Post your experiences with Emissions laws in your state

[Ludachris]

I keep seeing smog discussions pop up here and there. It would be nice to build a thread where everyone who has had difficulty passing their state emissions test can post their experiences. Let's assume that all of your emissions equipment, if hooked up, was in good working order. We don't want to hear "my EGR valve was bad". That's a given. We're more interested in hearing what visual mods under your hood drew a red flag for your smog official, or what mods you have done that prevented you from passing the actual sniffer test (like cams, etc). If you haven't had a bad experience, and your car is heavily modded, let us know too (unless you know a buddy who passes your car - then we don't care).

This thread should serve two purposes:

1. To help those of us that want to know how far we can take our cars and still be able to pass the sniffer test, even if we can't necessarily pass the visual test in our state.

2. What visual mods prevented your car from being tested. We all know that CA has some of the most strict smog laws, and many shops will not even test your car if they see parts under your hood that do not look factory-installed.

Let's hear it guys. For those in Canada, post about Canadian emissions laws here:
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=165531

 

[pballernh]

Just thought I would add. New Hampshire as of right now has no emissions testing.


Edit: NH is strongly looking at OBDII fr 96+ cars....good thing I'm a 95

Edit: Yes, NH is switching to OBDII testing for 96+ cars in April. Here is a link

 

[Generation X]

We have obd2 testing here in NC where I live, and I passed with flying colors last thursday. I have no cat, and I run the HKS 264/272 cam combo. My cams usually throw a check engine light every once in awhile. I just used my logger to clear the check engine light right before I went, and had no problem what so ever. I even had it done at a Ford dealership.

 

[Nanan]

Some parts of Indiana require emissions others do not; Porter, Lake, and Marion countys do require testing. Testing is done every 2 years.

96+ OBD-II cars just do the standard computer test.

70-95 FWD/RWD cars will rollertest, lowered cars fail if they cannot fit.
AWD cars will roller test in Porter and Marion county, Lake does not have an awd dyno so they will just idle test.

All vehicles will be checked for exhaust componets; cat and muf, if they are missing you fail.
If you have visable exhaust ie dark black you will fail reguardless of passing above tests.
All vehicles must pass a DB test at tail pipe.
Aftermarket exhaust is passable if it functions properly.

If you cannot get the vehicle to pass then you have to get a waiver saying you spent $300 trying to get the vehicle to pass, the waver is good for 2 years.



My car passed the roller test with flying colors on all tests 2 years ago. I will see how it goes this june for round 2 of testing.

 

[4g63forlife]

In New Jersey it's fwd gets the rollers /probeand the awd ( the lucky ones ) get the idle snuffer /probe test. My car passed with a gutted cat at the time i bought it and i didn't even fail inspection, with the stock exhaust mind you. but i'm not looking forward to paying $80 for my friend's garage to print me out a sheet and sticker for the car. At my local DMV if you even have an aftermarket exhaust they fail you right there, and the local PD are starting to get on my case , pulled over several times but never given a ticket because of it , wonder what they're going to do when they hear the 110db B.O.V.

 

[g1underground]

In DC, mine passed emissions with a three inch cat-back and high flow cat but the inspector failed the car because the the pipe was too big. It varies with the person doing the inspection bias or lack of experience.

 

[Grimis]

Here in Central Pa, depending on what county you are in, Some dont have The testing yet, but are going to get them in late 2005/early 2006, Any ways, in most countys that have them, if 95 or older you have a Visual Test, and a Gas cap test, if 96 or newer, you have the OBD II test done, as well as a visual test.


More info for the State of Pa is here
Drive Clean Pa

 

[atc250r]

I just went through for the second time in Orange County, NY with a 3" Turbo back, no cat, no EGR, no Evap canister, a PTE GT32, and a 2G MAS on an aftermarket intake. No problem either time but so far we only get a "visual" check and OBD II cars get the scan tool hookup to make sure all the readiness tests are passed. I also went to the place that has the reputation for being easy to pass and I ALWAYS tip the guys there, even if it's my wife's totally legal 2000 Montero. No sniffer, no dyno in the 53 "upstate" counties but in the New York Metropolitan Area (Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island, Manhattan, Bronx, Westchester, and Rockland) they have all of the standard dyno/sniffer tests. Hopefully they won't be bringing it up here for a LOOONNNNGGGG time. I only got questioned about my exhaust once (Certified with a Magnaflow Oval). It was a State Trooper on Rte. 17 up by Middletown, NY who pulled me over for speeding. He told me the exhaust was "illegal" which was pure BS but I was polite and said I would take care of it ASAP. Bottom line he let me go.

