Smog Test For Diesels In California

SP01715 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-11-2011, 02:27 PM

Anyone else have to do this yet? I just got the registration renewal for my 04 Duramax and it is required to pass a smoke test (anything 98 and newer under 14k pounds is required now). I am dropping 5k on new injectors and sleeves so it will pass. I think more and more about making AZ my permanent residence...

scaffold · #2 (**permalink**) 01-11-2011, 02:31 PM

Come to Fla. Our Governor many years ago closed all the auto inspection stations when his wife was forced to wait the usual ridiculous amout of time to get her car inspected. It's who you know

SP01715 · #3 (**permalink**) 01-11-2011, 02:53 PM

I do like the no state income tax in Florida, but I already have a house in AZ and the laws and taxes there are pretty good.

BTW: I am told the UL Sulfur diesel in CA is causing alot of the injector problems on diesels that were not designed for that fuel. So California gas is wearing out injectors and then the vehicle will not pass the smoke test. Hmmm, something messed up about that.

dave from mesa · #4 (**permalink**) 01-11-2011, 03:31 PM

We have to smog diesels here and we have ULSD also. I have a 03 F250 and a 01 motor home. Have to do it every year. Not the best deal.
I was told that EVERY diesel passes tho.

SP01715 · #5 (**permalink**) 01-11-2011, 04:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dave from mesa

We have to smog diesels here and we have ULSD also. I have a 03 F250 and a 01 motor home. Have to do it every year. Not the best deal.
I was told that EVERY diesel passes tho.

Must be the county you are in. Mohave county AZ (where my house is) has no smog test, and you actually have to search for the ULSD. I have to run ULSD in our new VW, and the station I go to only has one pump that dispenses it. They have 5 that dispense goold old #2.

I don't know how strict the test is here. The way it is supposed to work is they rev the motor once then back to idle, then two more times. The second two are the ones that count. If any smoke lingers longer than 3 seconds you fail. I don't know of a whole lot of older diesel trucks that will pass that kind of test if they are actually enforcing it to the letter. The newer trucks running the new style injectors meant to run on ULSD would probably have no problems. Our 2010 VW does not put out any smoke at all.

Ron61 · #6 (**permalink**) 01-12-2011, 05:57 AM

My neighbor had to take his 2004 F-250 in for a smog test last year for the first time. He said they looked under the hood, asked him if he had changed the computer chip, and then stuck the sniffer in the tail pipe and told him he was ok. He got no readouts or anything.

Ron

SP01715 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-20-2011, 09:31 AM

Waste of $65.00. They looked under the hood, at the exhaust and reved the motor three times. Nothing hooked to a computer, just visual inspection.

WardL · #8 (**permalink**) 01-20-2011, 10:59 PM

ULSD is required nationwide as of June 1, 2010 for all On Road and Non-Road vehicles. The only higher sulfur stuff is allowed for Locomotive and Marine diesel. California is so special they don't have to label the pumps. Everywhere else if the pump doesn't say ULSD it is breaking the EPA regulations at the tune of $32k/day. But don't worry about the fine, the EPA doesn't usually apply it. It is more of a SCARE factor!

SP01715 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-21-2011, 08:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WardL

ULSD is required nationwide as of June 1, 2010 for all On Road and Non-Road vehicles. The only higher sulfur stuff is allowed for Locomotive and Marine diesel. California is so special they don't have to label the pumps. Everywhere else if the pump doesn't say ULSD it is breaking the EPA regulations at the tune of $32k/day. But don't worry about the fine, the EPA doesn't usually apply it. It is more of a SCARE factor!

Hmmm. Having owned gas stations (sold them in 07) I can't imagine oil companies allowing their dealers to break any state or federal laws. My reps were always on us to make sure we were compliant. They would hold back money from credit card sales if you were not. In Cali, like you said, everything is ULSD and not always tagged as such. In AZ I actually have to look for ULSD because most of the stations only sell #2.

