NEW CALIF SMOG LAW PROPOSED

[wengr]

Everyone should pay close attention to what is going on here even if you do not live in California. This bill is a slap in the face of common sense. Like you guys have stated many times, it would only affect a small percentage of cars that are by far better maintained and rarely driven compared to newer vehicles. So why propose such legislation you ask? It can only be one of two things stupidity or money. Most politicians view us as naive subjects instead of sovereign citizens. So they either think we will be pacified by worthless legislation that has no real affect on the problem or they will make money off of it. We had emissions testing in Florida for years. It was farmed out to a "Private" company which sent you to certain repair shops that could get your cars to pass or they would put the testing wand in the car next to yours for a few extra bucks to get it to pass. So finally someone exposed it all and instead of fixing the crooked system they just killed it because it was determined that it had not positive net impact on the environment anyways. I would not be surprised to learn that someone connected some how to these politicians would be making big money selling parts, service or was sitting on a boat load of cars that needed to be scrapped at the States expense.

Sounds familiar Gunsmith, Here in Pa. some years ago there was a push for annual emisions testing. A bill passed the state house, start dates set, and a contract given to a private firm to do all testing. Well guess what, it was soon found that a number of representatives who voted in favor of the bill had considerable holdings in the firm contracted to do the testing. the resulting furor caused the testing scheme to be dropped for a while. some of test facilities that were built and never used stand vacant to this day. We now have a "visual emission equipment check" required to be done annually along with the safety inspection. the only thing actually tested is the gas tank cap. so each year the owner of each registered car in Pa. pays about $50 to test a $10 or $12 dollar part. We are scammed every which way.

[katsi]

I lived in San Diego, CA my whole life and moved to a Katy, TX about 4 years and some change ago. I had just purchased an 04 F-150 Heritage in late Sept of 04 so, I still have the truck today (will be paid off in Sept - yeah!! and only 67K). Anyway, the CA problem folllows me here as I still have a CA truck. No, I don't have to have to pass CA emmissions anymore but, I have so many additional smog items on the truck that they seem to need cleaning every year. I guess the fuel is a bit dirtier here or something. They say it's not but, my fuel system gets clogged every year about this time. In fact, it's going to Ford this friday to have the fuel system cleaned again as it will not pass TX inspection with the check engine light on and I have to have it inspected in June. The truck does not run any worse or better befor or after cleanings but it's the only wat to get the light to turn off and it only costs 260 bucks each time so, I feel slightly screwed each year by the CA smog laws . After last year, I started using a fuel additive designed to keep the system clean every 6th fill up . Didn't work . The light popped on last week . Maybe some help would be, but I doubt it, to look into Jeb Bush's reasoning for not requiring a smog inspection in FL. His argument is that the deisels were the ones doing all the pollution and since the're exempt anyway, what is the purpose of hammering regular folks.

[wengr]

Was florida not inspection free prior to Jeb Bush? I don't see any more unsafe vehicles driving about in florida than anywhere else. However if they don't get you one way they get you another. I believe there are a few dipsticks in the legislature that might actually believe that annual inspection of passanger cars actually works and is important for public safety, but for the most part it's about money. And what really shows the indifference to the public is the fact that the state govt. gets something like $2.25 per inspection - the cost of the sticker. So they will burden the public with having to arrange it and pay $50 so they can rake in $2.25

[katsi]

