How do W123 diesels pass emissions?
 

I often see W123 diesels puffing smoke everywhere on the road. How do they pass DEQ?

Just curious.

not sure what the emissions laws are in your neck o the woods, but in CA diesels, motorcycles and pre-74 gassers are smog exempt.

check out this previous thread, good reading -

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?threadid=75194&highlight=truth+emissions

Answer:
 

Passenger diesel powered cars are exempt from formal emissions testing in most states. BUT! They are still subject to inspection failure (as well as road failure) for "visible" admissions.

And I have to say, I do not see many passenger diesel's smoking excessively. I think the vast majority of diesel owners are too proud to let that happen.

Smoke is only the visible part of the exhaust. I don't know exactly everything that's in exhaust. Diesels are much cleaner than g@ssers in most points and g@ssers are much cleaner than diesels in some other points.

I've seen some g@ssers of the same era put out MORE smoke than ours.

Side note: If you think our diesels put out alot of thick smoke, think of every time the space shuttle has launched ;)

the space shuttle launches rarely.

Old MB diesels smell awful. How do you stand the smell?

I'm not a troll. I just wanted to know how W123 diesels get pass DEQ and know I know.

Lots of old diesel cars smell. I, for one, think they smell and sound awful when I head and smell them. The diesel smell from the diesel car in front gets into my brain.

W123s seem to be very solid, well-built cars though.

They smell bad from the rear not the inside. You don't want to breath my exhaust after I had me some nice spicy chili. Diesel is just a whole different mind set. I prefer diesels myself.

Also my perticular diesel barely puffs any smoke. Even at night you can't hardly see my exhaust. ONLY of course when she's cold... then yes she does make a nice smoke screen. I drive her hard to keep my clouds down to a small black fart (that is not visible from inside the car) intially from a dead stop.

Nevada requires a smog check on all light-duty diesels. What they measure is the exhaust opacity, and all 3 of my cars aced the test. The highest was 3% I think.

You're right, some old MB diesels smoke a lot, but that's because they're not well maintained. Well maintained MB diesels will only smoke a little bit when cold or just for a second when accelerating hard.

Still we all know that old MB diesels produce a certain smell. I, like many people on this board, don't mind it. I think old gasoline cars and trucks smell a lot worse.

Yes indeedy, the Republic of California has seen fit to exempt our old diesel cars :D . My boss got a letter from AQMB (Air Quality Management Board ) to bring his car in to a referee station for testing because some cheese dick reported seeing his vehicle ( an 85 300CD in near perfect condition ) blowing smoke. He ignored it without any problems following.
My gas rigs, hereinafter referred to as "gross polluters", put out a great deal more pollutents than our diesels. These little 6 cylinder hot rodded Porsche engines idle @7% CO :eek: . Full throttle in a 3.5 liter twin plug buried the needle on my mobile Bosch CO machine and at night a 12 inch blue flame trails out my exaust pipe from my bright red K36 turbocharger.
Add to the above: I have taken the State smog stations to court and won :D .
And I have a smog licence.
The only time I smell diesel is when I'm behind one.

I can't stand the smell of gas! Its so strong it makes me choke.

Everytime I pump diesel into the tank a take a big whiff and exclaim in relief, "Ahhhh,.."

There's also something called biodiesel that makes it smell like freedom fries.:)


"BAH DAH DAH DAAAAH DAAH,... I'm LOVIN' it!"

You must not have seen my bumper sticker: "Diesel smoke makes me horney" :D

Kidding aside, I do like the smell. It's just something about it that attracts me back for another joyride everyday.

One smell I CAN'T stand is a rich burning g@sser :mad:

Here it is:

They just pass, so let it be...

Yeah, try riding behind one of those Ford Excretions, I mean, Excursions.

You want to smell gas? Come smell my, ummm...Never mind.

Nice bumper sticker. What did the cop say when he pulled you over after that little "smoking" incident?:D

I think I've had too much of "Grandpa's old cough medicine":p