Super~Charged · #10 (**permalink**) 01-24-2011, 03:25 PM

I've always wondered about California smog tests. As I understand it, almost all cars pass. But those that fail usually only have to spend a few hundred dollars, and then they are "exempted". In the meantime, the vast majority pay a not-insignificant fee for what?
I like the clean air, but I wonder if this is the best way to do it...

Ron61 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-25-2011, 05:27 AM

I've always wondered about California smog tests. As I understand it, almost all cars pass. But those that fail usually only have to spend a few hundred dollars, and then they are "exempted". In the meantime, the vast majority pay a not-insignificant fee for what?
I like the clean air, but I wonder if this is the best way to do it...

I am not positive, but I believe that exemption rule has been changed. And not all cars pass by any means, at least not up here. They will find something wrong with the visual inspection, such as a chrome air cleaner where the factory one was painted and send the person to the referee where he has to spend a ton of money. It is more about the money than any desire to clean the air. One guy here had a stock Ford pickup and they failed his visual because he had an Auto-lite Distributor which was what came in it. They made him put in an after market one and then charged him a big amount because of that, even though the pick up passed the sniffer test in great shape. But go in with an aftermarket distributor in the vehicle and you will also be failed on the visual. I can't say what the rest of the state is like now, but in Northern Calif., it is a mess as no two referees will accept the same thing and just being 50 state legal around here doesn't mean they will accept it. We have people leaving here every day as they are fed up with the state and its stupid rule enforcement.

Ron

SP01715 · #12 (**permalink**) 01-25-2011, 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super~Charged

I've always wondered about California smog tests. As I understand it, almost all cars pass. But those that fail usually only have to spend a few hundred dollars, and then they are "exempted". In the meantime, the vast majority pay a not-insignificant fee for what?
I like the clean air, but I wonder if this is the best way to do it...

I believe there used to be a $500.00 cap on repairs needed to pass. I looked into this before I dropped the $$$ on my truck for new injectors, and the only way the $500.00 dollar cap applies now is if you are low income. Like Ron said, not all vehicles pass. I have seen plenty fail when I have been getting one of my vehicles smogged. It will eventually get to the point where I just register them to my house in AZ. I already know more than a few people that have their vehicles registered out of state not only because of smog laws, but high registration fees.

roanokejim · #13 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011, 12:28 AM

Hi. Where did you know that 500 dollars cap? I really want to get a new injectors.

SP01715 · #14 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011, 10:01 AM

The DMV is where I got the info on low income people having a $500.00 cap. That does not mean you get new injectors for $500.00. The can't make you spend more than that if you qualify.

WardL · #15 (**permalink**) 05-06-2011, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SP01715

Hmmm. Having owned gas stations (sold them in 07) I can't imagine oil companies allowing their dealers to break any state or federal laws. My reps were always on us to make sure we were compliant. They would hold back money from credit card sales if you were not. In Cali, like you said, everything is ULSD and not always tagged as such. In AZ I actually have to look for ULSD because most of the stations only sell #2.

I'm still in the oil business and #2 is ULSD nationwide. Everything in Oregon and Minnesota is 5% Biodiesel ULSD. Since we have sold most of our stations to individuals we don't have as much control over them. Plus, the laws are new and confusing so many people just give up trying to understand everything. The fuel regulations has kept me employed nicely.

SP01715 · #16 (**permalink**) 05-09-2011, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WardL

I'm still in the oil business and #2 is ULSD nationwide. Everything in Oregon and Minnesota is 5% Biodiesel ULSD. Since we have sold most of our stations to individuals we don't have as much control over them. Plus, the laws are new and confusing so many people just give up trying to understand everything. The fuel regulations has kept me employed nicely.

Hmmm, I wonder why the staion I use near my house in AZ has seperate pumps for #2 and ULSD? The ULSD is also priced higher than the pumps marked #2.