EPA is onto us.

[Chad Sheets]

I tried posting this last week and it lasted about 10 minutes before the admin nazi's removed it. If it happens again, this will be my last post and they can forget about sending any renew cards in the mail for membership. Pretty sad that knowledge we could all use to keep us out of trouble, someone wants to take away from everyone here.



I live in central Indiana. Some guy in a Dodge Cummins let loose with a billowing cloud of black smoke at a stop sign. We've all done it. Only thing is he did it in front of a DOT or EPA car. Getting conflicting reports.



This I do know. He was pulled over and interogated on the spot and given all the road test and failed them. Somehow they got out of the poor guy Schieds did the work. I know this because a friend of mine who is a Deputy in that area confirmed it.



Now Schieds (in this particular location) is closed down while the anti smoke people pour through the records gathering names. I drove by the Schieds shop in question in my gas jeep last week and yes it was closed and yes one of the guys working the scene confirmed what I am reporting.



I dont know what this means, or if they will investigate more. BUT if I was any of you planning on showing up at any events in the near future I wouldnt be getting too crazy with the smoke off the tracks or dyno machines. You never know who will be checking things out from accross the road. Just be careful, and hope this blows over and this poor guy doesnt get nailed with un-Godly fines.





And, if this post is removed, again, please fire me an email off for your reasoning of doing so.

 

[Jeff H]

The epa suied the local power plant over emissions. The emissions were ok. It was over the paper work and retesting. It was a screw up on both sides. So the epa only got half of what they suided for.

All I can say is the epa has to much power. Heck they even suided the diesel engine makers. It was the epa's fault but who had to pay.

I can't believe it would be schied's fault for doing anything. Its the owner of the vehicle who is responsible. It states the in your owners manual. If schied is guilty then so are the 1000's of performance shops around the country.

So if anyone form the epa is reading this.

 

[Hammer]

WTF?????,,Chad,Got to agree with you an the censorship thing here,,Its a shame ,when your only looking to provide info to the rest of us,someone has got to pull the dissappearing thread trick on you,,Now for the rest of it,I'll never understand why some of these guys do not look in the mirrors before whacking the loud pedal,,We all are guilty of the smoke show stuff,but,some will take it to extremes,,IF,they(DOT/EPA),fine or close Scheids down for doing what this country was founded on(freedom)then we all are in trouble,,Many of the aftermarket manufacturers(both diesel and gassers alike)will end up on the loosing end of this one due to customers being scared off and business dropping,,Makes me angry when these self righteous,anti-pollution pukes,can only hassle the little guys because we do not have deep pockets to line theirs with payola,,We all have seen it,those major companies who are continually fined for failing air quality standards,but,continue to operate and still breaking their laws and set standards,,But the litle guy who whacks his loud peddle and smokes the guys behind him who end up being associated with a government agency put the game on him and end up fining him and the one who did the work,with us all knowing there are far more serious offenders they let slide on a daily basis,,Thing I think that really sets me into orbit is when they start crying about the ozone or global warming,but,yet still send the shuttle a tearing thru it on a consistant basis,,We all need to follow this as it develops(Schied's deal)because in the end it WILL effect us all,,Thanks Chad for letting us in on it and keep us up to date.....

 

[joel]

I think it might have been removed because...

several people posted that what you said wasn't true, that they had called the shop in question and they were open and had had no contact with the EPA or any other place.



Anyway, a couple of things just don't sound quite right about the story. I've never seen a DOT or EPA car with lights to pull someone over. And do they carry ALL the equipment necessary for testing in their cars?



I saw your previous post and all the replies and they all pretty much said it didn't happen. I agree the moderator should have sent you an email explaining why your post was removed, but it was active for a couple of days.

 

[Hammer]

Never seen the air-police that check your exhaust in a diesel??,,Either you do not travel far or you do not pay much attention to where they are or what they really do,,I've been checked numerous times in my larger unit and twice in my p/u,,They are there and yes they do carry the equipmant to spot check on the road for the incorrect emmissions,,Yes they do have lights and work hand in hand with Fed/State DOT inspection stations,,I did not see the previous post due to it being removed,but ,regardless of it it was or not,lets let the story unfold a little and see where it goes,,If its a fact then we all may have a problem... ...

 

[NVR FNSH]

Why is it an infringement upon someones 'freedom' when a late model privately owned vehicle gets pinched but most people have no problem when it's a ratty old '70s vintage dump truck belching black smoke?



At one point they were running road side smog checks in CA. I don't remember if they got shut down or if it was just a temporary crackdown. Regardless, I think most people are smart enough to figure out that a 2nd gen Dodge shouldn't be belching black smoke. Although we don't have annual emissions tests (at least in CA - yet) the trucks do have to meet EPA requirements when sold. By adding fueling boxes you are tampering with Federal Emissions stuff. Big fines if you get busted. For the most part we are operating below the smog cops radar screens but it won't be for long. If a shop is knowingly installing non-compliant equipment shouldn't they be held liable? No, I don't think a 'statement' from the vehicle owner saying that the truck is not street driven is good enough.



Brian

 

[JMichelson]

MHO on Smoking Trucks

The EPA / DOT/ Clean Air Nazis or what ever you want to call them, have a job to do and whether we like it or not excessive smoke is against the law.

In Washington State, law enforcement can and will stop you for excessive smoke. In Clark County, Washington we have to go through emission testing every two years. Yes, your Cummins Diesel will pass.

