Has anyone tried the CA smog referee recently?
#1
Has anyone tried the CA smog referee recently?
Same old story--battery disconnected during door strap check repair. Readiness codes not set, smog check due. Drove the BMW driving cycle a few times, codes still not set. Inquired with the CA smog referee scheduling people, was told as long as I don't have a CEL and the car passes the sniffer, I was good-to-go with the referee. Made an appointment for next week. In 2010 the CARB changed the rules, revoking the referee's authority to pass 993s without readinesss codes set. Have the rules changed recently, granting the referee this authority again? Has anyone tried recently? Couldn't find anything on CA.GOV website and couldn't find a direct number to an actual referee.
Last edited by Bgoldey; 02-04-2013 at 12:03 AM.
#2
Rennlist Member
Not that I've heard, but maybe someone who does have a more recent experience will pop in. Same boat as you--my 4S with a flat battery from two months of sitting at the shop. Haven't bothered with the drive cycle yet, as I've only now driven the car twice since I fired it up.
#3
Rennlist Member
Not that I've heard, but maybe someone who does have a more recent experience will pop in. Same boat as you--my 4S with a flat battery from two months of sitting at the shop. Haven't bothered with the drive cycle yet, as I've only now driven the car twice since I fired it up.
#5
Addict
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Yes, I had the same problem. I was taking my car to the Referee station at Skyline College in SF Bay Area for a previous 6 years and then at the end of 2010 when I automatically took it there, thinking I would pass with no issues, the same guy who had passed my car previously said they changed the law and couldn't do it anymore. I had to take my car to RMG to have Bob perform the drive cycle for me cause I couldn't get it done myself.
-nels
-nels
#6
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I had a real TOOL referee. I told him the readiness codes would not reset but it has no cel issues. He tested the car and it passed all tests. Then he failed me because of the readiness codes. He told me that I had to spend at least four hundred dollars at a certified shop and bring in the receipt and he would retest.
I did two attempts doing the drive cycle and succeeded on the second attempt.
Passed smog easily.
I really do not want to have to go through that again!
I did two attempts doing the drive cycle and succeeded on the second attempt.
Passed smog easily.
I really do not want to have to go through that again!
#7
Rennlist Member
I had a real TOOL referee. I told him the readiness codes would not reset but it has no cel issues. He tested the car and it passed all tests. Then he failed me because of the readiness codes. He told me that I had to spend at least four hundred dollars at a certified shop and bring in the receipt and he would retest.
I did two attempts doing the drive cycle and succeeded on the second attempt.
Passed smog easily.
I really do not want to have to go through that again!
I did two attempts doing the drive cycle and succeeded on the second attempt.
Passed smog easily.
I really do not want to have to go through that again!
It was my obviously poor attempt at making a joke of Ken's c4s situation (beautiful car not driven in so long of a time that he needs to charge the battery and drive cycle it to get it smogged).
And to answer your question, yes, I'm brown and didn't have to smog either of my cars this year. However I think this has more to do with when I originally purchased them than race, creed or color, because next year I get to smog both of them!
Sorry to derail your thread, OP.
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#9
Rennlist Member
Now, flash forward a year. We're out of the urban sewer that is the Bay Area. Taking the 4S on a 3-4 day/week ~3 mile "commute" to a shop where I'm piddling around doing alignments, light race prep and whatever air cooled work comes my way. The other two days driving maybe a mile to the golf course.
Wonder which scenario is worse for the car........
#10
Rennlist Member
Which isn't the point. They just want the money spent. That was the smog repair lobby wanting their piece of the action. But basically since the generic 17 year old car probably isn't worth spending that for repair.........they hope you take the state's $1K to salvage your gross polluter. Great deal for a 993, huh?
#11
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Which isn't the point. They just want the money spent. That was the smog repair lobby wanting their piece of the action. But basically since the generic 17 year old car probably isn't worth spending that for repair.........they hope you take the state's $1K to salvage your gross polluter. Great deal for a 993, huh?
#12
Success (finally) with the BMW driving cycle. What seemed to work for me:
1.) Cold engine start 2:20 idle
2.) 20-30 mph :05 total @ approx 2000rpm (broken due to traffic/stop signs)
3.) 56-59 mph @ approx 2000 rpm (6th gear) for :18
4.) :05 idle
5.) Shutdown
Drove about 1/4mi easy between Step #1 and #2. Drove about 2 miles easy between Step#2 and #3. Drove about 1/4mi easy between Step #3 and #4. Hit 60mph, never exceeded, RPM always less than 3000, mostly 2000ish. 3 monitors were set from the beginning (Misfire monitor, fuel system monitor, comprehensive monitor), the 5 other monitors (Catalyst, evap, SAI monitor, O2 sensor, O2 sensor heater) did not show set until after turning the key back on after step #5. Drove the complete cycle 4 times, last 2 times focusing on a target RPM of 2000.
