Emissions Testing Fun

This has turned into just another tax, instead of a concern over emissions.

I took my Jeep Grand Cherokee in yesterday and they took it in, did the gas tank test......no other test... and passed it. The report showed n/a for all emissions and a PASS. I watched all the others before me go through the same thing. I guess there was a problem with the station.

 

The reason they skipped the pressure test of the tank is prob the same as here. None the manufacturers of Ca certified equip make an adaptor to fit a screw on cap the size of a Ferrari so they are allowed to skip the test. They also have some exemption ability for doing the dyno test for various reasons. Some traction control systems don't like the dyno test but Ferrari you can override it.

 

Colorado has backed off on several aspects of the emissions test. Functional OBD is no longer required, nor is a functional check engine light or functional Egr- but the car still needs to pass the test, which is generally pretty easy for all but a few tough cars (my Boxer is very difficult). Two days ago I got my test for my new Caterham CSR 260. 260 hp out of 2.3 liters, big cams, roller barrel intake, Cosworth built. no check engine light (MBE ecu, no OBD-II), no EGR. Basically, a well-designed map and a cat, that's all. Passed with flying colors. They don't require the rolling road tests on certain cars (including the Caterham) for a variety of safety reasons. I saw one of the testing techs really scare themselves trying to test an 1100 lb Seven with 230 hp on the rollers a few years back. To be honest, I think the CSR would even pass the IM-240, but the tailpipe test is a breeze. 0-60 in 3 flat, 100 in around 7, and emissions clean. Colorado has a long history about being rational on issues like emissions. They want the car to be clean, but they are willing to let you get it there pretty much any way you can. Going out to LA this weekend with the car for road/track tests over the next few weeks with Automobile, Autoweek, Robb Report, SCI, C&D, R&T, etc. I'm taking the emission test results with me!

 

Phrases like this scare me. I am planning on taking a 328 to a testing facility in a few weeks or so, likely in Jeff. Co.

The car was never a CA car so I'm not sure it will pass.

Does anyone else have any recent experience with smog testing an exotic?

-F

 

Had my 328 smogged a couple of times, I always ask that I drive it in and they agree. They have the capability to monitor the emissions without putting it on the rollers. I asked what they were doing and they explained that they test handicapped equiped vehicles and the hand controls for each car are different so instead of "learning" how to operate each handicapped vehicle the computer program will extrapolate the emissions at the tailpipe without putting it on the rollers. I ask for that method each time. I was told of a horror story of an emissions employee getting boost on a F40 and almost going off the rollers!.. I don't have to worry about getting boost, I just worry about the competency of the employees.

 

The machine can't extrapolate without putting it under load. He just said something that would sound good.

 

That works for me.

I hope I get a guy that let's me do the work and just says what I want to hear.

-F

 

Just telling you what they said. Car just idled w/tailpipe hoses on it & they passed it.
I'm not all about this global warming stuff, or emission testing, I just have to do it to get license plates. It was far more difficult with my 1980 308 2v, Borla exhaust without cats....thank goodness they didn't know what they were looking at.

 

Huh? You get some kind of "way out, deep in the hills" exemption?

I'll talk to FOD when the time comes.

-F

 

Yes - counties outside the Denver and Colorado Springs metro area do not have the emissions program.

 

I'm glad there's no emissions testing in Utah

 

Glad I live in SoCO, no testing for me

 

Garfield is a non-emissions county, as is neighboring Mesa.

If any of you have second homes or property in the mountains, register your cars there - it'll save you from the hassle of the emissions test (and it's legal). But transfer your green plates!

 

Not too easily done in some counties. For example, in Grand they will only let you register the car there if your drivers license has a matching Grand county address.

 

A couple of years ago I had two cars that needed to be tested. I took the M3 in first but I had both forms on the seat and handed him the Ferrari form.
They tested the car and it passed.

So I went to another testing facility immediately and passed the BMW paperwork. It passed but the numbers were completely different within a half hour of each other.

So the testers can't tell the difference between a BMW M3 and a Ferrari 355.
And the numbers are bogus. It's just a tax.

They did away with this test in Aspen because after years of testing the emissions they could not find a difference in the quality if the air.

This test is government by the government, for the government and of the government.

 

Pitkin is not and was never an emissions county.