer would be whatever the county does that you live in.

i voted no. I was just adding to the discussion

[John Boothby]

Nevada, no rollers. Just a pass/fail slip, no data, at least where I get mine tested.

[HAWAIIZR-1]

Braddah Scott,

As we say in Hawaii in pidgin English, "Hawaii no mo emissions testing, la dat!"

Translated in English, "We don't have any emissions testing in Hawaii!"

Not a state, but here in Japan your car is brought into a laboratory and on rollers for about an hour of 12 modes of testing if imported. Basically, they don't want any imported vehicles on their roads. The test costs about $2500 US.

[scottfab]

i voted no. I was just adding to the discussion

But two people have raised that issue and it's valid of course.
I think just getting a base line on states and where our cars are now
is valuable for comparison down the road.
The question it could help answer is .....
"is it getting harder for the now vintage ZR-1s to get licensed?"
Certainly with some states getting tighter and some looser it would seem a push at the moment.

[ghlkal]

In WI, a 20+ year old car can apply for "collector" plates. The car is inspected once to get the plates, but no inspection after that. There is no annual renewal fee for collector plates either. Both of our Corvettes have collector plates. For non-OBDII cars, the test is on rollers.


PS I decided to go with "Neighborhood Watch" for my new router name.
That should get some attention.

Good one!

[Hib Halverson]

California has three levels of its "smog check"

In areas the CARB has determined have air quality problems, primarily urban areas such as the greater Los Angeles area, the greater San Francisco area, the greater Los Angeles/San Diego areas and a large part of the Central Valley, the "enhanced smog check" is required. The enhanced smog check is run on a low-load, low-speed chassis dyno and the test is run at 15 mph and 25 mph. All cars registered in those areas must test once every two years and at change of ownership.

In areas other than those which the CARB has determined have air quality problems but just not as bad as those listed above, the test (called the "basic smog check") is run at idle and at 2500 rpm with no load on the vehicle. Vehicles registered in those areas must test every two years and at change of ownership.

The remaining areas of the state not covered by the first two (primarily rural areas without air quality problems, such as northern California other than the Central Valley, east-central CA and southeast CA) are tested at idle and at 2500 rpm. Cars registered in those areas must test only at change of ownership.

Want to know what areas of CA have to do which test?
See: http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/02_SmogCheck/engineering/Program_Map.pdf

"Scottfab" makes the point that it's getting tough in some states with "enhanced" emissions tests to pass a ZR1. Usually, that happens in liberal states which intend to force old cars off the road. One way California does that is by periodically, reducing the maximum allowable emissions for a given type/model year of vehicle. With respect to 93-95 LT5s, the State of CA has changed the maximum limit for NOx emissions three different times that I know of and that has forced some owners of those cars to either modify the engines such that they will pass or forced them to sell the vehicles out of state. One problem with the 93-95s is the calibration for their engines' digital EGR has EGR enabled at 17-mph which doesn't work very well in an emissions test run at 15-mph. I had a problem back in the early-00s with my car flunking NOx no matter what I did, short of major engine work so, I had my calibration vendor at the time, do a new "chip" for the engine that turned on EGR at 14-mph rather than 17. Problem solved.

With the 90-92 cars, it's not so easy because they do not have EGR. The solution for them is not easy and would take up to much bandwidth here.

[mike100]

...

Want to know what areas of CA have to do which test?
See: http://www.bar.ca.gov/80_BARResources/02_SmogCheck/engineering/Program_Map.pdf

Thanks for the link. As you can see 1/2 of SDCo is not under the biannual check and I often think to buy a cabin in Ranchita or Pine Valley.:p

[Hib Halverson]

In theory that's a great idea and many people try it, however, be advised that the folks at CARB, BAR and DMV are hip to most of the strategies people use to avoid the smog check.

What gets attention is when the driver license and the registration address don't match.

Not to say that idea doesn't work but you have to be careful you don't get caught.

If you have a 93-95 it's probably less expensive to have someone like Marc Haibeck or one of the other aftermarket cal guys who really know their stuff to do you a new cal which turns on EGR at 14-mph.

if you have a problematic 90-92 which flunks NOx, you've got a tough challenge to which I do not have a useful answer, or at least...the answer would be way way long. It's probably been the subject of other threads.

[mike100]

In theory that's a great idea and many people try it, however, be advised that the folks at CARB, BAR and DMV are hip to most of the strategies people use to avoid the smog check.

What gets attention is when the driver license and the registration address don't match.

Not to say that idea doesn't work but you have to be careful you don't get caught.

If you have a 93-95 it's probably less expensive to have someone like Marc Haibeck or one of the other aftermarket cal guys who really know their stuff to do you a new cal which turns on EGR at 14-mph.

if you have a problematic 90-92 which flunks NOx, you've got a tough challenge to which I do not have a useful answer, or at least...the answer would be way way long. It's probably been the subject of other threads.

my 91 is making NOx pretty clean still, but ideas I have had include the lower thermostat with a degree less ign timing at low loads, along with raising the gear ratio numerically to reduce the load on the engine/raise the rpm during the 15mph portion. The last smog sheet I saw from somebody with an older car did at least seem to have the same limits as a few months back. I'm hoping they aren't going to lower them any further as a very high percentage of cars will be in trouble.

[mike100]

Not sure I wouldn't mind changing my d/l address- it's only 30-40 miles away. It might be cheaper to buy a Viper and leave it stock. Easier to pass with the newer cars with the new test protocol.

[93RubyZ]

AZ does not require emissions testing if you have collector car insurance! :cheers:

[GipperND]

I have to do my first CA emissions testing in the next two weeks. Is there a consensus on whether it's better to test with the car in full power or not?

[mike100]

I have to do my first CA emissions testing in the next two weeks. Is there a consensus on whether it's better to test with the car in full power or not?

They won't ever reach a throttle position high enough to tip into the secondaries anyhow. Mine passes with it in either position.

[GipperND]

They won't ever reach a throttle position high enough to tip into the secondaries anyhow. Mine passes with it in either position.

Thanks for the response. My '98 Corolla barely passed last time so I'm a little nervous about the ZR-1. Fingers crossed.

[gbmidyear66]

The bad news....we have full emissions test here... gas cap, idle test and dyno test.

The good news.... with new injectors, plugs and no vacuum leaks - the Z passed with flying colours, AND they are eliminating vehicle tests here end 2014 (very few cars are failing) and will focus on heavy industrial vehicles only

[USAFPILOT]

What happens in TX if you drive to an area they dont do the sniff test? Do you need proof you live out there?

[mike100]

The last time my car smogged real clean was 10 years ago, but after replacing the O2 sensors, the NOx really came down this time and it runs clean again. The fuel mixture band for the formation of the fewest oxides of nitrogen is so narrow and it does require accurate 02 readings. I was surprised that the sensors foul with age more than mileage (20-30k miles on the somewhat more dirty tests).

[Fully Vetted]

What happens in TX if you drive to an area they dont do the sniff test? Do you need proof you live out there?

The county the car is registered in determines the testing procedure. So, to answer your question..yes. To go to a nontesting county the car has to be registered there.