California Emissions Inspection

Well the 'ole 82 Cougar failed. My own fault too. I treated it like a new car and took it in to be inspected without the standard tune-up and oil change.

The hydrocarbons (HC) at idle were 42 ppm high. Conversely the HC at 2500 rpm was about 50% of allowed. The CO was low at both idle and 2500 rpm.

I'll reschedule and I'm confident it will pass now. Remember the rules. Clean and regap the plugs, change the oil, adjust carb and timing, inspect and repair any vacuum lines that may have cracked or broke too. THEN TEST.:banghead3:

$42.75 lesson.

 

...a lil Methyl hydrate dont hurt none either...1 quart in half a tank
i feel your pain Tbird....we have the exact same ****e up here:banghead3:

 

If only I could blame someone else.....

Retested today. HC parts per million reduced by 77%. Keep 'em tuned folks.

 

How old does a car have to be until it gets exemption? Or does that ever happen? Could you just run it really lean to get it to pass?

 

From what the DMV told me all vehicles 1975 and older are exempt. All vehicles 1976 and newer are never exempt. This law went in to effect April 1st, 2004. Typical Ca. that would enact a new law on April Fools Day. There are some people here (at work) that refer to California as the PRC (peoples republic of California). I am very much in favor of clean running cars so I really can't complain much and my Cougar is about 98% dirtier running than my 92 Ranger and an 06 Ford anything is about 90% cleaner than the my Ranger.

The old law prior to then was all vehicles 30 years or older are exempt.

Any how, I did a tune up, adjusted plug gaps and cleaned the plugs, adjusted the idle mixture on the carb and re-timed to pass. It still runs a tad rich but I think the carb. float is a little high causing a bit of overflow. Also the valve seals are leaking a bit so start ups are kind of smokey.

 

The exemption law in Cali is different than other states. Oregon, for example, allows cars older than 25 years old to be exempt.

And, geeze, $42? If you fail in Oregon, they don't charge you.

 

California is for Commies.

 

In Oregon, they go by county, too. Some counties require smog testing, most don't.

I agree with the commies comment, too. >_<

 

man i,m lucky,,,i think 26 years and older are excempt and that goes up each year so my 79 ,80 , 81 never need it again and my 84 olds wagon has a couple more years to go before it,s exempt,,,and you only have to go every other year,,unless you have a friend or relative in another county where you dont have to get smogged

 

Oh yea I forgot. On January 1st 2008 in California an additional requirement is added. If the vehicle emits any smoke during the test it's an automatic fail.

I hope they don't count the initial start up as there are many new cars that will emit smoke on start up.

 

dude whats next in the communist republic of california,,,,mandatory beano consuption to control the emissions of methane flatuations,,,dietary restrictions,,permits to pass gas????Lord have mercy

 

That's funny, as Cali keeps pumping BS "Cali is cow friendly" ads all over our TV here in Oregon. Cows tend to produce a lot of methane, and humans, relativly little amounts, comparativly.

So, they would have to give the cows beano. Bye bye "Cows like Cali" ads.

 

thats been the rule up here for the last couple of years ...i know many tricks around that too

 

We do have happy cows.....

What's next? Well California is still paying $1,000 to send our beloved old cars to the crusher. The rules are: 1. Must have failed the emissions inspection, 2. Must still be running, 3. Must be drivable to the salvage yard of California's choice.

Over the last 15 years or so there's been legislation that luckily has not passed to make those emission exempt cars be brought up to todays standard.

The state makes it very difficult to modernize as well. For example if I were to change the engine in my car it must be exactly the same as the one removed or changed to one that was available for that model and year. And if it's not the exact same then still it must be approved by the state referee. This is of course AFTER all the work and money is spent. Of course there is always the chance that it won't be approved. If I were to swap in a drive train from a later model again it must be approved after the work is done. Additionally in my case if I were to install a engine etc. from say a 2005 Mustang then the dash must display the "check engine" light and full functioning computer system, wiring, oxygen sensors fuel injection etc. and then the car will have to maintain the emission standards for the model year 2005 vice 1982. It's all quite complicated. We cannot just improve the emissions. We must go all the way to the new standard.

Interestingly we can do whatever we want to vehicles 1975 and earlier so long as the federal standard is maintained.....but nobody checks.