Cancelled the appointment with the smog referee.
1.) Cold engine start 2:20 idle
2.) 20-30 mph :05 total @ approx 2000rpm (broken due to traffic/stop signs)
3.) 56-59 mph @ approx 2000 rpm (6th gear) for :18
4.) :05 idle
5.) Shutdown
Drove about 1/4mi easy between Step #1 and #2. Drove about 2 miles easy between Step#2 and #3. Drove about 1/4mi easy between Step #3 and #4. Hit 60mph, never exceeded, RPM always less than 3000, mostly 2000ish. 3 monitors were set from the beginning (Misfire monitor, fuel system monitor, comprehensive monitor), the 5 other monitors (Catalyst, evap, SAI monitor, O2 sensor, O2 sensor heater) did not show set until after turning the key back on after step #5. Drove the complete cycle 4 times, last 2 times focusing on a target RPM of 2000.
Cancelled the appointment with the smog referee.
Last edited by Bgoldey; 02-04-2013 at 12:04 AM.
#13
Banned
Yes, I had the same problem. I was taking my car to the Referee station at Skyline College in SF Bay Area for a previous 6 years and then at the end of 2010 when I automatically took it there, thinking I would pass with no issues, the same guy who had passed my car previously said they changed the law and couldn't do it anymore. I had to take my car to RMG to have Bob perform the drive cycle for me cause I couldn't get it done myself.
-nels
-nels
#14
It was my obviously poor attempt at making a joke of Ken's c4s situation (beautiful car not driven in so long of a time that he needs to charge the battery and drive cycle it to get it smogged).
And to answer your question, yes, I'm brown and didn't have to smog either of my cars this year. However I think this has more to do with when I originally purchased them than race, creed or color, because next year I get to smog both of them!
Sorry to derail your thread, OP.
And to answer your question, yes, I'm brown and didn't have to smog either of my cars this year. However I think this has more to do with when I originally purchased them than race, creed or color, because next year I get to smog both of them!
Sorry to derail your thread, OP.
Apologies to OP as well...
#15
Instructor
Don't get me started on the hypocrisy that is the CARB. Just had to smog the 993 back in January and I was required to go to a "STAR" shop since it was labled as a HEP (High Emitter Profile). I thought profiling was illegal?
Long story short, one of my kids left the interior dome light on a few weeks prior to my scheduled test time and it drained the battery while I was away on business for a few days. A full battery charge later the car was up and running, but the readiness codes were of course an issue.
Smog was pending so I set out to get them set. I didn't actually follow the prescribed BMW drive cycle as it's nearly impossible to maintain those parameters exactly given the roads around here. I did follow two simple rules. First I never exceeded 3000rpms. Second I made sure to drive the car several times to try and get enough 'time' in each speed/rpm category. By the time my smog check was due, all the readiness codes were set. I'm no expert, but it seems that the trick here is to not exceed 3000rpms until they're all set. It doesn't seem to be required to do all the driving/speeds in one shot, so long as you never exceed 3000rpms in any drive until they are. I just made sure to do a good mix of city, local expressway to log the time/speeds needed. FWIW and YMMV of course.
As far as the results, passed with flying colors. Single digit measurements for all major smog indexes. 2 more years before I have to face the firing squad again. It's almost worse than doing taxes.
Long story short, one of my kids left the interior dome light on a few weeks prior to my scheduled test time and it drained the battery while I was away on business for a few days. A full battery charge later the car was up and running, but the readiness codes were of course an issue.
Smog was pending so I set out to get them set. I didn't actually follow the prescribed BMW drive cycle as it's nearly impossible to maintain those parameters exactly given the roads around here. I did follow two simple rules. First I never exceeded 3000rpms. Second I made sure to drive the car several times to try and get enough 'time' in each speed/rpm category. By the time my smog check was due, all the readiness codes were set. I'm no expert, but it seems that the trick here is to not exceed 3000rpms until they're all set. It doesn't seem to be required to do all the driving/speeds in one shot, so long as you never exceed 3000rpms in any drive until they are. I just made sure to do a good mix of city, local expressway to log the time/speeds needed. FWIW and YMMV of course.
As far as the results, passed with flying colors. Single digit measurements for all major smog indexes. 2 more years before I have to face the firing squad again. It's almost worse than doing taxes.