Frustrated with the Emissions Place!

[ehjorten]

So...last year to have to emissions test my '91 Crew Cab!  Yeah!...or so I thought!

2 years ago I went in and they couldn't get the tach to read properly through the cigarette lighter.  Their tach was jumping all over the place from idle to 5,000 RPM and stuff when my truck was sitting there idling smooth as can be!  They tried hooking into the battery and that didn't work either!  Had to get manager approval to bypass the tach measurement.

Then...with the o2 probes he was having a really difficult time to get the probes up in the exhaust and it kept reading 'excessive dilution'!  They told me you have an exhaust leak.  Really?  Listen to it at 2,500 RPM!  You would hear an exhaust leak!  Then while they were fiddling around with the o2 probes it starts running really rough and popping and farting!  It never does that!  When I finally drove away in frustration it was barely running and acting like it was really running rich!  It ran like crap for about a 1/2 mile and then cleared-up and ran normal!

It hasn't done anything like that in 2 years!...now when I go back to get emissions tested...guess what?...same thing!!!  Coincidence?  This time it died driving away and I had a heck of a time getting it started again.  It would start...die...start...run really rough...die.  When I drove away it was running so bad!  about 1/2 mile away...clears out and runs great!

WTH???!!!  Is there something that they are doing either intentionally or inadvertently that is causing this?  If I do have an exhaust leak it is super minor!  could that be causing the excessive dilution?  Stupid guy there told me...we can't get enough heat out of your exhaust!  I said...REALLY?!  Where do you think it is going?  Evaporating into thin air?!

[Jason S]

I am so happy to be done with emissions!

We can't get enough heat out of your exhaust!

If your exhaust exits out the back or behind the rear wheels, they may not be equipped to 'sniff' a 1/2 mile long exhaust system.

[zieg85]

I fight them every time on my C30.  They do the visual and see no cat.  I tell them never came with them.  I said check your book, I had the same issue 2 years ago and showed them last test.  We don't use books anymore just the computer now.  I said your computer is wrong, let me talk with the manager.  He isn't here today.  I said call down state.  They are not open on Saturday.  I said I am not leaving till you test me and pass it.  You did it 2 years ago and I probably didn't put 200 miles on it since then.  They finally tested it and passed.  They wouldn't take my word is what bothered me the most.

[LTZ C20]

I took my 79 in one time, they told me the egr was bad, paid for a brand new one of those, finally passed, then that night I drive 50 miles away and it starts  loosing power and running like crap. Come to find they left 1 bolt on the egr loose and both bolts in the back of the carb loose, huge vacuum leak! And the throttle cable bracket was loose too, couldn't accelerate! So stupid these guys. So I finally just decided to park it when the engine went out. Now I drive the 73 with a new engine and trans. 79 is parts truck now.

[Irish_Alley]

delaware they test emissions in 2 out of the 3 countys and do a brake test besides that if your lights work then your good. maryland its up to your countys digression and in my county they dont. but they are meticulous about safety so they take the axles apart to check everything they can it takes about 1.5 hours to 2 hours lol

[Captkaos]

I know nothing about emmissions testing thankfully but what do these probes look like?  Is it stopping up the exhaust?

[VileZambonie]

Make sure your fuel lines are routed away from heat sources. Are they running the fan on it when they test it?

[zieg85]

I know nothing about emmissions testing thankfully but what do these probes look like?  Is it stopping up the exhaust?

Here is the type Indiana use to use.  Now they capture the entire tailpipe

[LTZ C20]

That's what California uses too.