With that said, I do not like government intervention into every aspect of my life anymore than the next guy. I also don’t go around drawing attention to myself when I doing something that will pi** people off or get me in trouble. Leaving a smoke screen at an intersection or having a truck that smokes that much is bound to get attention. If you feel you have a right to drive a truck that smokes, more power to you. (no pun intended). Like it or not there will be consequences.

If smoke is the only way to get horsepower out of our Cummins Diesels were all in trouble. I don’t partially like a smoking diesel or smoking gasser for that matter. Short of the little puff of black smoke I don’t get much smoke out of mine. I have probably reached the point that if I want more power I’ll probably get smoke, I’ll settle for what I have. Regardless of what you think of the Duramax it makes power without smoke and that is the future, get used to it.

When I was a teenager our cars made noise and we paid tickets and put mufflers on them, didn’t like it *****ed about it, but still did it. I just made mine easy to get off and on. When I went out to the drag strip I made all the noise I wanted. The same thing will happen to smokey diesels. If you want to make smoke you have to do it off the street, your smoking daily driver will become a thing of the past. We will have to learn to make power without smoke, that’s reality. There’s a lot of smart people out there in diesel land. We will survive. You can fight it just like we fought for our right to make noise. You will be hard pressed to find someone with enough political clout or money to help you.

MHO Jeff

 

[admin2]

Posting

Actually, the original posting was not removed after 10 minutes. It was closed for a day after 4 people confirmed that it was not true. It was then removed at the request of the owner because it wasn't true --- it's best to verify the facts in situations like this.

 

[dan_gilson]

They still run the road side smog checks in California. Although I have not seen one for a while. Maybe because of lack of funding because of all the 9/11 stuff.



You can also get cited (generally a fix it ticket) if you smoke too much. They were running a crack down on the big guys a while back. I forget the exact wording of the law but it was something like so dark of smoke for so many seconds. Most of the trucks were getting by because their smoke was only for a short duration.



I have yet to see a EPA or CARB have the ability to pull you over. They normally take picture and send you a letter with you ticket.

 

[Mark_Kendrick]

There are commercially available hand held devices for emissions testing of diesels. I got a diesel industry publication (i dunno the name. . I left it at home) that had adverisements for all kinds of testing equipment that is very portable.



Anything is possible lately.

 

[RustyJC]

Here's what we're facing in Texas:



http://www.tnrcc.state.tx.us/air/ms/smokingvehicles.html



Rusty

 

[illflem]

What make sense about the Texas law is that the smoke must come out for more than 10 consecutive seconds. I think that is very fair.

 

[dan_gilson]

Here is what I have found for California:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr060398.htm

and

http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/nr070199.htm



It looks like there is no longer a time lduration.

 

[illflem]

From the CA site, "Research has shown that excessive smoke from diesel vehicles generally results from tampering with the engine". Maybe it's time to quit calling it bombing and call it tampering. I'm proud to say my trucks don't smoke, meet CARB regs, have been tampered with and have all the power I need. I like clean air too.

 

[Sled Puller]

Just for the record, a set of Mitchell twins cleaned ALL my smoke up, I mean CLEAR.



We promptly fixed that with a set of laser cut delivery valves, and got it back to "properly fueled"



Track smoke only of course, Piers valet switch installed for street use.

Bad habit to smoke EVERYBODY, it will catch up to you, and US.



These are not new laws, a hot rod diesel shop in Pittsburgh as on their bill:"OFF ROAD USE ONLY. "



Those kittys everybody seems to lose? Been against the law to tamper with them forever.



Booze was outlawed once also. Nobody drank then,LOL

 

[LarryB]

Originally posted by NVR FNSH

but most people have no problem when it's a ratty old '70s vintage dump truck belching black smoke?

Hey! I resemble that!



I never get a smog check, not required!

 

[danandamy]

Our freedoms (what few there are left) are almost gone. I can hear some folks now when someday the government regulates what type of food you can eat, "Well, eating burgers IS against the law. I prefer steaks myself so you burger eaters ought to own up to the consequences. " Reminds me of the old story about why the preacher didn't say something about Holocaust, something like "When they came for the Jews I didn't say anything because I wasn't a Jew. When they came for the gypsies I didn't say anything because I wasn't a gypsy. When they came for the catholics I didn't say anything because I wasn't a catholic. When they came for me there wasn't anyone left to say anything. " Sorry if I didn't get the quote right but you get the jist.



uncompromising dan

 

[JHansen]

When BOMBed diesels are outlawed only outlaws will drive BOMBed diesels ! How's that for a profound statement?



Jason

Banned in 38 states and 7 Provinces!

 

[illflem]

Dan, I don't see how you can call protecting the majority from having to breathe foul air created by the few a loss of freedom. I feel it's the other way around, the few smoke belchers are taking away the majority's freedom to breathe clean air...

I don't think there is anyone who can honestly say they like air pollution.

 

[Sled Puller]

illflem,

If every Dodge and Ford belched smoke like Dave Mitchell, 24/7, we still would not be even CLOSE to what the rest of the world dumps into the air from there unregulated plants.



And don't even start me on the poisons that catalytic converters puke out.



Don't get me wrong, we need to be careful, becuase the Gestapo WILL get us, and we don't NEED to make pollution just because everybody else is doing it, but it is really irrelevant.

Besides, soot falls to the ground.



Hair spray, old women bathed in perfume, and ciggarretes will kill more than my Smokin,at the track, of course, Dodge.