The wonderful state of CA isn't doing me any favors.

Instead of being able to go to a local smog shop for $50 and smog my 993, I was instructed to go to a "test only" site. According to the local shop, its like a lottery where the shop is tested by fake cars monthly to make sure everything is legit.

So I go and pay $70 for the "test only" shop.

When I got the report I found out the real reason I'm there: Inspection Reason: High Emitter Profile.

It was funny that the inspector put the o2 sensor on one pipe and listed it as a single exhaust. I guess it was too far to bend over and see the other one.

Despite not feeling the love from the state- I passed.

Hi Rob,
I got one of those, too for the '89 911. "High Emitter Profile". Is this the auto equivalent of racial profiling because you react poorly to bean burritos?.

P cars must have been dirty enough in the past that they flag them for more frequent inspection. My car passed without a problem but it took the tech a while to find all the smog equipment on it. It's always difficult to watch them with a clip board walking around the car looking and looking ...

Huh, so I'm not the only one, I got sent to a "Test Only" shop too for my 93 RS America. I had to show the tech? where everything was, and yes I passed. what I don't understand is, why does it cost more at a test only shop verses a regular test and repair shop? Me thinks we're getting screwed again. Later, Don

Yeah, you wonder what a test only station is going to do that regular place wouldn't do. Another waste of tax payer's money.

I had to take my 79 911SC to a "test only" station. It failed the first time. He tested it again and it passed the second time. Why?? I retire soon and am wondering who you have to know to open your own "test only" station?
cheers, Elliot

The "test only" station took all of 3 minutes to pass the car. He hooked up one of the distributor caps, put a tube in one of the exhausts, rev'd to 2500 rpm, let it idle, took the gas cap off. Done.

I was in and out in 5 minutes tops.

I even backed the car in for him....

What a waste of time / money. I still love CA though.

My next 911 will be a 74 or earlier with a 3.2 in it.

Rob,

Where is the "test" station closest to us?

I received the same love note you did for my 77 Ford F150....

Gotta schedule a time up...

Thanks,

Bill P.

Rant-
I got a letter in the mail a few years ago. Seems like my 914 was tagged as a gross polluter from CARB. The letter said I was "Sniffed" while driving out on the 101-680-280 interchange. On XYZ date somewhere on 1998-98. The letter "suggested" that I should bring it into a "official califorina" test station. Guess so some certified califorina dork-wad could tag my car as a gross polluter. Then they'd give me 500 bucks for it and turn it into scrap. OH GOODIE...

Thing was that the date the letter said I was "sniffed" by a roadside sensor" I was never there. So I tore it up and tossed the letter in the trash.. I still have my car. Thank You. Oh and I still get the letters in the mail from CARB telling my I can scrap my car and the state will give my 500bucks. Oh and I would my doing my part to help the envoriment . More flowers would grow, little bunny rabbits could be free and we could all live in peace.

Sorry.
end-of-rant.

Pat

I run bunny rabbits over.

The "test only" station is the 76 station at Moorpark / Saratoga / 280. 15 minutes tops is all you need.

With the $500 offer letter... I've been getting them every year for my 914. You are exactly right Pat, they pay you $500 to get it off the road and then a scrap yard makes a ton of dough selling the parts. Its a bad deal unless you time right- ie your car engine blows and the body breaks apart a month before you get the letter. LOL>

QUOTE (Rob Ways @ Dec 24 2004, 10:11 PM)

The "test only" station is the 76 station at Moorpark / Saratoga / 280. 15 minutes tops is all you need.

I'll drive an electric 914 before I go to a test station.

I had a long talk with a repair shop owner this summer. There was a 944 turbo in his shop on a dynamometer. Turns out recent changes to smog laws has benefited his shops bottom line. I don't remember the exact details but, I guess some cars now must be tested on a Dyno. Of course some will fail (doomed to) and then become gross polluters. 500bucks!. YEAH! The owner was running a special at 70$ for a check, then he was planning to raise it to 100$. Replacing the CAT ushally brought the cars to pass but, we all know how expensive that can be.

End or rant. I promise.

Pat

I had to take my 89 Trooper to a test only shop this time, gross pollluter profile?? The truck failed and I had to put a new cat on it and then it passed fine. The reason the test only shops are more is because they can't sell you any service or repair and so they can't make more than the test, unlike reg smog shops who can sell a tuneup and the like after you fail....ah, life in the big state....

Its a joke, and you got played. Accept it for what it is, charge it to the game and move on. Part of owning a 993

I got a test only on my 85 911, I pulled the 911chips chip and reinstalled the cat. I got the car real hot. It passed just fine. Gross polluter profile. Funny thing my 1994 Camry v-6 and 1994 F-150 351 v8 both had to go into Test only Gross polluter profile. They must not like me luck only $50.00 each time. Thanks Mark

QUOTE

I guess some cars now must be tested on a Dyno.

Pat, that's the whole Bay Area now. I just had my first dyno smog test in my Jetta. It passed with flying colors. With older 911s, because of their gearing, you need to get the guy to run the test in first gear rather than second. Otherwise, the test in second gear at less than 2,000 rpms, lugging the engine, is unfair to the car. It would never be driven that way.

QUOTE (anthony @ Dec 25 2004, 09:22 AM)

QUOTE I guess some cars now must be tested on a Dyno. Pat, that's the whole Bay Area now.

I've not had to smog any of my cars for a number of years. I'll count my 93 Ranger as under the radar for now.

I think all these "gross polluter profiles" have been appended to cars registered in the DMV as part of the last smog bill that was passed in CA

And if you wrote to your governor to oppose issue, you probably got flagged. (not suprised).

I recently got a letter from the EPA where they offered me $650 for my teener to reduce air pollution. I was think, you know my 914 gets 25-30 mpg and weighs less than 2000 lbs...what kind of damage could I possibly be doing to the enviroment compared to the other cars on the road.

-Britain

Roadside sniffers...Huh?

What are those and where have I been?

KT

QUOTE (Britain Smith @ Dec 25 2004, 05:06 PM)

I recently got a letter from the EPA where they offered me $650 for my teener to reduce air pollution. I was think, you know my 914 gets 25-30 mpg and weighs less than 2000 lbs...what kind of damage could I possibly be doing to the enviroment compared to the other cars on the road. -Britain

Britan...this is what happens when you try to apply logic to the strange and wonderful thing that is our "democracy"....they don't do logic....Merry Christmas!