PRNDL

Took my 97 lexus to the ridiculous NJ super duper 2 yr inspection yesterday. Wasnt too bad, but today I was thinking about the whole stupid process: They check your gas cap (!!), run you car on a dyno (too bad they cant give you the horsepower rating), and stick a probe up your car's butt and give you a computer printout. I guess they also check the lights, and that alarming run up to the car in front must have been the brake test. (Gee...if your brakes fail the test the moron rearends the car in front of you!!).

But today I suddenly realized that they did not pop the hood and they didnt take a look under the car. If you take in a vette, or an older car, do they check for underhood mods/equipment? and check your exhaust system for cats... or mufflers for that matter??? just wondering... MJ


[Modified by MNJack, 11:45 PM 12/11/2001]

Captain Morgan

Not sure about your state but Utah does both visual and sniffer emission test. Never had to get the vette tested though since I was from Indiana. They also do the safety test. At the auto hobby shop on base (Air Force), they had a machine that tested the brakes in a similar way. The guy would drive the car onto what looked like a drive on lift and then slam on the brakes. The machine could tell how much pressure was being applied to each wheel and if they weren't within a certain percentage of each other, you failed. They also tested the parking brake that way. The thing that scared me is they were driving straight at their computer machine. Hmm, who would be responsible to pay if the brakes failed? You, because it was your car? or the guy driving?

CDaniel525

hey MNJack....ive been through 3 times in the past year with the vette. They opened the hood twice and didnt once.
I think they might have opened because of curiousity, but ive seen them open hoods of other cars as well. But i dont think they care whats under there, most likely making sure its not smoking. Because my motor looks nothing like original since there is no AIR, or cats, and have chambered mufflers, which they noticed all of these, but didnt fail because they werent there.
To make it simple, as far as i know, they dont care whats there as long as you pass the emissions test and safety.

Chris

mrvette

HAHA, that gas cap thingy is a typical example of a federal law whichy will never go away, so we all spend a zillion hours checking gas caps...for restrictor plates that don't allow a larger size filler tube to be inserted in the neck....the size was reduced to differentiate between leaded and unleaded gas...and so....any car with a restrictor plate has to have it intact...so as if anyone could ever even FIND leaded gas anymore without a whole lot of hassle....dumb bastards....
now a daze....that 'old' filler tube large size is used for diesel...so we can stink up the atmosphere even more...!!!!

GENE

Cajun99

Hmmm...not sure.

But you'll be happy to know that if you move to Lousyana your car only has to be able to roll...even if it's towed...to get an inspection sticker!!!:lol: :lol:

You should see the crap driving the roads around here :eek: :eek:

zwede

They just started the gas cap thing here in Dallas. They check to make sure the cap isn't leaking. Turned out most of the hydrocarbon emissions were emitted when the car was off!

What worries me is that the inspectors don't know much about cars. I've had inspectors tell me my vette won't pass due to an open element aircleaner. I asked why the air cleaner wouldn't pass and they said it has to have the thermostatic flap to suck hot air when the engine is cold. That's great, except the '71 Corvette never had a thermostatic aircleaner!

PRNDL

The toughest thing they have to do in NJ is determine whether the car is front or rear wheel drive so they get the right ones on the dyno!!!! They got it right while I was watching. I would REALLY hate to have them put my 4spd vette on the dyno!! :) MJ

427_Roadster

Hey Mark,
I was just thru about 2 weeks ago. No dynos for us, they check emissions at idle. Also looked under the hood, but they have absolutely no idea what they're looking at.
:cheers:
-Tom

BeaterShark

They hasseled me about that a couple of weeks ago when I got mine inspected. What scares me is that I pulled out my reprinted owners manual and it has a section about emissions which is on all GM cars: air pump, PCV, and thermostatic air switch. I dunno.

Techno

before some year in NY emission equipment doesn't matter.

I will say that I had my car for about 3 years when an inspection discovered a compression fitting on my rear brake line. So for once it was worth it. This was not a chain store and another reason not to use them.- chain stores.

73Ken73

I only need to get a safety inspection on my Vette. The garage that I bring it to doesn't check anything on my Vette. Not even the lights. He just scrapes off the sticker and puts on a new one. :)

gq82

I had mine inspected at my local gas station (don't trust the state). They dyno'd it and in doing that they input the car's year. If you pass emissions they really don't care if you have a cat or any other mod as long as you pass the sniff test (don't think you could pass w/o cat).

jharakal

In pa. state insp. is a pain,the county i live in we have no ems. they inspect
tires,tail pipe,muffler,horn,pull front & rear brakes,wipers,and every thing else,
don't get cought with bubble lights and no back up lights,.....jbh :eek: