| Author | Message | ||
| Verell Boaen (Verell)
Member Username: Verell Post Number: 469 Registered: 5-2001 |
MA requires a safety every year, & also a dyno emissions test every other year. Luckily cars built before 1984 like my '82 full Euro QV are exempted from the dyno test. I just take my car to a local Chevvy dealer for inspection. His guys take great care of the car. I watched, it's the full kid gloves treatment. He taps one of his master techs for the Ferrari, not the kid that changes tires & oil. He gives me a hard time about lost productivity as most of the mechanics manage to stroll around the car while the inspection is underway. Of course, the service mgr always has to remind me that MA requires a front license plate, so I dig it out from under the seat & tie-wrap it onto the grille until I'm around the corner. Next time I'm going to glue a couple of velcro patches to the underside of a couple of the grille louvers.... | ||
| Marq J Ruben (Qferrari)
Junior Member Username: Qferrari Post Number: 169 Registered: 2-2002 |
Stickers? On your front windshield? We don't need no stinkin' stickers! We've got it even better here in MD. The only time you have to have a car safety inspected(lights,wipers,etc.) is when it is sold/transferred to someone other than a family member. No ugly stickers on my windshield. I detest those. | ||
| Carl Rose (Carl_rose)
Junior Member Username: Carl_rose Post Number: 57 Registered: 10-2002 |
Thanks everyone. I'll very carefully remove the current TX stickers before bringing for (weather-permitting) inspection Fri AM. MS "inspection" consists of owner sitting in car working brake & headlights, directional blinkers, and windshield wipers. All for princely sum of $5 (of which inspectors pay $3 per sticker). No emissions certification/smog equipment checks, driving, etc. Do I live in the right place or what?  Carl Oh V thanks I looked into "classic" plates & insurance unfortunately have to be at least 25 y/o (which alas I am but car is not)... | ||
| James H. (Jamesh)
Junior Member Username: Jamesh Post Number: 161 Registered: 5-2001 |
Be very careful because a single sided razor blade can put a scratch on glass. | ||
| Daniel B Reese MD (Dbr328gtb)
Junior Member Username: Dbr328gtb Post Number: 139 Registered: 5-2001 |
Carl, When it is time for my inspection I scrape old sticker off with a blade myself so some "monkey" wont hurt my car. Then I use finger nail polish remover to get the rest (dont drip on dash!). This procedure has done no harm to my car. Dan | ||
| VS (Vs1)
Junior Member Username: Vs1 Post Number: 85 Registered: 10-2002 |
Dave - went through the dyno test when I had to take my fathers F355 in [before we knew we could do the collector's plate thing]. They placed some type of meter on the front bonnet and couldn't figure out why they couldn't get any readings off the thing. The guy dragged it all over the bonnet [luckily it's cased in leather] when I came out the little booth and asked why. He said he couldn't get any reading from the engine. So I politely asked him to try the back of the car - and it worked. Actually - I don't think they even got an accurate reading or Ferraris are amazingly clean. The F355 tested 10 times cleaner than my Jeep and 100 times cleaner than allowable [ie 2PPM when 200PPM is legal limit]. You may want to do some further checking to see if CO has some type of exception for a special interest vehicle. I found out about collectors plates from a guy in town who collects Corvettes [he has 22 in a detached show garage]. I had asked him how he takes all the 1975 and newer models in for testing [which would be about 15 of them] and he told me about collector's plates. In Ohio - I had to deal with the BMV at a state level - the local county BMV offices can't issue the plates [and most of the workerbees in the local office didn't know anything about collector's plates]. One gal even told me there is no such thing as collector's plates and that I must want historic plates - but a car built in 1987 doesn't qualify. In the end, I got in touch with the right people and now, thankfully, will not have to go to the e-check except for our daily drivers. You may want to give it another try. Sorry to steal your thread Carl. Hope the MS weather is more 328 friendly than it's been here in OH. If I don't talk to you before then - have a safe and Happy New Year. | ||
| Dave328GTB (Hardtop)
Member Username: Hardtop Post Number: 367 Registered: 1-2002 |
Carl, I always just crank it. VS You are lucky. In most of Colorado you have to do emissions every 2 years. This requires handing the keys to some minimum wage employee who then "drives" it on a chassis dyno while testing. It is always a nerve wracking experience. No exceptions for low production cars. BTW ferraris with FI always pass easily. Dave | ||
| Carl Rose (Carl_rose)
Junior Member Username: Carl_rose Post Number: 52 Registered: 10-2002 |
Wow you guys are great AND fast! Many thanks to all. Carl | ||
| TomD (Tifosi)
Intermediate Member Username: Tifosi Post Number: 2111 Registered: 9-2001 |
don't the guys at the dmv scrape it off for you? I am sure they will be careful | ||
| bruce wellington (Bws88tr)
Intermediate Member Username: Bws88tr Post Number: 1361 Registered: 4-2002 |
not a foolish question about the sticker removal...i scraped it off with a blade and the remainer of the piece i used a liitle "oops" followed by a little windex..no problem.. | ||
| VS (Vs1)
Junior Member Username: Vs1 Post Number: 84 Registered: 10-2002 |
Carl - not sure what all is covered in the MS inspection - but in OH, we have an e-check that must be done every 2 years. I applied for collector's plates [which requires no inspections ever ] to get around having the inspection done. I just received the plates last week F328GTS. Any pre-cat car is grandfathered in - as is my '69 Corvette [and it would fail the emmissions inspection miserable w/ the Hooker headers & side-pipes]. Check into it - all I had to do was prove the car was limited production or a special interest vehicle and it is not my primary means of transporation. My 2001 Corvette qualifies as limited production/special interest - so the Ferrari was a no brainer. It took me more time to convince the BMV that the mileage was real and accurate for a 15 year old car than anything else. As far as your first question - I have no idea. But, I have noticed when the engine is cold - it takes a few more rotations to start than when warm [regardless of whether I 'wait' or not]. | ||
| JRV (Jrvall)
Member Username: Jrvall Post Number: 459 Registered: 11-2002 |
1) Fuel Injected engine fuel pressure is controlled by a relay that only activates the fuel pump in No. III position and only for 3-6 seconds while cranking. At which time, if the engine has not sarted, the pump is automatically shut off to avoid possible flooding. So No. II key position has no effect on fuel pressure. 2)removing stickers with a razor blade is SOP and should have no negative effect on the glass. | ||
| Carl Rose (Carl_rose)
New member Username: Carl_rose Post Number: 49 Registered: 10-2002 |
Hi again everyone this is such a superb resource. After reading another thread, a question comes to mind. When starting my 328 (1988), should I turn the ignition on then wait a prescribed period of time (to build fuel pressure) before turning key to "start" (position III) so the engine catches on the first few starter motor rotations? (to prolong battery & starter motor life) Is this important? Secondly - and for this one I feel a bit foolish but here goes - time for new (MS) inspection sticker this week. Is there anything special about scraping the odl one off with a razor blade, or are there any special coatings on the interior of the windshield I should know about? (and should try and peel instead?) Thanks once again. Perhaps someday I shall be wise. Carl |