CA Smog Requirements changed for 3.2's

[porschenut]

Those bastards! Next thing you know they'll start doing it in Denver if they haven't already.

[Tompickett]

Today after fixing the mixture and the O2 sensor, the car passed:

15 mph: HC 10 ppm (max 85) CO: .05 ppm (max .54) NOx: 110 ppm (max 565)
25 mph: HC 8 ppm (max 67) CO .06 ppm (max .45) NOx: 41 (max 522)
Way under the requirements

I think the guy doing the re-test was as happy as I was...

They explained that the changed requirements are the result of periodic reviews of the range that most cars of a certain engine size and chassis weight achieve during successful testing within your local geographic area. That range then is adjusted to allow most of the cars to pass without repairs...

As a result a car in Redondo Beach (LA) has different requirements from a car in Cupertino California. There have been other changes to the program for Gross Polluters, and if you have one and can get it to pass there is no longer a requirement for annual smog tests--it gets tested every two years like all other cars. Having been labeled a gross polluter will stick with the car and still prevents the monetary limit to kick in though. So when it fails again you have to spend whatever it takes to fix it, while other cars have a $417 limit.

[jimbauman]

Originally Posted by Tompickett

Today after fixing the mixture and the O2 sensor, the car passed:

15 mph: HC 10 ppm (max 85) CO: .05 ppm (max .54) NOx: 110 ppm (max 565)
25 mph: HC 8 ppm (max 67) CO .06 ppm (max .45) NOx: 41 (max 522)
Way under the requirements

Holy crap... that's one clean burning engine.

[RideShoot&Drink]

I live in SF Bay Area, but once passed the smog in LA while travelling. Can't you just go to the area where requirements are not as difficult and pass there?

Originally Posted by Tompickett

I suppose. Understand that there are different limits if you live in different parts of California. I live in Silicon Valley which is an enhanced smog II check area. If you lived in the Trinity Alps you would have a completely different test (no treadmill) and different (less stringent) limits.

Eventually you buy a vacation home in a state where they have easier smog requiements...where you register your 1988 3.2 ;-)

[jimbauman]

No.... the smog requirements are set based solely upon where your car is registered....

JB

[rluciano]

No.... the smog requirements are set based solely upon where your car is registered....



JB

Interesting. Here in Texas, you get tested to the stricter of where the vehicle is registered or where you are tested. Don't know if that's the law but it has been my consistent experience.

[efhughes3]

That does it, I'm pretty sure I'm going to classic plates this year.

[dicklague]

I had my 1990 Chevy pickup flunk this year. Fixed fuel injection, O2 sensor and a few other things brought it back in a flunked again, but they had lowered the standards for this vehicle 1 week prior. So I have to put on a new cat to get it to pass. Thanks CA!!!

[jimbauman]

It's all a commie plot to get us to junk our decrepit cars, and buy new ones to support the fledgling auto industry!

[rusnak]

If they push it much further, I'll drop all pretense, and go with carbs and headers on the 911 and switch plates with the other Porsche I have. It's not like they'll ever know.

[jimbauman]

I wonder if there's an opportunity here for "rent-an-engine?" For $xxx.xx we'll ship a perfectly running, clean burning engine to your house for "test purposes only." Use it, and ship it back within two weeks..... Hmmmm.....

JB

[ToddM]

Don't know how relevant this is but I just did this yesterday for my SC converted to 964 3.6

CA 2010 (max #):
HC: 112 ppm at 15 mph, 86 ppm at 25 mph
CO: .72 ppm at 15 mph, .60 ppm at 25 mph
NOx: 778 ppm at 15 mph, 717 ppm at 25 mph.

[cudabnu]

ToddM, would love to see pics and get more info on your 3.6 conversion, I'm doing one right now. Did you take it to a ref, or do you just bring it in and they smog it as the stock 82 motor?

[ToddM]

Hi Cudabnu,

Too bad you are 5 hours away.

The secret is to make your conversion as "stock" as possible to start off with. Get it down and working just as it were a daily driver before doing any improvements to avoid headaches. This will also help you get the smog.

You will have to take it to a ref to get this:



Once you have that, you are made in the shade... smog every 2 years at a Test Only station as long as you leave ALL emissions equipment from the engine model year in place. It is smoged as an 82 with 92 engine with 92 emissions limits. You will also need to make sure that the check engine light is installed into the dash, hooked up and fully functional.

There are a lot of other caviats to a conversion but I don't want to go off topic.

[rusnak]

my '84 would NEVER touch those 964 smog numbers. Ever.

I think from now on when we post up smog numbers, we need to state the year of the vehicle and your area the vehicle is registered in.

[efhughes3]

my '84 would NEVER touch those 964 smog numbers. Ever.



I think from now on when we post up smog numbers, we need to state the year of the vehicle and your area the vehicle is registered in.

No kidding! Plus, you want to live where there aren't a bunch of well-tuned 911's that lower the target numbers!

[rusnak]

The last 3 times, I passed by less than 10ppm on at least one area. No wonder they're letting me go to a non-test only center this time.

I'm bringing their numbers down, and since I won't go away, this is the only way they can kick me out of the stats pool.

[Vmarch]

If you are driving a post 75 car in Californica, and you alter the factory fuel and timing specs, your vehicle will be non compliant. My 1979 has the original emissions equipment and passes the smog inspections every other year. Take the crap off between inspections.

[d.a.autry]

Originally Posted by Danny_Ocean

So where does it end? Do they keep gradually lowering the limits until you can no longer register your vehicle?

Yeah. . . well. . .

I got dibs on being the old uncle with a country place then!

Gotta do mine here in Denver next week. I need to check my old results. I 'should' be good. I think I'm held to '75 standards as that's what my emissions sticker on the frame says. But technically it's a '76 vin with a '77 block.

[pplkook]

couldn't one of the tuners do a 'test only' memory setting? Maxhpkit does the nice pigtail dip switch so you can change images quickly....

Just a thought....

-Jack