High emitter profie...State of California Smog testing

[MikeTangas]

Time to renew the tags on the 560, get my renewal notice and am promptly informed that my 560 might be a high emitter vehicle and I have to go to a special test only facility.

What does that mean, well for starters it costs about 50% more and the facility does not diagnose why the car dosen't pass nor do they perform repairs.

The car ahead of me, a mid 90's Caddy Fleetwood, failed because the tranny was slipping which put the RPMs out of range. Fssst, outta here.

My turn. This test is run on a dyno, with readings taken at 15 and 25 MPH. All my number came in low, although the HC's had come up a little over the last two years, probably valve stem seals starting to show some age. Car passed the emissions test, passed the visual test of components as well as the manual timing light. I did fail in one category - the gas cap. New to the enhanced testing they place the gas cap on a test filler neck and pull a vacuum (or pressurize it), well that cap failed. But the tech was happy to sell me a $3.00 cap for $11.00.

I guess I'll be ordering an OEM cap from Fastlane soon, just to get shed of that ugly generic one.

Still gets me that the State can label my car as a high emitter based on age and mileage, then turn around and congratulate me on passing the enhanced test and keeping my vehicle well maintained!

Now I get the priviledge of sending the State a check for the recently inflated registration fees .