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View Full Version : Some good information regarding Smog Checks and Stations.



lncrevoviii
05-09-2008, 05:11 PM
http://www.bayareamustangassociation.org/html/smog/



Smog Checks and You
by James Weston BAMA Vice President and Licensed EA Smog Technician
Love it or hate it, smog checks are here to stay. With around 30 million cars (only 27million people) in California, even the staunchest anti-environmentalist would be hard pressed to say that cars have no effect on our air quality. Trying to look out over the bay on a hot day in late August is enough evidence for me that we have a serious air quality problem from time to time. At the May general meeting I did a presentation on the ins and outs of the California smog check program. Many of you found it useful enough that I was asked to write up something for our newsletter. As a young technician I’m often frustrated by the amount of bad information out there regarding the smog program and feel obligated to try and clear up some of these misconceptions.

Who needs a smog check? – Currently if your vehicle is older than four years old or newer than thirty years old, you need a smog check. Vehicles four years old or newer will require a smog check if the car is initially registered in the state or if the ownership of the vehicle is changed. It should also be noted that while vehicles in the thirty year “rolling exemption” category (66-75 currently) have no biennial smog checks any longer, they are required to retain all of the their factory emissions equipment. Keep that in mind when your bolting that BDS supercharger onto your street registered ’68 Fastback. Although, the only way I envision someone getting caught in this technicality would be if you really ticked off a police officer and he decided to write you up for “modified emissions”, the ticket could not be cleared until the vehicles emissions systems were returned to stock. In addition to these year rules, if any combination of gasoline, propane, natural gas or methanol/ethanol fuels your vehicle, you need a smog check. Diesels, Electric’s, Motorcycles and farm equipment are exempt.

What kind of smog check do I need? – This depends mostly on where you live. In California we have three smog check areas, Change of Ownership Area, Basic Area and Enhanced Area. Change of Ownership Areas require a smog check only when a vehicle is sold and are found in mostly rural less populated parts of the state where air quality is considered good. A Basic Area requires biennial smog checks and uses what is called a Two-Speed Idle (TSI) test. A TSI test involves an emissions test in park at idle and at 2500 rpm, a visual inspection of emissions equipment, a functional test of the timing (if applicable), a functional test of the EGR system (if applicable) and a functional test of the gas cap. The most stringent test in the state is found in the Enhanced Area, most parts of the Bay Area are Enhanced areas as of October 2003. An Enhanced Area uses what is called a Acceleration Simulation Mode (ASM) test, most refer to it as “dyno smog” or “smog II”. Although it is new to the Bay Area, it has been in use since 1997 in many parts of the Central Valley and LA. An ASM test involves an emissions test on a dynamometer (a treadmill for your car) where a load is placed on the vehicle to simulate real world driving, a visual inspection of emissions equipment, a functional test of the timing (if applicable) and a functional test of the gas cap. It should be noted that vehicles with All-Wheel Drive or disengaugeable traction control are exempt from, the ASM test and take the TSI test instead.

Where can I take my car to be smogged? – There are four different kinds of shops that perform smogs in the state. The most common are Test and Repair stations, they are allowed to smog and repair most vehicles but cannot certify gross polluters or vehicles sent directly to test only stations. Test Only stations can do the initial smog on nearly any car in need of a smog check but are not allowed to perform any repairs or charge for any repairs done on the vehicle. Certain vehicles that are more likely to fail, according to the states’ statistics, are required to go to Test Only stations, your DMV registration will let you know if you have to go to a Test Only or not. Certified Gold Shield stations are allowed to smog nearly any vehicle that needs a certificate including cars directed to test onlys and gross polluters. Gold shield stations also handle repairs of the states low-income assistance program. The final type of shop is the State Referee, just as the name sounds the referee handles disputes between shops and customers, handles the cost waiver system, certifies kit cars and engine changes, and many other “odd cases” that arise in the smog program. Referee shops are run by the state and are usually located on Junior College campuses. You can search for smog stations near you, see their record and other smog related items at www.smogcheck.ca.gov.

