YACT: Emissions test coming up. What can make my car fail?

[FrustratedUser]

Car:

1997 Olds Regency (Eighty Eight)
3800 Series II GM V6
122500 miles
Runs great, does not burn/leak oil.
Great mileage.

So what can go wrong? This is the first time.

Edwift fory bad spellingr.

 

[boyRacer]

Cold engine. Make sure its warm and toasty...

 

[FrustratedUser]

mmmmkkkk,

anything else?

 

[toph99]

i'll be VERY surprised if it doesn't pass. My friends 88 buick with the 3.8, gutted cat, clogged throttle body, dirty MAF and in need of a tuneup just BARELY failed the e test this year. Don't worry

 

[FrustratedUser]

Are the tests that rudimental?

No blue smoke = good to go! :Q

 

[CraigRT]

lots of short drives.. make sure you take it out and drive it for a good 20 mins or more... @ times hard.. put your foot to the floor a few times and clean out the CAT!!!!

 

[FrustratedUser]

OK thanks!

:beer::Q

 

[Heisenberg]

With the OBDII cars anything serious enough to fail an emissions test would most likely throw a code and cause the check engine light to come on. As long as there aren't any lights and the exhaust doesn't smell or have any colored smoke in it, I'd say you're good to go.

 

[TechnoKid]

Put a pancake on the CAT's head too.........












j/k. But seriously, just make sure the car is warmed up enough, and the ignition is in good condition.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Sounds OK then.

 

[Thegonagle]

If you're getting good mileage, and the check engine light isn't lit, you're almost certainly good to go. As others have already suggested, do make sure it's fully warmed up. That ensures that the computer is running your engine in closed loop mode, and it's doing its thing to run the engine properly, with low emissions.

 

[boyRacer]

My friend used to work at a smog test station... and he told me that most of the cars that fail... he just told the owner to go drive it around for like 15 minutes then come back and he wont charge them for a second test... and they do pass second time around.

 

[zoiks]

just dont fart too much..might make the machines go haywire.

 

[TechnoKid]

Originally posted by: zoiks
just dont fart too much..might make the machines go haywire.

lol

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: zoiks
just dont fart too much..might make the machines go haywire.

Hahaha

 

[Zee]

Originally posted by: boyRacer
My friend used to work at a smog test station... and he told me that most of the cars that fail... he just told the owner to go drive it around for like 15 minutes then come back and he wont charge them for a second test... and they do pass second time around.

That makes no sense. You have to wait at least a couple of hours before you are allowed to take the test again.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: Zeero

Originally posted by: boyRacer
My friend used to work at a smog test station... and he told me that most of the cars that fail... he just told the owner to go drive it around for like 15 minutes then come back and he wont charge them for a second test... and they do pass second time around.

That makes no sense. You have to wait at least a couple of hours before you are allowed to take the test again.

And you're sure the rules in Cali are exactly the same as in NY?

 

[FrustratedUser]

Just passed emissions yesterday.
What a joke! The guy didn't even measure anything. He just hooked up to the ODB II (or whatever it's called) to check for codes.
LOL!