John

 

[Sotarts]

I'm in Chicago, the actual city, not some suburb. That's Cook county.

I have a stock turbo, 510cc's, 255 lph high-pressure fuel pump, GM MAFT setup (one-day-fresh from an ECU reset, and low fuel trim runing at 118% at the time of emissions testing), 3" turbo-back with a 3" high-flow cat, no other fuel control besides the GM MAFT, stock fuel pressure, iridium spark plugs, valve cover vented to a catch can. I've had 1-2 gallons of 93 octane in the tank, added 3-4 gallons of 87 octane and 3-4 small bottles of HEET (the "fuel antifreeze", the stuff is pretty much mostly alcohol). Drove the car enough to really warm it up, drove it not pushing it to the testing station. 134,000 miles on the clock. Drove for a week or couple with a brand new 3" high-flow cat.

FWD/RWD cars they put on the rollers. AWD/4x4 cars do idle-only test. They NEVER check under the hood. They NEVER check under the car. They won't do the test if you're visibly leaking fluid of any type or your tailpipe is not sticking out well past the rear wheels. They don't usually tell you to get out of your AWD/4x4 car, since only idle test is required--just pull up to a certain point under the roof, but some stations' managers are stricter, in that case an employee will pull up the car.

(The guy screwed up and entered the transmission as AUTOMATIC though). I don't know if reading standards differ from manual transmission cars. Snowing outside, about 33 degrees.

This is how I did:

You must be logged in to view this image or video.

After the test I added a bottle of "Race octane booster" and filled up the rest of the tank with 93 octane. I went onto the highway afterwards--no knock, o2 was fine.

I am yet to hear of/see AWD roller testing in Illinois. OBDII cars failing the diagnostic test will no longer have a second chance testing after 12/31/2003.

It would definitely be harder to pass with a FWD turbo DSM, since they actually put the car on the rollers. Although the speed limit on the rollers is 50-55mph, many of idiots working there have no idea about these turbo cars--they will press the gas pedal too much (used to N/A testing) and then freak out (personal experience--the guy allowed me to sit in the passenger's seat in my RIP FWD Laser).

 

[The Avengence]

I agree. But they tried to put me on the rollers but couldn't find a spot to strap me down. So the guy calls the manager and he does the inspection himself. What an a$$ he was. I was waiting for them to pop the hood for the visual and sure 'nuff, they started pointing fingers at various parts. "Aw crap!", I thought. After the idle test, everything checks out. Manager comes in, looks over the numbers, they look perfect...then he takes out his PINK HIGHLIGHTER!

Guess what he failed me on? No aircan!

Pretty much the same here, they just did the sniffer test and the visual check, and at the time i had a silver uicp, greddy bov, dejon tool intake, and evo3 turbo. passed the sniffer with flying colors

 

[vertGST]

in Florida there is currently no emissions testing but there are talks that they might go back to it. all you do is pay $53 a year for them to mail you a new registration sticker. i kept the stock exhaust and cat just in case. oh and the talks came from a person i know that works for the state so it could be true.

 

[aphex412]

Good New for peolpe who live in Cin. Dayton area they are getting rid of E check at the end of the Year Sorry Cleveland area your going to have it for atleast another 2 years :thumbdown
heres the link i found E Check

 

[RamenPride]

I got mine done today and it passed, this was the second time. The first time they told me to shut off the car, and then it wouldn't start when they needed to move it forward Anyway, they told me to go to the Customer Service desk and they gave me an extension. I told them my battery must have died or something. I talk to the manager or whoever, and he turns out to be pretty cool; he told me he's working on an MR2 turbo and a Celica GTS All-Trac.

Anyway, fast forward to today. Gas cap test goes fine, then everyone gathers around to check out all the gauges and what not. The guy moves the car forward, grabs the OBD-II connector cable, crawls under the dash, comes back up with a puzzled look.... I'm assuming it's because he didn't know what to do with the Pocketlogger cable I had hooked up to the OBD-II port.... I wanted to go out and tell him to just disconnect it, but instead goes inside and talks to the same manager guy. He comes back out after a few minutes, moves the car forward and gives me my emissions inspection certificate

This is in MD BTW. No emissions testing in SE VA (at least not yet...)

