Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Arizona Emissions

[Fistfull]

Today I had to take the Ram in for it's first ever emissions check (Az doesn't make you check em untill they are 5 years old but they still charge you for it). I have a #6 plate (about mid position), 3000 gsk and a bhaf, that's it. She doesn't smoke much when you step on it from the get go but it was to much. 40% opacity is allowed, she blew 40. 7%, :{ what a crock, it was pointless but I did tell them "this is chicken@#$%".



Arizona's diesel test is an idle to no-load goverened speed, three times with the sensor stuck up the tail pipe. The first time the test didn't work and had to be redone also I was not taking it to goverened speed, just up to 3000 (why spin it up needlessly). After the failure slip, I went home and went overboard, installed stock plate full aft, reset governer lever contact point accordingly, tighened up AFC & slid full aft. Off to the check station again. Lane #3, after three tries they gave up, they couldn't get it to test, move over to Lane #4, test worked, results came back 0. 0% opacity



On the way home, the freeway on-ramp was uphill, I was trying to figure out how to jamb a stick on the throttle so I could get out and push, my gawd what a pig, it wouldn't get out of it's own way.



The mongo fan is blowing on the engine now, trying to cool it off some so I can go put the power back in it, don't know how much cooling effect this is gonna have it's 110 degrees out there today



BTW: They did check for the presence of the cat, it's listed on the inspection form. Guess I'll have to keep that shell in place. They didnot look under the hood but they do check your gas cap

 

[Todd G]

The key is to ease into the throttle. I passed with my plate full forward and with 370 injectors. I watched and they did not check for a cat even though they said they did. Those people HATE the diesel testing.

 

[M Barnett]

You fellows need to move to Safford where we don't have the inspections.

Michael

 

[mchelius]

I have a new '02. How can they charge you for a test you don't have to take for 5 years? What a coincidence there is a 5 year warranty on the emissions system. Seems odd to me?

 

[JTMcCracken]

Elkaholic, you need to rephrase that, Arizona doesn't have an emission test, Maricopa county does. Those of us in Rural Arizona, which is about 95% of the state are still spared the anoyance. JTMcC.

 

[Fistfull]

No..... it's the State of Arizona that requires it if you live in Maricopa County and/or in Tuscon.



As to the paying for the test for the first five years and not having to take it, when it's time to renew the registration on that 02 read all the charges listed, one of them will be $27. 50 for the emissions test.



There was talk/rumors last year about making everyone in Maricopa country get the emissions test, not just us urbanites.



The more I think about it, the more I think that their sensing devices are hosed up, it should have passed on the first try, it didn't smoke much at all and on the second pass this afternoon when it read 0. 0% opacity, when I stepped on the throttle there was still a small puff of smoke, don't sound right to me but then I am just a knuckle draggin mechanic.



Any way it's done for a year.

 

[T. Baker]

You guys need to move to California! No stupid diesel emissions tests here

 

[Todd G]

Make sure they clean the sensor before they start the test. It could have the fog of 5 smokers on it. I've had this happen before. Actually, the last time I went through, they never did get the machine to calibrate and they gave me a pass and only charged me $15.

 

[tgbol]

No stupid diesel emissions tests here! They are coming. We have to do all of the trucks in our fleet each year. So I have 143 to do. I have tested mine just to see what it does. With just an EZ set to start at the soonest is 26%.

 

[JTMcCracken]

T. Baker, you have got to be kidding!? We do work in The Peoples Republik of Kalifornia and they either have a rule for everything, or they soon will. My sympathy, JTMcC.

 

[tgbol]

Here is another law to show the stupidity of the Golden State:

Because we are a Government Fleet we can not buy new trucks with diesel engines. We have to purchase alternative fueled engines. We are even looking into buying hybred class 8 trucks.

I can see some advatages with the hybreds, for instance we don't need a 400hp engine to drive a hydraulic pump all day. But then it does take 400hp to get the 60,000 truck up the hill to the job site. and the cost of installing 13 LPG fueling sites at 1. 5m each. I guess it just leave more diesel for me to burn in my truck.