I don’t think that my state–which requires an emissions check every two years–is unique in having bright lights and a video camera aimed that the underside of your vehicle while they do the emissions check.
Like I said:
But I’m not in a state that requires inspections so maybe that’s a possibility. I’ve also never found an EPA official on a creeper underneath my truck.
Point being, if inspections aren’t required, it’s basically a law that isn’t enforced.
That’s because they use inspection mirrors.
Tester
1 Like
Ok, I’ve never found an EPA guy sticking a mirror under my truck.
If the question was ‘can I get away with adding a scrubber’, the answer in many locations is probably yes. But that wasn’t the question, there was no ‘get away with’ in it.
Do you believe the EPA is monitoring that video? The EPA would only get involved if the state is allowing fraudulent inspections.
Isn’t the question ‘Do your inspectors follow EPA regs?’ They may or may not. You’re right, the actual EPA isn’t participating in state inspections, but the inspections may have to meet the regs.
Of course not.
However, the State’s staff–who are inspecting the vehicle–are monitoring the video and they have to uphold EPA regulations, so what you are highlighting amounts to a distinction without a difference.
1 Like
Each state has their own policies and requirements.
Years ago I failed a minivan for having the incorrect cheap, aftermarket catalytic converter install. The muffler shop notified the vehicle emission inspection department at the DMV that I failed the vehicle in error. An agent from the DMV arrived, I showed him the catalytic converter and explained that it was a two-way cat, the vehicle was manufactured with a three-way dual-bed cat.
I was told “we don’t judge them that closely”.
Didn’t that modification violate EPA regulations?
The original poster never came back to say what they were trying to accomplish so at this point we’re just arguing about the legality for no reason. In my state, where emissions aren’t checked, I’d have no issue with someone for adding a converter where there was none - as opposed to what’s usually done - which is the exact opposite.
I do have some questions. If the intent of doing this was to pass emissions, how does a vehicle that didn’t come with a converter even fail emissions? Or rather how did it pass originally? Are the regulations tighter than they were in 1999 and are they retroactive for older vehicles?
No, that is never the case. You must pass for the year the vehicle was built.
Way back when… before term resto-mod was coined (I think it was before) people were dropping later model engines into early model cars. Some in the California Air Resources Board (CARB) thought that was a work-around of emission laws. Dropping a Chevy fuel injected LS1 into a 69 Camaro and only needing a PCV valve to be compliant seemed upsetting to CARB so they dropped the hammer on engine swaps. Seems hot-rodders need to go really old-school, pre 1967, or be content to swap like-for-like and get a test after competition.
1 Like
What are the odds that a cobbled together DIY system would actually reduce emissions?
1 Like
My limited understanding is that the new high pressure injector spray makes the exhaust particles smaller so the black soot disappears or at least it makes it so we can’t see it. The rest of the emissions reduction is done through the exhaust, so if the exhaust system was taken off a more advanced vehicle and put on an older one it would function just as well, if controlled correctly. I don’t know what effect an older dirty diesel engine would have as far as shortening the life of a more modern emissions system in the exhaust.
There is no way for a shade tree mechanic to create an integrated, functioning emission control system short of transplanting an entire motor and all of its associated equipment and electronics from a donor vehicle. Not for the faint of heart, and it would still be potentially legally problematic.
Your limited understanding (as well as mine) is a good reason why it could be illegal to modify emission systems, even though it “improves emissions”. Emissions in the exhaust are matched to the conditions of the engine. They are both engineered to work together for the best efficiency. For example, catalytic converters and O2 sensors designed for a direct injection engine are not designed to work under the conditions of carbureted system. So if those of us with limited understanding try to re engineer an emissions system, we’d probably have a whole lot of polluters out there thinking they’ve reduced emissions, but due to their lack of knowledge on this science do the opposite and who knows about safety issues.
4 Likes