What if I fail my smog check? – The best advice that I can offer is to get your car diagnosed and repaired at a licensed smog check Test and Repair or Gold Shield station. I stress a licensed because any money spent on repairing a car that has failed smog at a NON-licensed station will not count toward the various cost waivers that the state offers. The most common type of waiver is called a Cost Repair Waiver, if you spend more than $450 in smog related repairs (sorry four new tires don’t count) at a licensed smog station, you qualify for a two year extension. Next we have what is called an Economic Hardship Extension, if you are within 185% of the federal poverty level and have estimates or receipts totaling more than $250, you again qualify for a two year extension. It should be noted that both the extension and the waiver cannot be used to sell the car, cannot be used consecutively (i.e. you cant keep getting extensions year after year) and the money spent on repairs can only can go to worn out or defective parts (meaning you cant bring in a receipt of the $450 it cost you to pull off your illegal headers and supercharger and expect to get a waiver). The final kind of repair assistance that the state offers is called the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), if your vehicle is directed to a Test Only station or if you are within 185% of the federal poverty level, you qualify for this program. If you pay a small co-pay ($100 if sent to a test only, $20 if you are low income), the state will pay up to $500 to help you get your car fixed. If you qualify for any of these programs you will be sent to the State Referee to approve the paperwork and to get your car smogged.

Modifying your pollution controlled vehicle – Its strange that legally modifying a pollution controlled car isn’t all that difficult yet, both vehicle owners and smog technicians alike make it into some huge mystery. For vehicle owners its very simple, if the part you want to install is intended for your vehicle (year, make, model and engine) and it has a California Air Resources Board Executive Order number (CARB EO #), it is legal and shouldn’t cause you any problems come smog time. I italicized shouldn’t because unfortunately some smog techs out there “freak out” when they see modifications on a car legal or not and will either fail the car or send you to a referee. Its sometimes best to call around and find a shop that isn’t afraid of smogging legally modified cars, it may save you time and money in the long run. If you want to check out the CARB EO #’s on a part you are considering you can go to the ARB’s website www.arb.ca.gov and click on “aftermarket parts database” to verify that the part is legal for your car. Engine changes can also be done legally on pollution controlled vehicles but you should keep a few things in mind while doing the swap. The “new” motor must be the same age or newer than the car that your swapping it into and must have all the emissions parts that go with the “new” motor (i.e. if you swap an ’03 Cobra engine into an ’88 Mustang, you must use the Cobra’s emissions equipment, wiring and computer). After doing this type of engine swap you must go to a State Referee and get the car certified, in our example, smog wise, the car would now be considered an ’03 Cobra.

Hopefully I have been able to shed a bit more light on the smog program for you, feel free to ask me any smog related questions if you see me at meetings or events. Overall, I personally believe that our current smog laws are pretty fair, a good balance between car buffs and people who would have us riding our bikes to work everyday. The automotive aftermarket is a billion-dollar industry and our state is one of their biggest customers, they won’t give us up without a serious debate. This is no reason for us as car people to sit back and let the automotive aftermarket defend us, we need to keep tabs on new proposed legislation and let our individual opinion be heard (I go to www.sema.org to learn about proposed changes). I hope that in the future we will be able to continue the wonderful American tradition of compromise and have smog laws that allow us to personalize our vehicles and still be able to clean up our air.





MODS Please Sticky this.

H8R_LOL
05-15-2008, 12:31 PM
"It should be noted that vehicles with All-Wheel Drive or disengaugeable traction control are exempt from, the ASM test and take the TSI test instead."

I found this interesting.

