[quote=flu][quote=FlyerInHi][quote=flu]The one thing I absolutely can’t stand about CA…
The idiotic, bureaucratic CARB rules….[/quote]
California was the leader in clean air. In fact, the EPA eventually adopted California rules, as have other states who implemented smog programs.
The rules are made for everybody. If you don’t like them, put your car on non-op and make it a track car.
I’m sure people remember the polluted air back in in the 80s and before. Smog alerts all the time. LA was almost like Beijing. The air cleared up in the 90s.[/quote]
It is entirely possible to pass a sniff test but still fail carb because of stupid rules.
But what is going to be even more fun is watching a lot of you going in for the post MY2002 cars smog checks…..
Basically, those tests will require only an OBDII link, and if your ECU ends up throwing any CEL’s (even if it isn’t directly related to emissions), you might end up failing the smog test anyway even without a sniff check.. It’s not a problem for folks with OBDII scanners that can simply reset whatever fault codes or folks that have a custom flashed ECU that can do whatever to the ECU…. But it will be very very interesting to see what it does to the average person who doesn’t have that ability……[/quote]
I’ve ordered an OBD II scanner because I’m about to hit the road again on a ~4400 mile odyssey. (My vehicle was built in an OBD I year (MY) except was an early adopter of OBD II). I won’t EVER attempt to smog it in Cali again until I know exactly how it is going to read before going in there. Cali really doesn’t want any older vehicles still on the road and is insidiously doing everything in their power to keep them from getting re-registered. The state should change the term “biennial smog check” to “biennial everything check” because essentially, that’s what it is. It has little to do with being a “gross polluter” although the state BAR uses that term very “loosely.” It’s an expensive “gotcha” and constant revenue stream for state-supported “Test and Repair” stations and I refuse to play the game anymore. Stay away from them and patronize only “test-only” stations for your biennial “smog” check.
Like many older vehicle owners, I’m not stupid. I know my 20 yo Lexus is very well maintained and if it wasn’t, I wouldn’t take it out alone on the desolate, open road. I also have several relatives in “flyover” states (which don’t have “smog checks” in place) who will pay me a very fair price for my vehicle should I want to sell it while I’m there due to a major breakdown. I also have relatives in one state who have a shop who can repair major items on it for a fair price (although they would need to have parts shipped in).
For the last 3 years or so, I’ve carried all my vehicle’s service records and title with me on the open road so I will have “options” in the event of a major breakdown. But I expect it will last at least another 200K miles with regular maintenance.
