I went to try and get 951 to pass Ohio E-check (emissions) today, no dice.

Test 1
HC Actual: 112 HC Limit: 161 PASS
NO Actual: 1954 NO Limit: 1410 FAIL

Backed off some fuel
Test 2
HC Actual: 70 HC Limit: 161 PASS
NO Actual:1650 NO Limit: 1410 FAIL

The main reason for the high NO is oil burnoff. Being a fresh motor, it's still using up a little bit as it shaves in the rings. Another few thousand miles and it should pass. Unfortunately, I don't have that much time to wait.

One of the workers said if I had recent receipts worth over $300, the EPA would file an exemption. I asked how many $300 receipts they wanted... I hike all the way home (across the other side of the city, then go back. I come in with my 3" binder full of paperwork totaling tens of thousands of dollars in work, thinking that should be enough for them.

Then... the bomb shell.. they need one that is no older than 60 days. I carefully explain to them that 99.9% of the car has all new parts with less than 4000 miles on them, and that the car had been recently returned to the road after a 3 year rebuild. She directs me to the main EPA office, since they can evaluate the car and the paperwork.

Bomb shell take two... EPA says I must have temporary tags for 60 days before they can start to process the exemption. That means that I need to get 2 temp tags at $110 each!!!!

I have 2 options... I can apply for collectors plates, $45 option PLUS $35 to have my personal plates applied to it, PLUS the $95 registration fee.... or I can slap a used turbo down pipe/cat and hope it passes. (and hope I don't burn out the core on the way over)

To top it all off... this early model Cavalier rolls in billowing blue smoke, and yup... it passes. I asked one of the testing agents about it, and how that car could possibly be allowed to pass. That particular model and year is not checked for NO content, only CO and HC. He said it passed HC by 3ppm.

What a waste of a day. Finally... if there is someone with the Ohio Govt that happens to read this... jot this down for the next board meeting:

Why not put an e-check station, EPA station, and title office in one location? The closest title office from the E-check station I went to is 40 miles away. Then.. the EPA office I needed to go to was an additional 25 miles. Considering the state E-checks over 15 million cars a year (according to the informative fact sheet posted at the E-check office), that adds up to a whopping 975,000,000 miles each year, or 39,000,000 gallons of fuel. (if every car got 25 miles per gallon)



//Rant off.

 

Screw fuel consumption, how much HC and NO does all that driving put into the air.

EPA is just another Beuracracy that needs to justify itself. They care less about keeping the enviornment clean than my cat does. And I don't even have a cat.

 

did you at least have fun driving from one place to the other in the 951?

order a few parts from jason or chuck, give the epa the receipt, then return the parts.

 

Sidebar I know perry, but sorry, you got me all heated up.

http://nhpr.org/view_content/707/

The EPA actually mandated that we continue to pollute our water here in NH (Amongst other places)

 

In CA it is worse.

The first time I had my car emissions tested in CA, I did something called a "pre-test". Like a full test, results not reported to the state.

It passed with flying colors. Then he turned off the car for 20 minutes, started it, and did the second test within 30 seconds of turning the car on. Needless to say, it almost failed.

So, since only the second score was reported, my car has been "profiled" ever since then as a possible gross polluter. So I have to go to a special facility to be tested.

And two other times, the a**clowns did the exact same thing with letting the car sit before the test. Really annoying.

Oh, and if you fail and it was reported... god help you.

Kevin

 

Don't they shoot you in california for that?

With a lead free bullet of course.

I thought it was under the same category as smokers.

 

Sorry brian.. I just changed this post because I learned that I no longer have friends at Echeck (they don't work there) Even if they did since you failed once they would be unable to help you. I can only say that you mention that its 4 wheel drive so you don't have to do roll test.

 

Hey Brian...I just replaced my 51K mile cat with an SFR testpipe (we dont keer nun bout no dang pollushun down heer in Lexington)...You're welcome to it if you think it will help...

 

Brian, if you can afford it, go the collector plate route and be done with these vermin. After noting the pollution index numbers from our past "mild" summer (they still sucked occasionally) I am convinced that even though the politicians are making noise about getting rid of E-Check (public opinion, to garner votes) the EPA will still force the few counties in non-compliance in Ohio to have some sort of test, whether they re-up with Marta or not. They'll be around for a while. You could use another exhaust to get through now, but in a year or two you are right back to these *** clowns. DONE WITH THEM I SAY, DONE WITH THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Coming soon to california - Smog Dyno!
They will actually run the car on a dyno to 25mph to simulate real life driving conditions. Failure rate is expected to be around 40%. BASTARDS!!!

 

I'm glad I don't have to put up with that crap. We just mod the hell out of our cars and make sure the headlights keep working!!!

Sorry man, good luck.

 

Hey 1998porsche944, In ohio they do a rolling dyno test...
My 944's output was so rediculously low...

 

Sorry to hear about your ordeal, that's why I love Indiana, no stupid laws (almost).

 

in columbus, we dont have e-check.

they do in cleveland and cincy though... go figure

 

In Indiana there is absolutely no e-checks, statewide. The man that I bought my car from recently moved from Connecticut, which is one of the worst states for emissions stuff. He said the check station he had to drive to was almost 2 hours away! that's stupid. My car passed in '03 though.