SmogMeEvo
06-04-2008, 03:50 PM
http://www.bayareamustangassociation.org/html/smog/



Smog Checks and You
by James Weston BAMA Vice President and Licensed EA Smog Technician
Love it or hate it, smog checks are here to stay. With around 30 million cars (only 27million people) in California, even the staunchest anti-environmentalist would be hard pressed to say that cars have no effect on our air quality. Trying to look out over the bay on a hot day in late August is enough evidence for me that we have a serious air quality problem from time to time. At the May general meeting I did a presentation on the ins and outs of the California smog check program. Many of you found it useful enough that I was asked to write up something for our newsletter. As a young technician I’m often frustrated by the amount of bad information out there regarding the smog program and feel obligated to try and clear up some of these misconceptions.

Who needs a smog check? – Currently if your vehicle is older than four years old or newer than thirty years old, you need a smog check. Vehicles four years old or newer will require a smog check if the car is initially registered in the state or if the ownership of the vehicle is changed. It should also be noted that while vehicles in the thirty year “rolling exemption” category (66-75 currently) have no biennial smog checks any longer, they are required to retain all of the their factory emissions equipment. Keep that in mind when your bolting that BDS supercharger onto your street registered ’68 Fastback. Although, the only way I envision someone getting caught in this technicality would be if you really ticked off a police officer and he decided to write you up for “modified emissions”, the ticket could not be cleared until the vehicles emissions systems were returned to stock. In addition to these year rules, if any combination of gasoline, propane, natural gas or methanol/ethanol fuels your vehicle, you need a smog check. Diesels, Electric’s, Motorcycles and farm equipment are exempt.

What kind of smog check do I need? – This depends mostly on where you live. In California we have three smog check areas, Change of Ownership Area, Basic Area and Enhanced Area. Change of Ownership Areas require a smog check only when a vehicle is sold and are found in mostly rural less populated parts of the state where air quality is considered good. A Basic Area requires biennial smog checks and uses what is called a Two-Speed Idle (TSI) test. A TSI test involves an emissions test in park at idle and at 2500 rpm, a visual inspection of emissions equipment, a functional test of the timing (if applicable), a functional test of the EGR system (if applicable) and a functional test of the gas cap. The most stringent test in the state is found in the Enhanced Area, most parts of the Bay Area are Enhanced areas as of October 2003. An Enhanced Area uses what is called a Acceleration Simulation Mode (ASM) test, most refer to it as “dyno smog” or “smog II”. Although it is new to the Bay Area, it has been in use since 1997 in many parts of the Central Valley and LA. An ASM test involves an emissions test on a dynamometer (a treadmill for your car) where a load is placed on the vehicle to simulate real world driving, a visual inspection of emissions equipment, a functional test of the timing (if applicable) and a functional test of the gas cap. It should be noted that vehicles with All-Wheel Drive or disengaugeable traction control are exempt from, the ASM test and take the TSI test instead.




Where can I take my car to be smogged? – There are four different kinds of shops that perform smogs in the state. The most common are Test and Repair stations, they are allowed to smog and repair most vehicles but cannot certify gross polluters or vehicles sent directly to test only stations. Test Only stations can do the initial smog on nearly any car in need of a smog check but are not allowed to perform any repairs or charge for any repairs done on the vehicle. Certain vehicles that are more likely to fail, according to the states’ statistics, are required to go to Test Only stations, your DMV registration will let you know if you have to go to a Test Only or not. Certified Gold Shield stations are allowed to smog nearly any vehicle that needs a certificate including cars directed to test onlys and gross polluters. Gold shield stations also handle repairs of the states low-income assistance program. The final type of shop is the State Referee, just as the name sounds the referee handles disputes between shops and customers, handles the cost waiver system, certifies kit cars and engine changes, and many other “odd cases” that arise in the smog program. Referee shops are run by the state and are usually located on Junior College campuses. You can search for smog stations near you, see their record and other smog related items at www.smogcheck.ca.gov.