No, Florida was inspection free but, there were a bunch of beaurocrats trying to legislate something like in CA. Jeb Bush just put a big kybosh on the whole thing because of the fact that the deisels were doing most of the polluting. Not like in CA where you have to spend something like $500.00 in repairs B4 you can even start to get a "Pass" or some sort of exemption for your polluter. I had an old Toyota that a friend of mine was trying to sell. At the time I was driving a 1969 IH Scout with a 304 V8 and the thought of that little Tercell for driving arround was pretty nice - 250.00 bones and it ran really nice. Anyway, the car ended up a gross polluter from 0 - 15 MPH. After that, it ran really clean. The repair costs was something in the 2K range as it needed a compleete overhaul or replacement of the fuel injections system to remedy the problem and since the PO was my buddy, I didn't want to go the whole route of making the PO spend the $ for selling a car that did not pass inspection. Also, now, it was in the system as a gross polluter so, you couldn't take it to a "special" place that does not exist to get it to pass . So, I took the tags off my jet ski trailor and drove the car for 5 years to work and back without any incident. The whole smog law in CA is a joke really. Anyone with an older car, for the most part, is taking really good care of it. And, someone with the really bad polluters are driving without insurance or a license anyway so, that's the least of their problems.

[So Cal Mark]

if your injectors are getting clogged, it's not due to Calif emission equip. On a late model vehicle like that, the changes for Calif are mostly calibration issues in the ECM. If the dealer is charging 260 for injector cleaning, they're ripping you off. Ask what fault code is stored in the ecm when you take it in and post it. I'd like to know what failure you have

[katsi]

I will ask for the fault code and post it here. As for the past, it has always been a fuel system problem. I believe it included the injectors but it also had some other items as well. I think some egr valves or something like that keep clogging up. I really don't know exactly as I gave up trying to understand the computer generation automobiles. I'm really just a shade tree mechanic and an average one at that. But, I will definatly let you know what the code is. Who knowes, this year it might be something different but, I doubt it. That damn light goes on every year about this time. Another thing I notice here in TX is that the inside of my fuel door gets especially dirty. I clean it out about every 3 months or so but I keep getting this black greasy buildup in there. It's not overspill or deposits from the fuel additives I use. I have a funnel for that stuff. I have never had this type of gunk build up in CA.

[So Cal Mark]

next up in Calif is smog inspections for motorcycles built in 2000 and newer. It seems bikes count for 3% of the vehicles, but contribute 10% of the pollution. It's estimated that 85% of the newer bikes are using a modified illegal exhaust with the catalyst removed, increasing their emissions 100 times over stock.
All of this because the epa has ordered Calif to meet standards by 2011 or lose federal highway funding. It seems out the 10 cities in the US with the worst air pollution, 9 are in Calif

[htchevyii]

I received this email from Assemblymember Jeffries, at least we have few on our side:

Fellow automobile enthusiasts,

You had contacted me earlier this year regarding your opposition to AB 859, which would have increased the smog check requirements for cars more than 15 years old, adding new costs to collectors, while accomplishing very little in improving our state’s air quality.

I am pleased to inform you yesterday this bill was held on the “suspense file” in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and is essentially dead for this year. This is truly a victory—but like a bad penny, bad ideas also return over and over again in Sacramento , so we must all continue to be vigilant in protecting our hobby.

In the meantime, I will continue to look out for the interests of automobile enthusiasts as vice-chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, and I encourage you to contact me with issues of concern as they come up in Sacramento, and I am always open to suggestions on how the state’s laws may be improved to make things easier for automobile collectors, customizers, and racers in California.

Thank you again for taking the time to contact my office,

Kevin Jeffries

Assemblyman, 66th District

[Gunsmith]

Did alliens replace a politician? What a great letter! Make sure you guys in Cali let this guy feel your support so he knows he can do the right thing and still keep his job.

[So Cal Mark]

Assemblyman Jeffries is my new hero!

[baltobernie]

Not that I'm a cynic but I wonder if Assemblyman Jeffries had two letters prepared prior to the motion. One to send to the motorheads, and a polar opposite version to send to the tree-huggers, depending on which way the vote went

[So Cal Mark]

he swings both ways?

[Gunsmith]

That's impossible, no politician would ever do that.

[baltobernie]

Oh, all right, I guess I am a cynic. But it probably wouldn't hurt to send the guy a written letter thanking him for his efforts. They may "swing both ways", but they sure swing hardest in the direction of the most noise.

Bernie
17 air miles from the White House
good thing I'm upwind