Jorge6.5
Well-Known Member
That's nuts how they can be totally nazis and not even conduct the test in the proper manner. In NY there is no emissions test for diesels over 8500lb gvwr
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CA Smog: Failed This Time. Need Help with Action Plan.
- Thread starter Big T
- Start date
Big T
Well-Known Member
Don, my wife and I are with you on the population issue, more so here with 38 million in CA, 23 million in SoCal. We have elderly care issues that keep us here. Otherwise, we would have already checked out. My wife would like a small ranch in the Missoula area of Montana and that will happen. She threatened to go buy one just to house the Suburban.
I was patient as I had finished nearly all the heavy hauling of stuff up to Big Bear, so there wasn't a desperate need for the Burb. But this weekend we need it to haul a sectional up there.
One thing is increasingly clear: they've really ratcheted up the smog testing here in CA. They are on this stuff like hawks. I mean I had to get a State over ride of a referee!
Good news is that they were never able to figure out the ECM has been reflashed. None of them detected I had B99 in it. The good shit will go back on for another two year run. The truck with a GM-5 and a cat converter is a dog. I do get some good turbo whistle, but nothing like Colby gets with his ATT and Heath Air Box on the '94. None of the aftermarket airboxes would get passed here. Only stock turbo, exhaust pipe and cat. It's a freaking nightmare out here. Need to buy '97 and earlier diesels.
Big T
Well-Known Member
The last guy commented the same that the GVW at 8600 made this a heavy duty truck. I think that is the underlying reason why they waived it on the OBD II system check. Also, none of their testing equipment had the protocols to talk to mine. Only his oldest hand held scanner was able to talk to my OBD II. All of my hand held scanners can talk to it. I guess I just need to frame the current paperwork for future reference.
At the end of the day, the local guy who initially failed me went the extra mile to pass me. Ironically, throughout all of this, I never paid a testing fee. I did spend $350 on exhaust work. Very lucky I had the old turbo and vac pumps and Handcannon came through with a cat converter.
dangerousdave
1994 6.5 Suburban
You make me so happy to have a '94. Thanks for the adventure story. 
Big T
Well-Known Member
You make me so happy to have a '94. Thanks for the adventure story.
Trust me, I look longingly at my son's '94.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Woohoo!!! Glad to hear you got it.
Keep all documents, and a copy just in case for following years.
Here they do a test with the sensor hanging at the tail pipe, but on a set of dyno rollers to load the engine. My Hummer was a nightmare because its full time 4wd, and no adjustable wheelbase twin roller system is in the state. After getting waivers from 3 different people in 2 different locations every time-I found out I could avoid that by raising the gvw rating to the door sticker of 10,500 (additional $50 annual fee)and was good to go for 2 years. Why2? Because the now require it on all weights.
They still have to waive me on it due to full time 4wd, and someone was very nice and made a change where it all can be done at 1 location. They added fees for it, and won't remove the added fee for the 10,500 weight and won't lower it back down.
As soon as the states all start talking to each other and figure out how to milk the money from everyone for it...
Keep all documents, and a copy just in case for following years.
Here they do a test with the sensor hanging at the tail pipe, but on a set of dyno rollers to load the engine. My Hummer was a nightmare because its full time 4wd, and no adjustable wheelbase twin roller system is in the state. After getting waivers from 3 different people in 2 different locations every time-I found out I could avoid that by raising the gvw rating to the door sticker of 10,500 (additional $50 annual fee)and was good to go for 2 years. Why2? Because the now require it on all weights.
They still have to waive me on it due to full time 4wd, and someone was very nice and made a change where it all can be done at 1 location. They added fees for it, and won't remove the added fee for the 10,500 weight and won't lower it back down.
As soon as the states all start talking to each other and figure out how to milk the money from everyone for it...
Gawd I am wore out! Glad you got her done.
Big T
Well-Known Member
They never put it on the rollers, nor did they stick a sniffer in it. They crawled under to check the exhaust, but only visual, no banging.
I don't quite understand the whole computer issue talking with my OBD II, but apparently that is not required for my vehicle. The State people had more visibility to data from prior hook-ups to my vehicle that the local guys did not. Thank god they know each other and have phones.
I don't quite understand the whole computer issue talking with my OBD II, but apparently that is not required for my vehicle. The State people had more visibility to data from prior hook-ups to my vehicle that the local guys did not. Thank god they know each other and have phones.
GM Guy
Manual Trans. 2WD Enthusiast
so 1997 and older diesels for Personal, (non business) are exempt?
I am all for a last year diesel burb, but after that ordeal, a 97 might be on the list to find...
glad you made it through it, but sorry you had to in the first place.
I am all for a last year diesel burb, but after that ordeal, a 97 might be on the list to find...
glad you made it through it, but sorry you had to in the first place.
Chevypoor
Active Member
Congrats on finally passing. What an ordeal. My understanding Northern Va has emissions and I am scared that will be moving south. Tennessee may be an option, although I am sure they will find a way to ruin that as well. Do not blame you for checking out when you can... they do not call it the land of fruits and nuts for nothing!
JayTheCPA
Well-Known Member
At Last!!!!
Stinks that you had to go through all of the extra work and frustration of making the truck 'pretty' just to pass the equivalent of a beauty contest's 'swim-suit' part of the inspection.
And chances are that the OBD II check was probably just to verify whether there were any codes (not all codes trigger the light).
