I wrote a letter to the CARB a couple of years ago, criticizing them for the Smog Check II program. They replied that they are merely the environmental enforcement branch of the CA state government and carry out the law as dictated by the legislature. It seems then that the people to complain to, or lobby to, are the legislators and the Governor - those in power who write the laws.

I suspect that since your neighborhood smog check place doesn't make a killing writing smog certificates, and the fact that the latest 2-wheel dyno test equipment is super-expensive, leads me to believe that it is the manufacterers of this equipment that effectively lobbies legislators to pass dumb-*** laws like Smog Check II.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

 

too bad there's no legislature or law or whatever that allows a person to pay a one time fee and be exempt from visual examination and only be subjected to ACTUAL emissions testing. i'd pay a few hundred for that. i know it's a ****ty compromise, but it would probably work.

 

CARB has lobbyists that work for them. Before smogcheckII was enacted, they discussed with the EPA if it was possible for them to restrict the emission standards for cars and trucks to a cleaner standard, and allow them to sell pollution credits to refineries and manufactures.

CARB has a set standard how much a factory is allowed to output for production. If you go over, you are heavily fined. CARB started selling pollution credits to these companies which allowed them to pollute just as much, but at a lower cost to the companies.

The EPA allowed them to do this as long as the emissions on the cars was lowered, hence smogcheckII was born

 

scott > this thread

 

That is such BS....the thing that really gets me....is what about all those jaloppies driving around spewing smokescreens behind them all the way down the freeway.....or here's another kicker.....isn't it true that Diesel engines are smog exempt? how many Semi-trucks do you see driving around spewing out black clouds from their smoke stacks.....or as others have said, what about the Factories that are constantly pumping isht into the atmosphere creating acid rain and other anomalies. Then they try and pin the blame on regular cars, and the NEW cars that already burn super clean, and get even MORE strict emissions standards. Its whack.....and its all about making money....I would be willing to bet that these law makers could care less about the environment, and only care how fat their wallets are. Also, why is it that CA has (probably) the most strict emissions standards in the entire country? what about the other 49 states? yea, they have smog check, but alot of states have much more lenient (sp?) standards, Like NV for example. So does that mean that other states dont pollute as much as CA? BS.....CA is in the middle of a budget crisis....meaning they NEED MONEY BAD....hence, all this emissions crap, using the environment to justify the raping and pillaging of our automotive enthusiasm...... I just dont get it.



-Ted

 

al queda is going to kill us all so i would rather have that 10hp instead of the few hundred metric tons of pollutants my car will spew into the eartsh atmosphere that will end up killing so many birdies, froggies, and pretty flowers. **** i didnt like that crap anyways way to girlie.

That would be awesome if the BA turned into LA, porno stars working at each starbucks, bling bling all around and boat loads of stupid iggnorant self important ******.......Well e down one to go, now u think we can lure some **** stars up north with the promise of golden fields of oppertunity?

 

so wait, lemme see if i got this straight... you guys are telling me that this fine state's leaders would shaft it's own citizens in order to sell out to major corporations?

i had no idea...

 

if it means more money for the state, I would say yea, more than likely....

I am correcting myself on the Diesel engines being smog exempt.....the are NOW required to meet emissions standards, but they are much more relaxed that for autos......PLUS, operators of "Heavy-Duty Vehicles" with diesel engines, are only required to inspect the vehicle themselves during a routine maintenance....they are not required to go to a certified emissions testing location.

Here's some stats on Diesel emissions:

"The Statistics

While heavy-duty diesel trucks and buses make up about two percent of California's on-road vehicle fleet, they contribute about 30 percent of the oxides of nitrogen (NOx) that come from the on-road fleet. Nitrogen oxides help form ground-level ozone, one of the most health-damaging components of smog.

In addition, diesel vehicles contribute about 65 percent of the small particulate matter known as PM10 that comes from on-road vehicles. PM10 contributes to respiratory disease by lodging deep in the lungs and is suspected of causing cancer and birth defects."
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr060398.htm

I am still looking for a link that says specifically what the fine is for removing a CAT on a "petroleum fueled" vehicle.

-Ted

EDIT: Here is a very useful link for after market parts....
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/aftermkt.htm

Here's the link of the CA Vehicle code for exhaust systems/emissions, only problem is, they dont say how much the fine is, they just say that they will impose the maximum possible fine for the specific violation.

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/di...le=27150-27159

Here's a link to the entire CA Vehicle code and all subdivisions thereof. <-------this was a B|+¢H to find.

 

Honestly if the state only cared about the environment then they would just worry about the tail-pipe test, and not need to do a visual.

The visual allows them to fine people for making mods on their cars, that more then likely will not affect the output of the tailpipe

 

I've heard that cats can't be replaced unless the existing ones are bad, but isn't the rule in California now that when cats go bad you have to go buy a new car or was it that a new vehicle purchase was requried at the first oil change or maybe the first time the gas tank had to be filled. Ridiculous!
On a different note and this is just my opinion, but pollution devices are really for people who don't maintain their cars or use crappy gas. Car enthusiasts are the exact opposite. We want to get every last drop of gas to burn so we get the most power from each trip the piston makes, to do this we use higher octane fuels and many times synthetic oils. Higher octane fuels produce lower emissions to a point because they burn more consistently and completely where as lower octane fuels tend to "flash burn" leaving pockets of unburned fuel which then has to be burned off in the cat. Now the reason I say to a point is if you use a fuel with too much octane it also will not burn correctly or completely. This usually has to do with ignition timing and compression), but it's not just gas engine oil is also a factor in this equation. If an oil has a more stable base it's less likely to break down and get past the rings. When it does get past it to needs be burned off by the cats as well. If we burn all the gas and use an oil that doesn't easily get past the rings (i.e. synthetic) the hydrocarbons would be very low even without a cat. The problem is how many people care for their cars this way? For example I used to have a 1978 Toyota Land Cruiser FJ40. I installed a Weber 32/36 carburetor on it and kept it very well tuned. This was the last catless year for this truck the only thing it did have was a pollution pump. When I went through the emissions the thing barely registered on CO and Hydrocarbons. The guy actually thought the tailpipe sensor malfunctioned. He then checked it and found it was fine. Just before me there was a fairly new Ford truck and it was totally stock and he failed his tailpipe emissions. In short we are paying for the dolts that don't care for their vehicles. Back to Catalytic converters, the laws pertaining to them are one thing, but their use is something else entirely. I say this because it doesn't matter who you are these are laws you have to obey they're absolute. The use of the device is different you can remove a cat on a well maintained vehicle and still do less damage to the environment then a vehicle with the cats in place, but not maintained. If the only thing stopping someone from taking off their cats is guilt about hurting the environment then they shouldn't lose any sleep over it. The best part is what some of the people that are so worried about the world around them drive. The epitome of this was a commercial for a Honda Insight. Picture this, there's an Insight at a stop sign and an old VW bus pulls up alongside spewing smoke with all these "save the planet" stickers on it, and a narrator comes on and says something like "Make a statement with your vehicle instead of on it". I thought that summed it up pretty good. That's my conspiracy theory anyway. I also feel for you guys in Cali it seems that the emissions laws out there are nothing short of fascist so tell those CARB-***** I said "Hi".