+1 for this guy. as an engine mechanic my third most common question is "can you get my car to pass a smog check??"
And the answer is usually, "maybe."
So many cars are just behind on the maintenance that one expensive checkup is all it takes before they pass and become slightly less noxious on the road.
The biggest, most infuriating thing for me however is professional drivers / truckers that insist upon idling because "WELL the sticker says its CALIFORNIA clean idle certified!" That doesnt mean people wont hate you for filling the streets with diesel fumes while you finish your lunch.
Even new cars can be polluting more than expected. All those VWs out there that don't have their computers corrected from the cheating scandal. And I see a fair amount of 1/2 ton pickup trucks with 4 inch exhaust pipes that pump out clouds of black exhaust.
>The biggest, most infuriating thing for me however is professional drivers / truckers that insist upon idling
Why would they do that? Isn't that just a waste of fuel? I know some people do that in extremely cold climates because they won't get the engine to start again otherwise, but I would guess unless you're in Alaska that shouldn't be an issue.
Idling for more than sixty seconds is illegal here in Norway. Of course not many people are prosecuted for it. And as for not getting the engine started again, well that might have been a problem fifty years ago but in all my more than three decades in Norway I have not had any trouble starting a car in the cold except when I have left the car unused for weeks so that the battery is low.
Perhaps you are right about Alaska though, much colder there.
The other responses to this post may be thinking of CA vehicles year 1999 and older which require tailpipe measurements and dyno loading.
Newer vehicles usually only require the OBDII review and they will double check codes haven't been cleared recently and all sensors are in spec. No dyno or tailpipe measurements are required in CA on year 2000 and newer.
This is why smog shops offer $20-$40 for year 2000 and newer and $70+ for 1999 and older. It's more human time intensive to test year 1999 and older.
...except in California, to which the parent comment is clearly referring; there, emissions testing equipment is attached to your vehicle and particulate output measured.
Varies by state. In California, we put the car up on a dynonometer and run it through various speeds and engine RPMs, while measuring the tailpipe emissions. Gas cap is checked to ensure good seal, and the MIL (Check Engine light) is tested to make sure it both works, and is off.
And the answer is usually, "maybe." So many cars are just behind on the maintenance that one expensive checkup is all it takes before they pass and become slightly less noxious on the road.
The biggest, most infuriating thing for me however is professional drivers / truckers that insist upon idling because "WELL the sticker says its CALIFORNIA clean idle certified!" That doesnt mean people wont hate you for filling the streets with diesel fumes while you finish your lunch.