Toward the earlier question of a permanent solution to this mess, the only low level of effort one that I could think of was to find a twin out there and put all the OE stuff in the 'spare' burb. Then every two years, yank the wind screen, swap VIN plates (presuming the inspectors actually compare the notice to the plate), and go pass the 'swim-suit' inspection again. Yeah, I know, probably not a helpful idea
Seems like the only true permanent solution is to get California to do an actual scientific measurement of the 6.5's exhaust stream or issue a permanent waiver for the 6.5 IDI class of engines given the current process apparently lacks a repeatable and measurable result. Neither seems likely without involvement of either a federal level IG or local affiliate of the national media. Trust me, I am completely with California's intent of minimizing emissions, but agree with all the comments here on TTS that a subjective measure holds no value. But I digress . . .
Back to the original point: PARTY TIME!!!artay::fest30:
Stinks that you had to go through all of the extra work and frustration of making the truck 'pretty' just to pass the equivalent of a beauty contest's 'swim-suit' part of the inspection.
And chances are that the OBD II check was probably just to verify whether there were any codes (not all codes trigger the light).
Toward the earlier question of a permanent solution to this mess, the only low level of effort one that I could think of was to find a twin out there and put all the OE stuff in the 'spare' burb. Then every two years, yank the wind screen, swap VIN plates (presuming the inspectors actually compare the notice to the plate), and go pass the 'swim-suit' inspection again. Yeah, I know, probably not a helpful idea
Seems like the only true permanent solution is to get California to do an actual scientific measurement of the 6.5's exhaust stream or issue a permanent waiver for the 6.5 IDI class of engines given the current process apparently lacks a repeatable and measurable result. Neither seems likely without involvement of either a federal level IG or local affiliate of the national media. Trust me, I am completely with California's intent of minimizing emissions, but agree with all the comments here on TTS that a subjective measure holds no value. But I digress . . .
Back to the original point: PARTY TIME!!!
artay::fest30:
Big T
Well-Known Member
Well, I have been talking about getting another K2500 4wd Suburban. Ideally, that would be a '97 and earlier, very clean on body and interior, blown engine or Trans, price reflecting that. Then I'd throw in the P400 and the normal goodies and be done with the smog thing. Of course it's not like I have nothing else to do on my plate. Like this little journey to pass the biannual smog check was a complete distraction. That said, it did get me to replace the injector return lines and glow plugs.
:raincloud: I will rain on this parade because this is such a bad idea. :suicide: I suggest you have something that looks like or is a cat somewhere on the exhaust all the time! :blindfold: This way they don't have to "take a closer look". You already had a clear warning on just how much that state will screw with you for this being missing. That is clearly intentional.
A melt down and break up that blows the innards clean out happens. Engine may stall a few times... How are you supposed to know yours did?
Do you want to go through this again if CA brings back or still does the roadside emission checks?
Everyone involved at the state is patting themselves on the back for bringing this vehicle into compliance and justifying the emissions tests 'we' suffer through.
The Duramax cat on my 4" exhaust is bigger than the muffler. It is clearly a cat in the mirror they use to see if it is there. I have enough trouble with the measured snap smoke test without other things for them to complain about.
Congrats on passing and overcoming the 'mistake'. I merely suggest you don't set it up to make it again...
Big T
Well-Known Member
At the moment there are no roadside tests, no money for them and no plans to implement them. So I'm left with a test every two years and I need to have the stock turbo, vac pump, and 3" pipe to the catalytic converter installed for that test. in the interim two years, you know what I'm running.
Big T
Well-Known Member
Here's a link to an article explaining the direction in smog testing is away from tailpipe testing and towards OBD II systems checking:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/smogcheck/march09/transitioning_to_obd_only_im.pdf
I'll note that it applies to '96 and later OBD II gasoline powered vehicles. Apparently the OBD II system check is not necessary on my diesel truck.
A final observation, the smoke test is purely subjective. The final test station did the snap test and commented "Greg (ie the referee) passed you on that?" Well Greg the referee said "it smokes on start up but I can't fail you on that. It's based on whether there's smoke after snapping the accelerator and how long that lingers. He was comfortable with my smoke. Plus, with the B99 it smelled like French fries, super sized.
I'm waiting to hear Leroy's longer term results on his tune, specifically for mileage and smoke. Also waiting to hear more about the injector nozzles with 3 year warranty.
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/smogcheck/march09/transitioning_to_obd_only_im.pdf
I'll note that it applies to '96 and later OBD II gasoline powered vehicles. Apparently the OBD II system check is not necessary on my diesel truck.
A final observation, the smoke test is purely subjective. The final test station did the snap test and commented "Greg (ie the referee) passed you on that?" Well Greg the referee said "it smokes on start up but I can't fail you on that. It's based on whether there's smoke after snapping the accelerator and how long that lingers. He was comfortable with my smoke. Plus, with the B99 it smelled like French fries, super sized.
I'm waiting to hear Leroy's longer term results on his tune, specifically for mileage and smoke. Also waiting to hear more about the injector nozzles with 3 year warranty.
Im in Singapore for a couple weeks. I'll get back on that when I get back.
JMJNet
Recruit
Wow. Congratulation on passing the SMOG.
I guess, I cannot complain in TX.
I guess, I cannot complain in TX.
fastjohnny
Member
At Last!!!!
Toward the earlier question of a permanent solution to this mess, the only low level of effort one that I could think of was to find a twin out there and put all the OE stuff in the 'spare' burb. Then every two years, yank the wind screen, swap VIN plates (presuming the inspectors actually compare the notice to the plate), and go pass the 'swim-suit' inspection again. Yeah, I know, probably not a helpful idea
And being caught doing that would make Steve's emissions seem like a 4 year-old kid's birthday party!