TheSamba.com :: View topic - Colorado just deemed my conversion illegal

Sat Jan 21, 2023 7:12 pm

tjet wrote: AndyBees wrote: Interesting Thread to say the least.

Testing is not required in my neck of the woods.
However, I did install the CAT on my TDI Conversion. It is functional and no rolling coal.

The exhaust smells a lot better with a good cat on a TDI. My cat is shot on my Jetta TDI, It stinks, but it still passes the emissions test.

In the spring of 2016, I fabbed a new SS exhaust for my TDI Vanagon. With the old cobbled up system off, I pressure washed the CAT, inside and out. It was loaded with soot. To my surprise, the pressure wash never hurt it. In fact, based on the smell (chlorine like odor), I think the pressure wash improved it's function.

I'll be doing some mods to the "hanging" of the SS exhaust system this spring. I plan to pressure wash the CAT again.

Sat May 18, 2024 6:06 pm

Just adding anecdote here but I passed with flying colors again and no questions were asked. I've still never had them even suspect it as a conversion.

50k on the ODO.

*shrug*

Sun May 19, 2024 7:55 am

R0ckyMtnCamper wrote: Just adding anecdote here but I passed with flying colors again and no questions were asked. I've still never had them even suspect it as a conversion.

50k on the ODO.

*shrug*

You know your IP address is recorded :wink: It’s a recent state implementation. I expect as time passes the testing will likely improve. Enjoy the ride.

Sun May 19, 2024 4:09 pm

I expect more and more smog hassles, More crazy rules that not so much effect emissions as they do effect your ability to be in complience. They want our cars to become impossible to register, to expensive to make pass. The goal is to get us out of gasoline cars totally, and force us into electric, even though we dont have enough electric generation and distribution capacity to do so. They are heading full speed ahead into catastrophe for the People as they live in mansions and fly by private jet. That is what the rulers are doing to us.

Vote them out.

Sun May 19, 2024 6:13 pm

We recently took a Subaru swapped Vanagon in on trade at work and had no issues getting it emission checked in Boulder county, Longmont Air Care to be more precise.

Sun May 19, 2024 8:14 pm

vwhammer wrote: We recently took a Subaru swapped Vanagon in on trade at work and had no issues getting it emission checked in Boulder county, Longmont Air Care to be more precise.

Pure luck at this point. If they notice a swapped engine and care they will reject it and flag the vin.

Getting the DR2365 can be variable difficulty. And the form is generated through a web interface on their side, so it seems like the state now has a more automated recording of the form to know if you actually have one.

Sun May 19, 2024 8:15 pm

Doesn't the Subaru engine have better emissions than the stock one?

Mon May 20, 2024 3:47 am

vwhammer wrote: We recently took a Subaru swapped Vanagon in on trade at work and had no issues getting it emission checked in Boulder county, Longmont Air Care to be more precise.

Did you just throw a shop under the bus? 🚌

Mon May 20, 2024 7:21 am

heimlich wrote: Doesn't the Subaru engine have better emissions than the stock one?

In an ideal world as long as it passed a tailpipe emissions test for that mode year that’s all that would matter.

But that’s not how it works. I live here and deal with this often. I’ve had to get a half dozen DR2365 from the state to get my vehicle emissions tested.

But please be my guest, contact all the various Colorado representatives and convince them to update the legislation. I have no time or inclination to fight the rules, I’ll simply work within them.

Mon May 20, 2024 7:25 am

Sir Sam wrote:

In an ideal world as long as it passed a tailpipe emissions test for that mode year that’s all that would matter.

But that’s not how it works.

For clarity, sometimes this is how it works. It really just seems to be luck of the draw, unfortunately.

Mon May 20, 2024 7:48 am

MarkWard wrote: vwhammer wrote: We recently took a Subaru swapped Vanagon in on trade at work and had no issues getting it emission checked in Boulder county, Longmont Air Care to be more precise.

Did you just throw a shop under the bus? 🚌
No.

Mon May 20, 2024 8:01 am

Sir Sam wrote:
But please be my guest, contact all the various Colorado representatives and convince them to update the legislation. I have no time or inclination to fight the rules, I’ll simply work within them.

I contact my State and Federal Representative all the time. My Federal Representative finally stopped showing up to vote for the controversial bills recently.

It's easy enough to find the email of your State Representative. Send them an email. The next time you have to go through the process document it and send it to them. Tell them how complicated it is. If you do nothing, nothing will ever change. It takes 5 minutes to send them an email. If you need me to I will look up the address for you.

I had an issue with getting a permit for my car recently. They wanted a phone number or email address. I told them I had none for the government. They said it was mandatory. I emailed my representative. They reached out to the DMV. The DMV said it was not mandatory. The next time I went in to do it again I took a picture of the computer screen showing the error message and sent it along to the Rep.

I takes no time to do all this stuff when you are dealing with the government. While you are waiting for them to do their thing you take pictures of it.

You think Representatives own a Vanagon? They probably don't. So they need to know how difficult it is they are making it for you.

Mon May 20, 2024 9:19 am

Sir Sam wrote: heimlich wrote: Doesn't the Subaru engine have better emissions than the stock one?

In an ideal world as long as it passed a tailpipe emissions test for that mode year that’s all that would matter.

But that’s not how it works. I live here and deal with this often. I’ve had to get a half dozen DR2365 from the state to get my vehicle emissions tested.

