Smog Test Coming Up in November

[PandaBear]

To be honest, I fail to see how smog test is that big of a deal unless you intentionally modify your car for some silly reason (take out the CAT). They have a very big tolerance that unless you have something went bad on your car (which you should fix anyways), you will pass.

I blame the problem on people running with a bad O2 sensor, gutting their cat for rice out, backyard turbo that wasn't tuned, never changing their spark plugs, etc for giving the rest of the people problem. It is not hard to pass, they are not out to get you unless you intentionally do something.

and PM2.5 is bad but they are mostly a coal fire power plant problem. Don't believe me? look at the air quality in Beijing.

 

[wrcsixeight]

I have a Ca smog test coming up in a few months that I am concerned about, as they keep lowering the admissible pollutants.

I make sure my vehicle is running properly, but short trip driving seems to really make it more difficult to achieve good numbers.

The best test report I got was when I got it tested the day after driving across country in three days. The tech thought his equipment had failed as I was at ~ 1/15 the allowable on CO/NO/HC.

More recent tests have me at 2/3 the allowable CO/NO, and closer to the limit on the HC, and I will not be dropping m1 0w-40 with ~1500 miles on it to help the HC number.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
I have a Ca smog test coming up in a few months that I am concerned about, as they keep lowering the admissible pollutants.

I make sure my vehicle is running properly, but short trip driving seems to really make it more difficult to achieve good numbers.

The best test report I got was when I got it tested the day after driving across country in three days. The tech thought his equipment had failed as I was at ~ 1/15 the allowable on CO/NO/HC.

More recent tests have me at 2/3 the allowable CO/NO, and closer to the limit on the HC, and I will not be dropping m1 0w-40 with ~1500 miles on it to help the HC number.


If that's the case just go for a few hundred mile trip and then do the test. It's certainly cheaper than changing parts.

I also don't get all the fear around smog tests. My cars are very well maintained, I never had problems with CELs and emission controls and I always take the car on a nice highway run before the test, since I have to do it in winter. Never had a problem.

 

[Kiwi_ME]

Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
... they keep lowering the admissible pollutants.

How can they do that when the vehicle was designed to meet the current requirements at the time of manufacture?

 

[Tegger]

Originally Posted By: Kiwi_ME
Originally Posted By: wrcsixeight
... they keep lowering the admissible pollutants.

How can they do that when the vehicle was designed to meet the current requirements at the time of manufacture?

Allowable STATE levels are much higher than the mandated FEDERAL levels to which the engine was originally built. In the US (and Canada) emissions testing is a state matter, and every place is a bit different, with some having no test at all.

The various states that have emissions testing universally set the allowable limits according to a correction factor that is supposed to account for age and wear, which increase emissions. Then they play with the factor from time to time, usually lowering the limits.

Another thing they can play with is the weight class to which the vehicle belongs, which may or may not actually match the curb weight of the car. To punish a car, they will move it to the next-higher weight class. To reward a car, they will drop it to the next-lower weight class. Lower weight is allowed higher emissions.

 

[Cristobal]

I was at Walmart and saw some lacquer thinner in about a 1 gallon tin. Some people put that in their gas tank. Is their any truth in it helping the CAT & will it cause damage?

I figure that changing the plugs and oil before the test will help. I have some Guaranteed To Pass in my stash. If I have to replace the CAT there is a place in El Monte that will install a California approved CAT for about $250.00 or $300.00 including the new after-market CAT.

That is about a tenth the price that the local stealership will charge.

 

[Californiabob]

Hi

new here but I had similar problem. In 2011 my car was 72 on the HC with the limit at 54. I used a can of CRC and passed right at the limit.

In September last year I decided to go all out and use fuel system cleaners to try to pass. I used MMO, Kreen, Chevron cleaner and the Techron product, seafoam and Redline with each tank and changed oil with MMO, seafoam and kreen.

Last month I passed smog with a 14. this is way below the 54 limit.

I'm a firm believer in fuel system cleaners!

BTW my car is a 99 Infiniti G20 with 195K miles.

as far as the other stuff goes, if you don't throw a code then chances are your catalytic converter and both up and downstream O2 sensors are good.

 

[Vikas]

Quote:
In September last year I decided to go all out and use fuel system cleaners to try to pass. I used MMO, Kreen, Chevron cleaner and the Techron product, seafoam and Redline with each tank and changed oil with MMO, seafoam and kreen.
By God, something did fix your car but we will never know what did fix it!!!

 

[Californiabob]

You're right - I'll never know which 1) got it below max, 2) which was more effective, 3) when I should have stopped.

Here's my rationalization. All 6 or 7 cost about $6 each. That's less than one tank full of gas or a second smog test at another station for a second opintion.

I do recall that redline gave me better gas mileage during its run. Right after the smog test with plain gasoline, I got 4 MPG over normal.

LIke getting your teeth cleaned...

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Californiabob
You're right - I'll never know which 1) got it below max, 2) which was more effective, 3) when I should have stopped.

Here's my rationalization. All 6 or 7 cost about $6 each. That's less than one tank full of gas or a second smog test at another station for a second opintion.

I do recall that redline gave me better gas mileage during its run. Right after the smog test with plain gasoline, I got 4 MPG over normal.

LIke getting your teeth cleaned...


Likely something was fouled or gummed up. You cleaned it and it ran well again. The question is whether it will come back and what is the reason that it is gumming up or fouled in the first place.

 

[Californiabob]

You're right about being gummed up. I watched (every 2 years) the HC climb up over time (195K miles worth) so it's part of the gasoline (Varnish? or other "contaminant") and builds up on the injectors. and it takes several such fuel system cleaners to clean it up. and it will build up again.

I don't think this car has another 195K miles in it.

like 20K miles per dog year...

 

[Cristobal]

I do not think that CATS are supposed to last 18 years but I will check.

 

[HTSS_TR]

The CAT's on my 1994 LS400 with more than 300k miles are original along with all pipes. Of all the exhaust components, I only changed the pre-cat O2 sensors with Bosch once about 4-5 years ago. I used Redline SI-1 few times, after Redline I used Techron every other year before smog test.

 

[eljefino]

Is anyone else amused that it's March and we're worrying about a November smog inspection? You can go to the dentist twice between now and then, how about worrying about that?

 

[PandaBear]

Originally Posted By: Cristobal
I do not think that CATS are supposed to last 18 years but I will check.


Mine does and is still working fine, pass smog with no problem.

1993 Escort 1.9L, 1995 Corolla 1.6L

 

[ARB1977]

Originally Posted By: Cristobal


Not for long. One of things EPA wants to set up is PM 2.5 AND smog checks for ALL of the US to help "clean" the air...

Since it does not require anyone to pass the law but the EPA expect it to happen unless the EPA gets threatened with getting their budget nailed...

I've sat through all the tricks to help clean our air (and still going on) its amazing to see how they play.


I believe it. I lived in CA before moving to Texas and my truck is a California spec model. It's been 7 years since my last smog.