It sounds like you had an acceleration simulation mode (ASM) test, but apparently there are still some areas in CA that just do the old two speed, no load test at idle and 2500 as reported in the previous post.

The ASM test is run at 15 and 25 MPH with more load than is required to maintain those speeds on a level road, and that's why it simulates acceleration.

The cutpoints are based on the year group of the car and the weight, in 50 pound increments, which is computed at curb weight plus about 150 to 200 pounds to account for at least a driver, and the newer the year group, the lower the cutpoints.

The Bureau of Automotive Repair has a single page pdf on their Web site with a formula for computing the cut points, and the variables to plug into the formula for any year group are in a table. This is because certification limits became lower over time. Run the numbers for your car in the proper year group and you should come up with the same cutpoints as on your emission test report.

The ASM test reads proportional emissions in percent and ppm, but the original certification test requirements were based on absolute emissions in grams per mile. Thus for the same engine a heavier car will have lower cutpoints than a lighter car, an example being that the 260E/300E 2.6 will have slightly lower cutpoints than a 190E 2.6 within the same year group.

I have had numerous discussions if not outright arguments with the BAR that there is no way to directly correlate proportional emissions to the absolute certification standards. They have grudgingly agreed, but claim that the cutpoints are based on statistical analysis of their emission test database, and apparently the EPA is okay with that, but it becomes a real issue if you bust a cutpoint by a few ppm.

Duke