But please be my guest, contact all the various Colorado representatives and convince them to update the legislation. I have no time or inclination to fight the rules, I’ll simply work within them.

If you dont fight them, you in effect join them. Vote them out, write or call them, publish letters to the editor. Get the word out, find out who is responsible, and go after them every legal way possible. That is in essence working within the rules.
Tyrants gain power when good people dont fight back. FIGHT BACK!!!!!

Mon May 20, 2024 12:37 pm

R0ckyMtnCamper wrote: Sir Sam wrote:

In an ideal world as long as it passed a tailpipe emissions test for that mode year that’s all that would matter.

But that’s not how it works.

For clarity, sometimes this is how it works. It really just seems to be luck of the draw, unfortunately.

It only works that way if you get away with no one noticing the engine is swapped. Technically you are in (unknowingly) violation of the law if you get a swap tested and luck out with not needing a DR2365.

Just because you got away with it doesn’t mean it was done correctly. You can count on a fair bit of laziness and apathy when going to a testing center for gasoline vehicles. Diesel is worse since they are independent shops doing the testing and they get secret shoppers to see if they don’t do something right, and then the shop gets hit with different tiered violations depending on the severity.

Mon May 20, 2024 1:00 pm

Counter point to the “ it’s cleaner than the original motor “ argument.

Annual testing is a surrogate for performance of new car emission testing which is much more stringent. It is logical to assume a later motor will run cleaner than the stock, but from a regulatory standpoint it is a can of worms to try and cert engine swaps with different equipment lists etc.

I would like the solution that 25 year old cars get exempt from testing, wear a red badge of Shame, and waive privacy from being pulled over for testing, with stiff fines for non compliance.

Mon May 20, 2024 1:04 pm

Abscate wrote: but from a regulatory standpoint it is a can of worms to try and cert engine swaps with different equipment lists etc.

why bother certification, as long as it tests better than the vehicle that original its a win for the environment, if it tests the same its a wash.

Keeping old vehicles going also saves the environment from the impacts of material acquisition etc. of building new vehicles and impacts to dispose of old vehicles.

Barriers to keep old vehicles going benefits only the makers of new vehicles.

Mon May 20, 2024 1:46 pm

Abscate wrote: Counter point to the “ it’s cleaner than the original motor “ argument.

Annual testing is a surrogate for performance of new car emission testing which is much more stringent. It is logical to assume a later motor will run cleaner than the stock, but from a regulatory standpoint it is a can of worms to try and cert engine swaps with different equipment lists etc.

I would like the solution that 25 year old cars get exempt from testing, wear a red badge of Shame, and waive privacy from being pulled over for testing, with stiff fines for non compliance.

An idea, right up there with the iranian morality police. Red Badge of Shame? Wave Right to Privacy? Be pulled over at any time? Heck no.

My 38 year old van tests cleaner than many much newer cars, No shame with that. Plus conserving valuable resources in not scrapping a perfectly functional van should earn me a badge of honor.

Add to that I do different things to reduce pollution than many others do. I always line dry my clothes, in winter often keep my home at 60F (wear a sweater) rarely buy products with lots of plastic packaging, refuse to use weed killers and such toxic chemicals in my garden, and I dont make toxic smoke belching fires in my fireplace either. I pull trash out of the Bay when i kayak regularly. Dont that count for anything in so far as off setting the possibility of slightly more pollution my Van might make?

Maybe those that dont pick up other peoples litter, maybe those that machine dry their clothes, maybe those that burn wood fires, those that heat their homes to 68+F in the winter, those that buy items with plastic packaging, those that use weed killers or other toxic garden chemicals all be given the red badge of shame paintred on their home, loose their right to privacy, and be subject to their home being inspected at anytime? Right?

Mon May 20, 2024 2:21 pm

Hmm... I thought there were certain segments of politics that should be considered "mark for delete" by our moderators. Surely those of you who participate in those activities which cross the line should clean their posts up before a moderator is required to uphold the rules.

I completely empathize with the sentiments offered, but there is really no place for them on this forum.

The rules can easily be found, just take a look.

Mon May 20, 2024 4:47 pm

vanis13 wrote: Abscate wrote: but from a regulatory standpoint it is a can of worms to try and cert engine swaps with different equipment lists etc.

why bother certification, as long as it tests better than the vehicle that original its a win for the environment, if it tests the same its a wash.

Keeping old vehicles going also saves the environment from the impacts of material acquisition etc. of building new vehicles and impacts to dispose of old vehicles.

Barriers to keep old vehicles going benefits only the makers of new vehicles.

How many threads are there on having to smog with your cat hot as hades, or else you don’t pass smog?

Process that , please.

Mon May 20, 2024 4:58 pm

Abscate wrote: vanis13 wrote: Abscate wrote: but from a regulatory standpoint it is a can of worms to try and cert engine swaps with different equipment lists etc.

why bother certification, as long as it tests better than the vehicle that original its a win for the environment, if it tests the same its a wash.

Keeping old vehicles going also saves the environment from the impacts of material acquisition etc. of building new vehicles and impacts to dispose of old vehicles.

Barriers to keep old vehicles going benefits only the makers of new vehicles.

How many threads are there on having to smog with your cat hot as hades, or else you don’t pass smog?

Process that , please.

I don't really follow...but I'll go with, that getting the cat hot is the VW engine that needs this rather than a Subaru or other swap...so I don't get your point.