Emissions Test

Another feather in the Padgett hat.

Here in one of the only two counties in Indiana that require emissions testing, I took my '90 in to have it tested. (Our tax dollars hard at work.) I always dread doing this but, it has to be done. I ran the car at highway speeds prior to testing as I always do and drove to the test site. Being two in the afternoon on a Wednesday there was no waiting and was able to drive right in. They did the usual visual and I was asked to get out and go to the waiting area while they drove it on the Dino. After a few minutes, the technician came in to tell me that the car failed due to high hydrocarbons. Oh, the humanity... the horror... They then had me open the hood so they could pass a sniffer type device around the fuel injector rails amd lines. That checked out OK.

The limit here for hydrocarbons is 1.40 GPM. Mine tested 1.45 GPM. CO and NOx were well below limits.

They told me I could come back in an hour and have it retested and to drive it around some more before bringing it back. I did them one better. I went home and took the Magnovox coil pack off and installed the Delco unit. I'd swapped them out last fall trying to diagnose my "lumpy" idle. That action had little effect on the idle so I just left it alone until today. I didn't increase the spark gap because I wanted to get back to the test site without waiting for the engine to cool. I then jumped back on the highway. This time I didn't put the trans. in OD. Just left the selector in drive. this kept the RPM's up. Drove back in to the test site and found that they were only a little bit busier than before so I got in right away again. 15 minutes later I was driving away with a "Passed" certificate in hand. The HC were now reading 0.75 instead of 1.45 GPM.

Oh joy... rapture!

And that's all I gotta say about that... well... except that tomorrow, I've got to take my Wife's Olds in for testing

John F.

Does Indiana exempt old farts from emission testing? In Maryland, if you're 70 or older, you get a waiver. I'll never darken their door again.

Does Indiana exempt old farts from emission testing? In Maryland, if you're 70 or older, you get a waiver. I'll never darken their door again.

No, but, if you're pre-'76 you are exempt.

John F.

Two different comments on the same subject.

Pre 1976 model cars exempt.

Owners of cars 70 years and older exempt from testing their cars.

Too funny.

Texas exempts cars with manufacturing dates 25years or older from emission testing, but they still have to have annual safety inspection. I did not know this until I took my Reatta in for testing/annual safety inspection and when they called up to pay, they informed me of this fact.

Come to Maryland.

Historic registration starts at 20 years with no emissions.

No safety inspections on ANY car unless it's bought or sold.

Safety and emission testing in Tennessee varies by the county. In the county were I live there are no inspections. I think the larger counties like Knox, Davidson, Hamilton and Shelby do have annual inspections. There are some laws on the books concerning driving an unsafe care if you get pulled over by the police. Broken lights, worn tires, dark tint to name a few.

MO only does emissions on cars from 1996 and up (obd-2 only). Pre 1996 model year cars are safety inspection only, though they still check for the catalytic converter and will fail if it is not present. No age exemptions here that I am aware of.

I guess the AARP/senior lobby in Maryland is particularly effective, exempting those over 70. Kind of funny that those of or past retirement age with free time during the day are given an out while those who are still (presumably) working are required to wait in a line and submit to the intrusion of the kings men (again). Can't screw up those tee-times you know. And exempting pre-1976 model year cars? Wow, doing you all a huge favor with that one. That accounts for probably >1% of the cars in the state. Government [il]logic at it's finest.

KDirk

Honestly, I think that annual safety inspections are a GOOD thing! The cost is only $14.95 and it ensures that cars have adequate tires, brakes, lights (stop/turn/running/headlights), wipers and no excessive front steering play. Yes, it can be a pain when they fail you for something as trivial as a burned out rear license plate light (yep, they did that on the Reatta). I commented that there was one working light and that is all that some cars had. He told me that TX law states that ALL lights must be working. On removal of the fixture, expecting to find a burned out bulb, I discovered that the years of heat soaking had destroyed the socket. I was able to rig it up temporarily (duct tape to the rescue) and got it past inspection (no additional cost). Then I replaced both of the rear plate fixtures with newer, undamaged ones from the salvage yard in AZ and installed LED bulbs to prevent a repeat of the heat caused deterioration.

Um, exempting pre-1994 vehicles!

The state of Florida did away with safety inspections around 1974, then in the 1980s decided emissions testing is a great idea and built hundreds of inspection stations. Once a year you paid ten bucks then drove your car on the rollers while the attendant stuck a probe up your rear and entered the VIN. Following the screen you sped your car up to various speeds then would say PASSED. After 10 years of this the Florida powers that be noticed that less than two percent of cars failed. So they closed all the stations and sold the property at distress prices, the one I went to is now a nursery supply house. I wonder how many millions that cost?