Just Failed CA Smog. Now what?

[glkuntz]

I thought it might be informative to show what has changed over time in Ca for those of us who have to deal with it.

My car is a 1990 Ca delivered car that I have owned since 1995. It has always passed the smog test, albeit, marginally sometimes. It has always been entered as a California spec car and with just Corvette as the model.

Below are the results from 2008 and 2010. Sometime between these two tests the limits were reduced by about 1/3 as you can see from the max allowable columns.

2008


2010


Additionally for 2010 the test required that the 25 MPH test be done in second gear, causing the car to essentially lug along at very low RPM. This does not represent real world driving and, while I'm not an engineer, it would seem this could contribute to the poor readings. My car, as a 1990, has no EGR valve, so trying to obtain the required results is difficult at best.

In the near future I will go to a smog station and see if they can do the test using the "Federal" as the certification, along with "Corvette ZR1" as the model designation, and if so does it makes any difference. I really hope so as it would make life a lot easier.

Stay tuned.

Gary

[phrogs]

Move out of California.

[glkuntz]

Originally Posted by phrogs

Move out of California.

Let's see, today is sunny and 71 degrees as I take the Z on a drive to lunch, Mi is 15 and cloudy.

I'll deal with the bureaucracy.

Gary

[mike100]

So I looked up my 2011 smog paperwork from when title transferred and it was tested properly as a ZR-1 submodel. The limits are exactly the same as the 2015 sheet posted earlier in this thread so curious that our cars caught a break on the ever lowering NOx standards. So we only need to get it under 700 ppm NOx and it's good.

[glkuntz]

Originally Posted by mike100

So I looked up my 2011 smog paperwork from when title transferred and it was tested properly as a ZR-1 submodel. The limits are exactly the same as the 2015 sheet posted earlier in this thread so curious that our cars caught a break on the ever lowering NOx standards. So we only need to get it under 700 ppm NOx and it's good.

Wow, that is really good news. Until this thread started I never really thought about how the model was listed. Just let the smog guys do it.

It will be interesting to see what happens when I take the car for a smog and ask them to enter it as a zr1.

Thanks for your feedback.

Gary

[mike100]

I would be curious to know what the limits before 2011 were because that is about the time the hammer dropped on the standards to squeeze out older cars. I've only had this car 4 years.

[Okiedoke]

Originally Posted by tf95ZR1

Congrats, Okiedoke!
I know how great it feels to finally pass.
Plus, hopefully now your Z will run even better
with new O2 sensors, etc.
And you don't have to pucker up for another 2 years!
Ted

Thanks! I hope so this time! It was only 1 year since I bought the Z when they sent me the smog check notification...

Originally Posted by tf95ZR1

PS And yes, I have old smog test sheets from years ago
for the exact same car (my Z) that prove the limits for
all parameters have been LOWERED. Same car, harder
to pass. Welcome to California!

Yeah. I believe they lower them every 2 years. Although I heard that the DMV gives out a limited number of 5 year smog check exemptions at the beginning of each year. I've yet to look into this...

[Okiedoke]

Originally Posted by glkuntz

Below are the results from 2008 and 2010. Sometime between these two tests the limits were reduced by about 1/3 as you can see from the max allowable columns.

2008


2010

The table isn't showing up for me. I just see the two years.

[Okiedoke]

Originally Posted by glkuntz

By there do you mean the Blackhawk Cars and Coffee? If so I plan on being there. I usually arrive by 7 in order to get a spot in the upper lot.

Gary

I might be able to make it too. I've never been to that plaza. Will it be obvious where the "upper lot" is?

[mike100]

Originally Posted by Okiedoke

Yeah. I believe they lower them every 2 years....

It has held steady for a few years. They only lowered the limits in 2011 I understand. I think they were well above the allowed limits to what cars was originally certified to, but they had a margin. That margin is gone now, that's all.

If you take the exemptions, after a couple of test cycles they expect you to crush your car. The gov't isn't your friend in these matters.