 

[atc250r]

OBDII testing is easy to get by with if you have a logger to clear your CEL, if you have any.

If you clear the code you'll reset all the "readiness tests" back to incomplete. They MUST be complete in order to pass.

John

 

[JiveMasterT]

If you clear the code you'll reset all the "readiness tests" back to incomplete. They MUST be complete in order to pass.

John

weird. i have a bad o2 sensor and i went in there and i cleared the code before they did the test. when i got my car back i pulled out of the parking lot and the light came back on. but i passed.

 

[iiiwildfireiii]

They don't even issue inspection stickers in Tennessee.

I never even knew such a thing as emission tests existed before! . I hope they NEVER come here!

 

[ClevSilverEclip]

UPDATE -

Strangest thing -

I'm having the WORST luck with NOx on the Ohio E-Check.

My '92 N/T (2L DOHC) failed NOx earlier this year and finally squeaked by after I replaced the EGR and did a MCCC.

Now my TSi is failing NOx, too.

First time I took the TSi in was literally a day after I put the aftermarket high-flow cat back on her after bringing her home from her previous owner (who supplied me with both that cat as well as the factory cat). Failed by over 700 ppm - and both the tech and I decided that perhaps the cat just wasn't hot enough yet.

Drove her around for another 3 weeks and re-tested today. Still high by 600 ppm, and we now both think that I might need to bolt back the OEM cat - that perhaps the aftermarket didn't have enough catalyst baffles?



Looks like it's another month on temp. tags!

-A

/

 

[86MCSS]

So I just smogged my 92 TSI AWD today and it passed very easily here in CALIFORNIA

I have

-550s
-evo 16g
-front mount with hard piping
-after market blow off valve
-S-afc2
-FPR set at 35 psi at idle
-no EGR
-no charcoal canister and no vacuum lines from soleniods on firewall

I have a flanged resonator that was removed and had a NEW flanged CAT installed today. I have no EGR valve or charcoal canister. To get around not having the charcoal canister I hooked up the vacuum line to the intake at the correct port and just zip tied the other end under the battery to make it seem like it went to the charcoal canister [make sure to plug off the other end of the line so it does not cause a vacuum leak]. I also usually do not have all the vacuum lines going from the soleniods on the driverside firewall to the intake but for smogging reasons I hooked them back up and just T'd the vacuum line that usually goes to the EGR into one of the other lines that connect to the throttle body [since I do not have the EGR].



On a side note For those of you who have a faulty ISC motor and can not get your car to idle properly for the smog test I used a little trick to get it idle properly just for the smog test. My car usually idles high or fluctuates because my ISC motor is not properly working. So what I did was turn on my headlights and the A/C and it that my idle go down to 900 RPM


Also I asked the shop first if it they would overlook my front mount and blow off valve and they said that it does not affect smog that much if at all so they agreed to over look my font mount. If you are lucky you can also find a shop to do this for you. So with the new CAT and no EGR and hooking up some little visual things my car passed here in califoronia no problem.

Sorry for the poor structure im in a hurry!

 

[Eclipsed]

Mods in profile.

1998 GST spyder auto.

No cat.

Passed emissions in Chicago Heights, IL easily. OBD2 showed no CEL so it gave me a pass.

 

[sc2_ct]

Here's my CT experience in my 93 TSi.

My car is actually bone stock at the moment since I just got it and am doing all of the maintainance and taking care of all the little problems before I consider modding it.

The car had 114k on the clock at the time of testing and problems with the car at the time were:

- Worn spark plug tube seal in cyl #1 allowing small amounts of oil into the combustion c
chamber causing slight bogging and small amounts of smoke (minor)
- 1 sq. in. hole in exhaust flex section.
- Original catalytic converter (over 100k on it) that's slightly plugged.
- Cylinder head slightly gummed up and ticking lifters.

* I never do any repairs on a car before taking it to emissions, since I tailor the order of repairs according to the emissions test.

They did not have an AWD roller, so all they did was an idle test. Car passed with no problems.

 

[Keshav]

none in Washington, i've heard rumors that they're going to start because we have smog issues - but people don't want to think about it nevermind do anything about it.

the only things i have to worry about are a license plate on the front of my car and supposedly it's illegal to take off, or gut out your cat, but it's not like anybody ever checks for it.

