CA making me go to a Smog referee..

Here is the background, a few months ago I go to get smogged for registration renewal, no codes and year 2000 F1 360 running fine. My mistake was not checking that all monitors where set, as when I got her smogged the secondary air monitor had not yet set ......so it failed smog. This was due to me clearing a small evap leak code after I fixed that by replacing the gaskets for the roll over valves.

So the smog guy says drive it around a good half hour or so, and I knew this myself, unfortunately I immediately had problems shifting (a separate problem) and could not get back to the smog station. So fast forward, a few months now I fixed the shifting issue, all is well and take the car to get smogged, and all is well except it does not pass smog due to the air pump issue a few months back.....so now I have to make a appointment at a smog referee station...

Anyone else vet go through this ? Apparently this was triggered due to not going back within 60 days to be retested....gotta love the smog nazi's here.
Look I am all for having clean cars that meet emissions, but this is ludicrous.
Car is perfect, passed smog, no codes, all monitors set, and I paid for the non operation to keep all legal while I resolved separate shifting issue. Crazy stuff...

Lesson to all in this State, check for codes and MONITORS with your code checker before u get smogged in CA.

 

Well after some research it may have nothing to do with the past monitor not setting....after calling for a referee appointment that is in early August, a month away......( that will take about 3 hours of my time) and researching the actual issue, "data check fail" it may be a operator error at the smog place or some unicorn glitch.......
It means the obd system data is inappropriate for vehicle tested. Apparently this comes up when smog operators run a "clean" car for a dirty car.....or operator used wrong software and hand entered vin.

I checked everything and all data looks correct, but found out if operator hand enters vin, and that can only be done on pre 99 cars, he used the wrong software, 2000 and above cars apparently can only have vin entered by reader....

I will be dropping the smog station to pick their brain.

 

I have no problem with the smog controls/systems at all.....I am all for it. I have no problem doing a drive cycle to reset monitors, only evap is allowed not set, I am good with that. 99% of cars when running correctly, pass smog easily.
I have a problem when a glitch like mine shows up, the car passes smog easily the second time, and I get to go through a big hassle to get my car registered.

 

Yes, passed all visual, car is stock except a Tubi, no codes, all monitors set, including evap....
Checked by myself before I went, and before test by smog tech. The smog tech really could not explain what the exact issue is for a fail, just stated the obvious, what the print out says, "Data check fail"...that I had to have a referee check out the car, now the only one that can issue a smog cert.
when I went on the Cal DMV site I looked up my smog check records and for this smog check it states Referee ? "no", yet requires me to have my car pawed by some yokels for up to an hour. Lovely.

Also, the appointment lady was surprised that I had to see a referee, she asked where I got my citation, told her no citation, she said "you did not get a citation ?, again I said no it states data check fail, she was silent and proceeded to book appointment. BTW, these referee places are at Comm Colleges auto shops, and the nearest to me in a decent area is 30 miles away, and first appointment a month away....

 

We both did, all monitors set, no codes. I did, and the smog guy did, this last smog... Time before no, did not check, air pump not ready. Car has been smogged twice before in Cali., no issues....
Will be curious to see what the referee says as to why I am there...

 

So a update is in order on the ordeal. Smog referee was a surly ******, could not tell me why I was there. Car passed with flying colors, even the evap monitor was in ready state. All visual good of course. Again, asked this gem of a man what exactly is a data link fail ? Had no idea, just said "don't know".

I did some research on the Smog station and lo and behold they had just been fined $1000 a month before I was there, not providing proper paper work to customer and some other infraction. In my research it appears the error may have been if the operator sets up a smog check for a 97-99 car, but car is 2000 and above....really could not find much on that but that is likely what happened.

 

PM'd...

 

Why do you post this, and then do not answer 3 PM's, with me guaranteeing you confidentiality on where this can be done ?
You have been on the site numerous times in the past few days, so you saw my PM's.

 

Except when you post in a thread where a member is having trouble with smog, you are local to me and imply you know how to get this done, and then DO NOT have the courtesy to send a simple response stating you can not help, in my book that is ****** move and not someone I ever want to have a beer with.

That said, my issue is not with the F-car, it passed with flying colors. My 2013 Corvette Z06 will not set "ready" on the fuel system monitor in the OB2 part. New battery, new fuel cap, fresh fuel, fuel between 1/3-3/4, drove the specific GM drive cycle at least 7-8 times, all other monitors set pretty quick, just will not show a ready for fuel system or evap. I only need fuel to set as u can pass with evap not set in CA. No codes, no pending, stored, anything that shows there is something wrong. Car is stock except cat back and that should not affect anything. I seem to have the worst of luck in "glitches", as this problem does not seem to be common after so many cold start drive cycles, researched for hours on Vette forum and general. Smog shop just says to drive it some more.....

Finding someone to help is the hard part, like it is said people are weary if they do not know you, or "vouch" for you, so looking for help on this issue on sites where I am not known, makes it almost impossible. I figured with my record of being on here since 2012, and anyone can research my posts, I would have the best of luck here as I post here the most. I also posted on the local Vette site. My next step is to take it to a Corvette shop that is 1.25 hours away, have complete diagnostics done, and if nothing is found afoul that is causing this, I am back where I started as they will not set the monitors to "ready".
Apparently you can set all monitors to read ready with a HP tuner kit, however according to this very reputable and highly regarded shop owner, when you get smogged Cali can tell you have have done this and you are failed for tampering with the car, and sent to a referee.....lot's of trouble.