I hate emissions testing...

[Zenmervolt]

Took the fun car (944 Turbo) out for the biennial emissions check and, shock of shocks it's running rich. I know it's running rich. It has to run rich or I'll blow a hole in a piston under boost. Of course, that doesn't matter.

That's all expected and I don't mind that part of it, but what sucks is they have a set of "Authorized Emissions Specialists" (means people on the list paid a bunch of money to the state in exchange for a piece of paper) and, if you spend at least $150 at one of these "specialists", you get a waiver which means your vehicle doesn't have to pass the testing. The "specialists" don't have any incentive to fix the problems (if any), they just want to get a quick $150. It's state-sponsored extortion.

Thankfully I can just pop off a small vacuum line and my car ought to pass the next time around (create a small vacuum "leak" to get extra air after the meter and lean out the mixture) then put things right again after the test is done. Still, I feel bad for the people who get stuck paying money into "specialists". Ah well, only one more inspection after this and then the car's exempt. 🙂

ZV

 

[shabby]

Your thinking its a bit flawed, every turbo car runs rich only when you hit boost, at idle/cruising it runs stoich(14.7:1afr). You actually have a problem somewhere since it runs rich, could be just an o2 sensor or a plethora of other small things.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: shabby
Your thinking its a bit flawed, every turbo car runs rich only when you hit boost, at idle/cruising it runs stoich(14.7:1afr). You actually have a problem somewhere since it runs rich, could be just an o2 sensor or a plethora of other small things.

Nope, mine's adjusted rich across the band intentionally. I try to run no leaner than 13.5:1 across the band regardless of boost. There's not enough extra adjustment available to enrich the mixture on boost safely if I want to run 15 PSI with a manual controller otherwise. You're assuming a car that has full electronic controls, not a car that's 22 years old and needs a safety margin over what the very limited computer can compensate for.

The ECU I'm running ignores the O2 sensor completely, it's not a possible fault.

The car has great compression, the injectors are freshly rebuilt, there are no vacuum leaks, and dyno testing shows her operating perfectly from a power standpoint. Emissions end up slightly sacrificed but, as they say, "them's the breaks".

ZV

 

[PlasmaBomb]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt
Nope, mine's adjusted rich across the band intentionally. I try to run no leaner than 13.5:1 across the band regardless of boost. There's not enough extra adjustment available to enrich the mixture on boost safely if I want to run 15 PSI with a manual controller otherwise. You're assuming a car that has full electronic controls, not a car that's 22 years old and needs a safety margin over what the very limited computer can compensate for.

The ECU I'm running ignores the O2 sensor completely, it's not a possible fault.

The car has great compression, the injectors are freshly rebuilt, there are no vacuum leaks, and dyno testing shows her operating perfectly from a power standpoint. Emissions end up slightly sacrificed but, as they say, "them's the breaks".

ZV

Sounds good.

 

[bruceb]

Depending on the state you live in, after a number of years you can
register the car as collectible or antique. In NJ when that happens,
you still get a Safety Inspection, but Emissions are no longer checked.
Just checked .. in Washington it is 30 years to be a collector car.

 

[amish]

this is why i'm happy that i live in indiana. i hope that we never get emissions testing.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

I miss rural Ohio. No inspections at all. And only about $35 to renew tags.

ZV

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

I miss rural Ohio. No inspections at all. And only about $35 to renew tags.

ZV

Yeah, but there are some scary cars driving around up there. Very scary.

 

[iamwiz82]

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

I miss rural Ohio. No inspections at all. And only about $35 to renew tags.

ZV

Yeah, but there are some scary cars driving around up there. Very scary.

No inspection of any kind in Michigan. Take a ride through the streets of Detroit to witness SCARY vehicles. 😛

 

[LTC8K6]

That's one reason why I am still driving the 1995 Taurus. Just an easy and cheap safety inspection to get past. 1996 and later require the expensive emissions test.

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

I miss rural Ohio. No inspections at all. And only about $35 to renew tags.