Looks like it varies depending upon which county you live in. In Redmond, we have the full-meal-deal test center that you must use when you are required to test your car. Tests happen every 2 years after the car is 5 years old and also when transferring ownership between parties.

Now they just passed a bill to adopt Kalifornia's emission standards for new cars. Bastards.

 

[toojung2die]

Here in Nevada they have gone to OBD-II testing for '96 and newer cars. In addition to checking the CEL, this test includes checking the continuous and non-continuous readiness monitors. You are allowed to have up to two non-continuous readiness monitors not ready.

Last year I failed because of three non-continuous readiness monitors. I drove the car according to the Mitsubishi TSB that describes the exact procedures for setting these monitors and I could not get them to set. The NHTSA recognizes the Eclipse as a car that has trouble getting these monitors to set ready during normal driving. There is no exemption because of this problem in my state. You cannot get a sniffer test for OBD-II cars.

After two years and paying the Mitsubishi dealers more money than I care to think about so they can legally "cheat" the OBD-II smog test I finally have an acceptable resolution this problem. From now on I will get a readiness monitor waiver from the NV Emission Control Lab.

I got my registration renewal in the mail and made a smog test appointment with a new Mitsubishi dealer (the one I had been going to went out of business). I knew my Eclipse wouldn't pass smog because none of the non-continuous readiness monitors were set to completed. They quoted me $239.00 to drive the car with the MUT-II hooked up to set the monitors and perform a smog test. I showed them last years invoice for exactly half that amount. Too bad, they said that's what it costs this year. (Could it be Satan?) I paid it.

I went to NV-DMV on-line to register and while there I decided to check the emissions pages to see if there were any updates for the Eclipse. It is listed as a vehicle having difficulty setting some of the readiness monitors and to call the Emissions Control Lab. I called and spoke to a technician who was very interested in my story. He wanted to check my car so I made an appointment to bring it down. The next morning I showed him my records and smog test results from two Mitsu dealers. I showed him documents from NHTSA, AAA, and NV Emissions Lab listing my car and the readiness monitor problem. I also had the Mitsubishi TSB that describes the procedure required to set the monitors.

They hooked up their equipment and verified that the monitors I had just paid $$$ to have set were back to the not-ready state. They agreed that I had proved my point and from now on I no longer have to take my car to a dealer for smog testing. All I need to do is get a failing OBD-II test result and bring it to the Emission Control Lab. They'll hand me a waiver letter to submit with my registration. From now on I pay the same amount to pass smog as everyone else. This has been a long and expensive ordeal but persistence and good record keeping paid off. I hope those of you in other states with OBD-II smog testing can use this information to get a waiver if you need it too.

PS - I verified that back-up power is present to the ECU. The Emissions Lab had no problem with my after market mods even though NV has rules like CA.

 

[92Fwd4Me]

In Kenton County, Kentucky, I have to go to the place. They put a idle sensor on my hood and a probe in my tailpipe then rev it up....the machine processes it and if it doesn't stay within a green range for a certain amount of time yuo failt. Course....Kentucky was just involved in a big scandal about intentional failing of cars for profit and several testing facilities were shutdown over it.

If you fail: You first spend the $25 bones to ahve the initial test. If you fail (as I did) you then have to go and take a form to a garage with a list of items to check. You must spend at LEAST $300 dollars to attempt to bring your car to code. After that....you take the car back and spend another $25 for the retest. If you again fail (as I did) you then pay $50 more dollars for a one year waiver.


Rinse and repeat 12 months later.


Registering my car in MIchigan....Kentucky can kiss my a$$

 

[shwinp]

Las Vegas, Nevada - Exhaust Cut-outs will pass as long as it's closed during inspection. I personally only open it at the track - it's way too loud to drive on the streets.

 

[Slider925]

Pa has complete plug and play for OBD II and gas cap check and visual for all others. Not to bad but inspection sucks. No tinted windows, no neon, or other lighting changes.

 

[1LE]

NorthWest Ohio currently does not have the "standard" emissions/safety inspections that other areas do. However, they *do* setup checkpoints throughout the year. Cars are randomly pulled over and inspected right on the side of the road!

I've been waved past the checkpoints several times in my MR2. Never come across one while in my DSM. One of my friends was stopped at one a few years ago in his Galant VR4. His only comment was that the safety portion was pretty abusive, with them setting the parking brake, revving it up and dumping the clutch... Not sure what they were testing, but he was not happy about it.