urgg... i failed smog! :( :( :( pls advise.

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
I thought i would pass for sure (4 cylinder 7 year old Toyota engine, it can't go wrong)

but I did.

after I failed, I brought my car to my friend's place for diagnostic, and it appears that my Catalytic Convertor is gone, and so MAYbe my O2 sensor too. ouch, those things cost 150 bucks a piece with labor (well, the cat maybe cheaper, but still, I will be 300 bucks short at least either way)


anyway, can I go back for a retest? what if I failed? As the Smog-check guy and my mechanic friend said, I only failed the "under 15mph" NOx test by a small margin (490, as to the passing score of 450). Does it worth the re-try? what happen if I failed the second time?

FYI: I am in California. and the engine is Toyota's inline 4, 1.8L 7AFE. found in 1993-1997 corollas and celica ST and Geo Prizms.
 

boyRacer

Lifer
Oct 1, 2001
18,569
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0
If you fail again your car will be permanently labeled as a gross polluter! :D

Actually i think that's what they do... anyway are you sure your car already hot and running up when it was tested?
 

T3C

Diamond Member
Jun 3, 2003
5,324
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huh? im confused.. in california you have to smog test your car?!?!
 

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
32,999
44
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danny.tangtam.com
get the O2 sensor replaced. you can do that work yourself if you want or know how to. That may just be enough to get your over that hump.

BTW how you doing?
 

Jzero

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
18,834
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Aren't emissions system componenets warranteed for 10 years by federal mandate?
 

Jugernot

Diamond Member
Oct 12, 1999
6,889
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There is some stuff you can buy at Pepboys, Kragen, Autozone, etc. that is called guarenteed pass or something. You put it in your gas tank and drive around a bit. Then go get your car tested (using the same tank of gas). If you don't pass, they pay for the test or something like that...

Jugs
 

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
well, it was a hot hot hot summer day, but on that day I just drove my car off the parking lot and to the Smog check station which is only 2 minutes away (or 1/4 mile away). so my engine MAY not be at normal temp.


and I thought running it cold would actually increase the chance of passing......
 

Adul

Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
32,999
44
91
danny.tangtam.com
Originally posted by: andylawcc
well, it was a hot hot hot summer day, but on that day I just drove my car off the parking lot and to the Smog check station which is only 2 minutes away (or 1/4 mile away). so my engine MAY not be at normal temp.


and I thought running it cold would actually increase the chance of passing......


Well having your cat cold will lesson your chance. Your best chances are with a warmed up engine and cat.


 

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
hey, whatsup Adul, how you been? it must be hella hot huh? it's been grueling here in LA. (but I am sure it is no where near your's)

I got a part time job now (yeh!) and no more car accident ever since. (well other than that time when I ran over a grandma.... oh wait, that was GTA3).
 

andylawcc

Lifer
Mar 9, 2000
18,183
3
81
so if I failed again I would be labeled as Gross Pollutor... other than sounding really dumb what does that mean?
 

WinkOsmosis

Banned
Sep 18, 2002
13,990
1
0
Originally posted by: andylawcc
so if I failed again I would be labeled as Gross Pollutor... other than sounding really dumb what does that mean?

10 years in federal pound me in the ass prison is the standard penalty for being a gross pollutor.
 

Toasthead

Diamond Member
Aug 27, 2001
6,621
0
0
Originally posted by: cybpnk
huh? im confused.. in california you have to smog test your car?!?!

are you kidding? California has some of the most strict emissions regulations in the counrty
 

Vic

Elite Member
Jun 12, 2001
50,422
14,336
136
Originally posted by: andylawcc
well, it was a hot hot hot summer day, but on that day I just drove my car off the parking lot and to the Smog check station which is only 2 minutes away (or 1/4 mile away). so my engine MAY not be at normal temp.


and I thought running it cold would actually increase the chance of passing......
Actually, you want the car to be very well warmed-up before doing a smog test. The best is a nice long run (30 mins or so) down the freeway -- get everything nice and hot. The catalytic converter is nearly ineffective until it gets hot, and most cars will pollute more in the first few minutes after cold start than they will for the rest of the day.

Originally posted by: andylawcc
so if I failed again I would be labeled as Gross Pollutor... other than sounding really dumb what does that mean?
Uhh... that does sound stupid. In the areas of Oregon and Washington state that do emissions testing, you're allowed to try to pass as many times as necessary (and at no charge as long as you keep failing). They just won't give you your new tags.

edit: ah, from the post below it makes sense. Essentially the same thing up here just without the "gross pollutor" label. If your car doesn't smog, you can't get your tags and license renewed. If you don't get your tags and license renewed (and smog tests are always at or near renewal time), you can't drive it. Same thing essentially.
 

boyRacer

Lifer
Oct 1, 2001
18,569
0
0
Originally posted by: WinkOsmosis
Originally posted by: andylawcc
so if I failed again I would be labeled as Gross Pollutor... other than sounding really dumb what does that mean?

10 years in federal pound me in the ass prison is the standard penalty for being a gross pollutor.

LOL... basically you can't drive it and some other things you have to do...

DMV info here and here. Some more info here

From AAA:

What is a gross polluter?
Vehicles that fail by a wide margin are considered "gross polluters." (10 percent of vehicles produce about half the auto-related emissions ? or 12 percent of emissions from all sources.) A gross polluter can be any age or type of vehicle that has been tampered with, poorly maintained or in need of repair. It is illegal to drive or sell a gross polluting vehicle in California, and it cannot be registered with the DMV.

There is no cost limit on repairs to these vehicles. If they are repaired to below gross polluter threshold, they are eligible for a one-time waiver or "economic hardship extension." After the waiver period, the car must be brought in to compliance or disposed of in a proper manner. Gross-polluting vehicles are not subject to confiscation by the state.
 

boyRacer

Lifer
Oct 1, 2001
18,569
0
0
I don't think you're in too much trouble since if you do fail it won't be by a wide margin... just do what other say and drive it on the freeway for awhile. My friend who used to work at a smog test center... and unfortunately doesn't anymore ;)... just told people who were failing to drive their car for 15 mins or so and come back and they'll most likely pass and they won't have to pay for a second test. :D
 

desertdweller

Senior member
Jan 6, 2001
588
0
0
Originally posted by: andylawcc
well, it was a hot hot hot summer day, but on that day I just drove my car off the parking lot and to the Smog check station which is only 2 minutes away (or 1/4 mile away). so my engine MAY not be at normal temp.


and I thought running it cold would actually increase the chance of passing......


You need to drive it for at least 10 minutes. The cat has to be hot to work, and besides that,
the emissions system doesn't do anything for the first two minutes the engine is running.

Blast it down the freeway, get it good and hot and then take it to get tested.

I wouldn't even replace the O2 sensor unless it fails again, since it most likely failed just
because it was cold.



DD
 

DurocShark

Lifer
Apr 18, 2001
15,708
5
56
Autozone: Buy the O2 sensor (around $35-65) and rent the tool to install it for free (leave a deposit).

Find a cheap mechanic to install a new cat.

You're done. Probably around $250 total, but such is the "Living in California" tax. :(