I was test only'ed, any help guys?

[tstkl]

So I have to smog my car by 10/22/06 and I was test only'ed, so if anyone knows of a good place that does test onlys, please let me know. The car will pass the sniffer easy, I'm only worried about the visual. PM me if you know something I should know.

 

[T9S1i]

you are awd, i thought you didnt have to go on the rollers...

Are test only the places that you have to go on rollers or am i mistaken? Can you go there and just not go on the rollers?

 

[Defiant]

The rollers are almost everywhere now, but that's not the deal with Test Only. Essentially, they're yet another State rip-off bullshit scheme. All it means is that if you don't pass smog, you have to go to a different shop to get it back to passing status. Sensible, no? No.
http://www.cssara.org/www/STARS/Smog-Test_Owners_Fuming.htm
http://smogtips.com/test_only.cfm
Find another shop who'll do a test for you before going to the Test Only center.
Oh, and chances are greatest that you were picked just at random. Nothing you did, no one "turned you in" nor any other paranoid reactions you'll normally have.

AWD is still exempt from roller-testing. At least, until they coerce the shops to spend another forty-grand on machines that'll test the 5% of AWD cars out here.

 

[T9S1i]

thanks for the info defiant! that cleared things up for me!

 

[T9S1i]

so guess what just came in the mail.....? My registration paper.... and guess where i have to smog my car?

You guessed it... test only station....

Hey what happened to the pix paul posted of my blown motor?


Damn, i wasnt looking forward to smog... but now i have to go to a test only spot...

 

[T9S1i]

ADD kicks in.....

Ok, so if i got my notice in the mail to smog and register by nov 11th then that means theoretically i could smog my car tomorrow, send the paperwork/money in and be all set right?
Im just trying to figure out if there is "too early" of a time for me to smog my car.....? Kind of a dumb question and it doesnt make sense, but im trying to check my bases. I dont want to s it too early and then its no good for when ihave to register my car... Hmmm but if they sent me the notice already, then they expect me to pay anytime between receiving the notice, and when the registration is due right? So smogging anytime in that window should be Ok right?
Sorry i havent had ANY car long enough to have to re-smog it after the initial smog check when i first purchased the car.


I blew my motor and the car is all apart and i think it would just be easiest for me to put it all back to stock since most of the parts are off anyways, then break the motor in, smog it then once its smogged and broken in, i'll put the mods on the new engine and be ready to rock and roll right? The car should be done by early october the latest and i would smog it around then.

Thanks for any help, i kind of answered my own question, but i want to make sure that im right.

 

[DROOPY209]

ADD kicks in.....

Ok, so if i got my notice in the mail to smog and register by nov 11th then that means theoretically i could smog my car tomorrow, send the paperwork/money in and be all set right?

Correct. As long as the DMV gets their money, registration is paid.

You wont get your sticker until you take in your PASSED smog certificate.

 

[Newlogics]

a quick note,
This may be a loophole in the system:
Max was due test-only last year, but his car was down, so he registered is as non-op. When DMV sent him renewal notice, it had a choice to either continue non-op status or get it on the road by passing a smog-check, except that it was no longer test-only.
Obviously parking your car for a year is not an option, but there may be a quicker way to exploit that loophole.

And as I said the post that go deleted ( ), all 1Gs are due for test-only by default now due to high failure rate, which in turn is due to most smog stations not testing EGR properly.

 

[T9S1i]

i think i'll just have you put it back to stock while its all apart anyways. it'll probably be easier for me to break in the motor properly knowing that im not making much power, then smog it, and free up all the power i need when its all broken in, smogged, and ready.

 

[tstkl]

Im sure if you non op your car you can go to the dmv and get a reregister sheet or something, and you don't have to wait a full year before your car is on the road again. I think I'll be fine though.

 

[2GeNTSi]

Wait...so I have to get it tested at certified "test only" stations? Like the one I had to go to for my ref? If so I'm screwed.

 

[Newlogics]

Wait...so I have to get it tested at certified "test only" stations? Like the one I had to go to for my ref? If so I'm screwed.

second gens aren't defaulted to test-only. You only get sent there if you were red-flagged somewhere else. It should say on your registration notice if you're due for test-only.

Also, test-only stations aren't the ones you go to for the ref. Test-only is a regular smog station that is prohibited from doing any repairs.

 

[T9S1i]

Test-only is a regular smog station that is prohibited from doing any repairs.

yeah so they dont try to F you in the A with hidden extra repairs taht you dont need...

 

[2GeNTSi]

second gens aren't defaulted to test-only. You only get sent there if you were red-flagged somewhere else. It should say on your registration notice if you're due for test-only.

Red-flagged as in caught at some other shop in the past? Because I've been to the ref before so I'm assuming that it is on my record.

