<VV> Inspections and emission systems. Some Corvair!

[Chris C, Warwick RI]

The emissions are fair enough in RI.  Even though I have a caddy in cold 
storage for 2 years till it gets old enough to get an exemption.  What I do 
not like is that the inspections are now every 2 years.

Inspections should be to protect the rest of us from the 
ignorant/cheap/lazy people who will let the safety issues go.  A marginal 
brake part can narrowly pass can now be used for 2 years until the person 
is forced to get it fixed.    At least a few years back the emissions was 
every 2 years and safety was every year.

At 09:36 AM 1/12/2007, you wrote:
>
>In a message dated 1/12/2007 9:08:43 AM Pacific Standard Time,
>GBrandes at loebermotors.com writes:
>
>Hi  Bill,
>
>I have to disagree with you about the emission stuff just to make  a
>profit for dealers and manufactures, they are mandated by state  and
>federal government.
>
>
>
>For those of us who own OBDII cars, a scan tool can make it much easier to
>avoid the big dealer costs. All cars since 1996 have the port. Tools start 
>at
>about $30 - and up, way up if you want tons of features. I popped a code
>(slang for turning on the check engine light) on my 1996 Camaro at about 
>105K
>miles. The car still ran fine. I rented a code reader (for free) from a 
>local
>AutoZone. It identified the problem as a failed Oxygen Sensor ahead of the
>converter. I reset the Check engine light and returned the code  reader. 
>nthe next
>morning the light came back on. Okay - I pulled the spare  Oxygen sensor off
>a tailpipe I had saved after parting out another Camaro, slid  under and
>replaced the failed unit. Went back and re-rented the code reader  to 
>reset the
>light again and returned the tester unit. Cost so far "Zero" -  But had I not
>parted out that other car, I would have had to buy a  Oxygen sensor -say 
>$70 or
>so. And the car has worked fine since, passed a  bi-annual smog test, with no
>issues. Now, I am not saying that the Corvair  should somehow have the On 
>Board
>Diagnostic sensors added. The simplicity of the  Corvair is certainly one of
>it's attractive features. But the new systems,  mandated by government
>regulations have certainly made it easier to find what  goes wrong on 
>newer cars. The
>argument could be made that the sensor  that failed on the Camaro didn't
>matter to the running or emissions of the  car. It actually could have 
>impacted
>the usability if the computer didn't  have a correct feedback on the fuel
>injection effectiveness. But think of how  many time we have chased down 
>drivability
>problems on our Corvairs, replacing  part after part to try and subdue the
>problem. The systems in the new cars are  much better at isolating the 
>problems
>so they can be addressed. The Corvair  I am building right now will have a
>wide-band oxygen sensors "on-board", with  additional sensors and readings 
>for
>addressing any response or performance  issues. According to the SEMA
>newsletter, the California Air Resources Board  (CARB) is examining the 
>possibility of
>testing older cars again, cars which  have been out of the California smog
>testing system for years. Some day we may  all be fitting additional 
>aftermarket
>systems or putting our cars in museums. -  Seth Emerson
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