WB El Camino Approaching Orchard Lane.. (last street before I 80)

So between Gateway Oaks and Orchard Lane (West of Truxel)

Drove past a gaggle of cops and techs setting up the mobile dyno. Avoid this spot if you are modified or cheat on your smog by borrowing parts.. Otherwise you'r car is getting a free trip to the impound lot..


There is a lot of internet debate about the legalities of such stops - but that really doesn't matter much when you watch your car roll away on a tow truck.. They are just using the random "survey" to spot illegal gross polluters.. If your car is legit and you fail a sniffer it doesn't matter..

They used to set one up out front of my office a few years back.. They impounded dozens of cars a day.. The tow trucks would stage in our parking lot...

Trust me... Avoid..

 

Oh man.
Just when we thougth Sacramento (and most of CA for that matter) could not get any worse smog wise we get this.
"SMOG *****" is an understatement.

 

Damn thanks for the heads up... there was one by my house about 3 weeks ago

 

Question for those that know: do they pop your hood when they do the smog? Or is it just sniffer only?

 

Not sure on the survey.. From what I understood in the past they were just profiling emissions levels. BUT.. Mr. Officer man that is "randomly" choosing cars from traffic and pointing them onto the dyno is a regular cop with emissions enforcement in mind.. So if he spots PC you will be popping your hood for him.

 

I thought that if they stop you, you can tell them you do not have time to stop and they would send you to the ref.

at least it would be better than a spot check

 

meh

 

I've got nothing to hide!

 

Well.. Any choice that involves a refusal and a visit to the state referee is generally met with an automatic impound. That's even stated in the referee brochure (Not a lot else to read when you're waiting for a car to get reffed)... The point is they WANT to catch you with your pants down.

Also a referee ticket is a minimum $500 fine and is not correctable as the officer that cited you took photographic evidence at the time of the citation of your modifications. (Or impounded your a$$ and had the car inspected as it was seized.)

As for the smog check.. No idea.. It used to be a "survey" but as of 2008 they actually report your vehicle's emissions electronically as if you went to a real smog station...

No matter how you slice it.. They are looking for gross polluters / modified or non functioning emissions equipment.. In other words - if you're reading this - YOU (most likely).

Remember you have 2 things working against you at these stops.. An actual mobile smog check.. And an actual Mr. Officer Man who wants to give it to you good..

 

They did this in Vacaville last year, hood popped, tailpipe probe, 2 wheel dyno, the works...

Will look something like this.

Mobile SMOG Check in Palm Desert, Ca - YouTube

 

So with us they will just do a sniffer?

 

They're all 2wd dyno's anyways so they couldn't spot check most of us.

 

Since when does a smog shop use a 4wd dyno? 2 speed idle test for you!

 

although I am bone stock engine wise, good thing I am a wagon, I am invisible to law enforcement officers!