 

[Newlogics]

Red-flagged as in caught at some other shop in the past? Because I've been to the ref before so I'm assuming that it is on my record.

I'm not sure how Ref fits into their 'red-flag' system, but generally, if you fail a smog check, a shop can do two things: They can simply not submit results and save you, or they can choose to submit failed results (along with any other comments about visal ispection failures) and that fill flag you.

 

[98eclipseRS]

Just like Paul said if you fail smog and the results are sent into the DMV then you get flagged. If you get pulled over for illeagal mods you get red flagged. Being red flagged gives the cops an automatic reason of probable cause to search your vehicle for illeagal mods later. You also have to go to a test only smog station to pass smog.

A test only is a station that does no repairs and from what I am heard are much more closely watched by the state than regular smog stations. Thus meaning they are much less inclined to let you off the hook for having a colored vacuum line or some other bullshit that has nothing to do with emissions.

Paul, are you sure 2g's are not test onlyed. My last two smog checks had to be done at a test only center, and almost everyone I talk to now with a 2g says that their registration said they had to go to a test only as well.

 

[Newlogics]

Paul, are you sure 2g's are not test onlyed. My last two smog checks had to be done at a test only center, and almost everyone I talk to now with a 2g says that their registration said they had to go to a test only as well.

Now that you mention it, for the past year, all 2G owners I've dealt with were test-only, so I guess 2Gs were deemed as "high failure percentage" as well. Luckily though, no test-only station I've hear of has figured out 6-bolt swap clues.

I actually have an appointment with state ref. on 18th, that should be fun. My car is already back to stock (as much as I could do it). On the bright note, they do smog check as well, so I won't have to smog it again, and all for $40. What a deal

 

[Defiant]

Just like Paul said if you fail smog and the results are sent into the DMV then you get flagged. If you get pulled over for illeagal mods you get red flagged. Being red flagged gives the cops an automatic reason of probable cause to search your vehicle for illeagal mods later. You also have to go to a test only smog station to pass smog.

Test Only is also assigned at random. While shopping last July for a J30, six of ten I was looking at were TO. For no reason other than type.

A test only is a station that does no repairs and from what I am heard are much more closely watched by the state than regular smog stations. Thus meaning they are much less inclined to let you off the hook for having a colored vacuum line or some other bullshit that has nothing to do with emissions.

I've never heard of colored vacuum line being an illegal modification, but it is BS that things like Injen intake pipes that are CARB approved for Eclipses aren't for Talons.

Paul, are you sure 2g's are not test onlyed.

Mine wasn't, due this month.

 

[2GeNTSi]

Hopefully I can get away with my black piping. I'm just gonna have to replace the downpipe, bov, and utilize the bcs so that I don't have any missing vacuum lines.

 

[cb3016]

smog shop off of stevenson blvd 880 in the bay called S.O.S. the guy there is really cool, passed me no problem.

 

[drivemusicnow]

... sucks to live in Calicommunistfornia.

 

[tstkl]

guess what? I found a place and am going their this week. I was going to do it the week after the 9th of september, which was when we had a meet set up for, but... stuff happened... and my car is finally back in one...ish peice as of today. It still needs a new fan, radiator, lower radiator support beam, two dents removed, the spoiler put back on, and the side skirt put back on as well, but she'll run. Once I swap the old exhaust back on, its time to take her to the smog shop. Pray I pass, its due the 22nd of this month, so this is kinda a one shot wonder kinda deal. A replacement radiator and radiator fan are on their way, and if all the moons align for me, I'll be heading down wednesday to get it smogged. PLEASE GOD, LET THIS GO RIGHT....

 

[98eclipseRS]

guess what? I found a place and am going their this week. I was going to do it the week after the 9th of september, which was when we had a meet set up for, but... stuff happened... and my car is finally back in one...ish peice as of today. It still needs a new fan, radiator, lower radiator support beam, two dents removed, the spoiler put back on, and the side skirt put back on as well, but she'll run. Once I swap the old exhaust back on, its time to take her to the smog shop. Pray I pass, its due the 22nd of this month, so this is kinda a one shot wonder kinda deal. A replacement radiator and radiator fan are on their way, and if all the moons align for me, I'll be heading down wednesday to get it smogged. PLEASE GOD, LET THIS GO RIGHT....

If anything pay the fees so that they are not late, and you will then get a notice of incomplete registration. Then you have longer to get smogged.

 

[Defiant]

^ ^ ^ -- The State just wants money. Pay the registration, show the proof of insurance, and get the process started. You'll get what's called a "RIP" line on the return, which means, "Registration In Progress", and the cop will have to go on to the next thing to write up. But at least he can't impound the car.
If you're almost out of time, I'd recommend driving up to Walnut Creek and using the drop-box at the office. I'm not a big fan of the mail for DMV work.

 

[AWDGSX415]

I'm not a big fan of the mail for DMV work.

Word...