ZV

I enjoy the scary cars here in BFE Ohio! 😀

 

[Kadarin]

I live in California, where any performance part in front of the catalytic converter(s) must have a California Air Resources Board Executive Order number (CARB E.O.#) to be legal.

 

[IGBT]

..other then a revenue scam there's no point to re-registering a vehicle every year unless the title changes.

 

[mooseracing]

Originally posted by: iamwiz82

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb

Originally posted by: Zenmervolt

Originally posted by: Pacfanweb
Ah, love my state. Only OBDII cars get emissions inspections, and even then all the test is, is an OBDII scan. 95 and earlier cars are safety-only inspections.

I miss rural Ohio. No inspections at all. And only about $35 to renew tags.

ZV

Yeah, but there are some scary cars driving around up there. Very scary.

No inspection of any kind in Michigan. Take a ride through the streets of Detroit to witness SCARY vehicles. 😛

You mean scary people, theres a reason its called Murder City.

 

[exdeath]

Originally posted by: Kadarin
I live in California, where any performance part in front of the catalytic converter(s) must have a California Air Resources Board Executive Order number (CARB E.O.#) to be legal.

I don't see how people can live in a totalitarian country like Kalifornikzstan.

You you need a license for sex and a registration number to breath in public? Just wait, it's coming...

 

[MovingTarget]

It is great to live in AL. No testing at all. My car would never pass an emissions test unless I put in and arm/leg worth of repairs on the emissions control system. I do however keep the engine in proper tune and operation, so it runs great other than the emissions thing. It just seems like a scam to me.

 

[Kadarin]

Originally posted by: exdeath

Originally posted by: Kadarin
I live in California, where any performance part in front of the catalytic converter(s) must have a California Air Resources Board Executive Order number (CARB E.O.#) to be legal.

I don't see how people can live in a totalitarian country like Kalifornikzstan.

You you need a license for sex and a registration number to breath in public? Just wait, it's coming...

You have to get implanted with an RFID chip for sex...

 

[Colt45]

There's no inspection here, which is nice in some ways... I have basically no emissions stuffs on my car. Bad in other ways... like seeing a rusted out '75 impala running on 3 cylinders, and probably has no brakes.

 

[Iron Woode]

I like the way its done here in Ontario, Canada.

All 1988 and newer vehicles are tested and the pre-1988 ones are exempt.

Only the exhaust emissions are tested and you either pass or fail. If you modded your 1988 and up engine you can have it tested under "hotrod" status, which has more leeway.

 

[cardiac]

Originally posted by: amish
this is why i'm happy that i live in indiana. i hope that we never get emissions testing.

Uh, be glad you live in Avon, and not in Lake, Porter or the 2 southern counties that require an emissions check. I live up here in Porter county, and everything from 1976 -2009 has to be checked every other year....(Diesels and heavy trucks are exempt.)

 

[Thump553]

In my state (CT) you have to spend something like $600-800 before you get a waiver. I think there are limited circumstances when you can get a waiver if you prove you are broke and the required repairs would cost more than the $600-800, but that's pretty limited-you can't, for example, sell the car later without spending the $ on emissions.

My favorite gripe about our emissions system is that there was a minor scandal regarding some stickers being sold by employees of the big firm that was running the state owned testing facilities. A former governor (before he went off to federal prison for his own corruption) "solved" the problem by closing down the state testing facilities for about two years, then farming out the testing to independent garages (who also do the repairs). The idiot governor was under the illusion that a loose network of neighborhood garages would be less corrupt than the centralized system.

I guess the next choice will be to have used car salesmen issue the stickers.

 

[everman]

Why not cut out the middle-man and just send a check to the state for $150?

 

[Gillbot]

Originally posted by: everman
Why not cut out the middle-man and just send a check to the state for $150?

I don't know why they won't let you do multi year registrations and send them in direct. We all know it's just for the $ so i agree, cut out the middle man and hassle, let me send my check right to them and be done.