What if I fail my smog check? – The best advice that I can offer is to get your car diagnosed and repaired at a licensed smog check Test and Repair or Gold Shield station. I stress a licensed because any money spent on repairing a car that has failed smog at a NON-licensed station will not count toward the various cost waivers that the state offers. The most common type of waiver is called a Cost Repair Waiver, if you spend more than $450 in smog related repairs (sorry four new tires don’t count) at a licensed smog station, you qualify for a two year extension. Next we have what is called an Economic Hardship Extension, if you are within 185% of the federal poverty level and have estimates or receipts totaling more than $250, you again qualify for a two year extension. It should be noted that both the extension and the waiver cannot be used to sell the car, cannot be used consecutively (i.e. you cant keep getting extensions year after year) and the money spent on repairs can only can go to worn out or defective parts (meaning you cant bring in a receipt of the $450 it cost you to pull off your illegal headers and supercharger and expect to get a waiver). The final kind of repair assistance that the state offers is called the Consumer Assistance Program (CAP), if your vehicle is directed to a Test Only station or if you are within 185% of the federal poverty level, you qualify for this program. If you pay a small co-pay ($100 if sent to a test only, $20 if you are low income), the state will pay up to $500 to help you get your car fixed. If you qualify for any of these programs you will be sent to the State Referee to approve the paperwork and to get your car smogged.

Modifying your pollution controlled vehicle – Its strange that legally modifying a pollution controlled car isn’t all that difficult yet, both vehicle owners and smog technicians alike make it into some huge mystery. For vehicle owners its very simple, if the part you want to install is intended for your vehicle (year, make, model and engine) and it has a California Air Resources Board Executive Order number (CARB EO #), it is legal and shouldn’t cause you any problems come smog time. I italicized shouldn’t because unfortunately some smog techs out there “freak out” when they see modifications on a car legal or not and will either fail the car or send you to a referee. Its sometimes best to call around and find a shop that isn’t afraid of smogging legally modified cars, it may save you time and money in the long run. If you want to check out the CARB EO #’s on a part you are considering you can go to the ARB’s website www.arb.ca.gov and click on “aftermarket parts database” to verify that the part is legal for your car. Engine changes can also be done legally on pollution controlled vehicles but you should keep a few things in mind while doing the swap. The “new” motor must be the same age or newer than the car that your swapping it into and must have all the emissions parts that go with the “new” motor (i.e. if you swap an ’03 Cobra engine into an ’88 Mustang, you must use the Cobra’s emissions equipment, wiring and computer). After doing this type of engine swap you must go to a State Referee and get the car certified, in our example, smog wise, the car would now be considered an ’03 Cobra.

Hopefully I have been able to shed a bit more light on the smog program for you, feel free to ask me any smog related questions if you see me at meetings or events. Overall, I personally believe that our current smog laws are pretty fair, a good balance between car buffs and people who would have us riding our bikes to work everyday. The automotive aftermarket is a billion-dollar industry and our state is one of their biggest customers, they won’t give us up without a serious debate. This is no reason for us as car people to sit back and let the automotive aftermarket defend us, we need to keep tabs on new proposed legislation and let our individual opinion be heard (I go to www.sema.org to learn about proposed changes). I hope that in the future we will be able to continue the wonderful American tradition of compromise and have smog laws that allow us to personalize our vehicles and still be able to clean up our air.





MODS Please Sticky this.


Most of the info is correct except for the exemptions.* Any vehicle that is not older than six years is exempt from biennial emission testing. Also there is no longer a rollover exemption, so 75 and older is exempt and will stay that way. I find this article strange, it has some very updated info combined with very outdated info.

PANGES
06-04-2008, 03:58 PM
"It should be noted that vehicles with All-Wheel Drive or disengaugeable traction control are exempt from, the ASM test and take the TSI test instead."

I found this interesting.


Well most smog places will not have an AWD dyno. Most are only 2WD, so if you have an AWD car and try to put it on the dyno, it'll go flying into a wall... Also, w/ non-disengagable traction control, if you put it on a dyno, the car wont move. Thus you have to do a TSI (Two Speed Idle).