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ach60 
Samba Member
Joined: May 14, 2001
Posts: 4139
Location: Santa Maria
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 Posted: Sun Dec 18, 2011 3:22 am Post subject: Smog Check |
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I can't really explain why I waited so long to SMOG my old Beetle Convertible.
I had always SMOGED it on time before (When it wasn’t in 100 pieces during the restoration).
But about five maybe seven years ago I got a notice from the state saying I needed to SMOG it at a TEST ONLY Station.
My Beetle is a ’78, which I guess for the state of California means it fits the profile of a Gross Polluter.
I was insulted, and taken aback by their demand to SMOG it at a TEST ONLY Station,
Who were they to tell me I couldn’t SMOG it at the VW dealer,
just like I have done since I bought it in ’92!
Fuck that shit I thought, so I just didn’t SMOG it!
I paid the registration, put her on planned non-operation,
then paid the registration to put her back on the road,
but never got around to the SMOG test.
This summer I used the Beetle a lot more than usual,
so it kind of became an issue, Because sooner or later I was going to get busted by the cops.
It’s not like I’m Steve Jobs, and I can buy a new Benz every six months to avoid running a plate.
And I get my two other VWs SMOG tested without issue, so WTF was I thinking.
To be honest, I didn’t want any jack ass in my ’78, I had a weird trust with the VW dealer,
Because every time I brought the ’78 in for SMOG,
they made a big deal out of treating the Beetle with respect.
It’s a ’78 VW, most 33 year olds deserve some respect!
This year I end up needing SMOG test on my other two VW’s so I looked for a TEST ONLY shop.
Checking Yelp which is a good habit I picked up from my old girlfriend resulted I finding a good shop.
I don’t know how this place stays in business, because I’ve been there 3 times now,
And never had to wait, but the cars there are interesting, so I think does repair/restoration,
but not SMOG repair.
He refused my New Beetle because I could tell him if I was current on recall notices,
New Beetles are big for recall notices, so I couldn’t fault the guy,
and the New Beetle got SMOGGED at the VW dealer, after they fixed the recalled stuff (LOL).
My ’01 Passat went there next, she as 118, 000 miles on her, so I was expecting to fail,
but we passed. So Thursday morning I woke, got up and decided today was the day.
I didn’t even shave or take a shower, just jumped in Baby, and drove her to TEST ONLY.
I pull in, and the guy looks the car over, and then opens the front hood, seeing a car cover her says “Engines in the back?
Front wheel drive or rear wheel drive?” I like this guy already!
So I tell him the engine is in the back, and the car is rear wheel drive,
as he walks around the car twice. I realize he is looking for the gas cap,
when he does a double back, and finds the gas tan k door on the front quarter panel.
He plays with the cap for a while, and tries a few different gas caps in the filler neck,
my guess is he gives up, but passes us on that portion of the test.
He puts her on the rollers, and does the two required driving tests.
She passes the roller tests, and it’s nice for me to see that the brake lights still work,
and that there are driveline vibrations that I wasn’t feeling or hearing from inside the car.
So now he goes to do the visual test, and says “Is that a carburetor”,
I say no and point out the throttle body, injectors, airflow meter, and catalytic converter.
“Where is the air pump” he asks, I say only VW busses have air pumps, “OK” he says.
He pulls out a timing light, but between him & I we can’t figure out where’s #1.
I should know, but I haven’t timed Baby since I put in the compufire, so I’ve forgotten.
He says “never mind, it’s running too good to be out of tune”
A yuppie pulls in with an Audi Quattro, he takes the guys info, pulls my car off the rollers and puts the Audi on them.
I’m thinking he going to tell me that I’d failed the test, and he says “Oh, You passed”.
We take care of payments and such the guy says “I can tell you’ve put a lot of love into that car”.
On the way home Baby and I stopped for gas, she took 5 gallons, the first gas I’ve put in her in this year.
Once I got home I looked at the test results, she may be old, but her test results where all at the lower limits,
So she did better than her great grandchildren?
No, my guess is the limits for the Passat & New Beetle are a lot stricter.
_________________
Good Luck
Al |
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AlmostOriginal
Samba Member
Joined: November 14, 2011
Posts: 98
Location: Southern California, USA
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| Posted: Sun Jan 01, 2012 11:16 pm Post subject: Re: Smog Check |
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| ach60 wrote: |
I can't really explain why I waited so long to SMOG my old Beetle Convertible.
I had always SMOGED it on time before (When it wasn’t in 100 pieces during the restoration).
But about five maybe seven years ago I got a notice from the state saying I needed to SMOG it at a TEST ONLY Station.
My Beetle is a ’78, which I guess for the state of California means it fits the profile of a Gross Polluter.
I was insulted, and taken aback by their demand to SMOG it at a TEST ONLY Station,
Who were they to tell me I couldn’t SMOG it at the VW dealer,
just like I have done since I bought it in ’92!
Fuck that shit I thought, so I just didn’t SMOG it!
I paid the registration, put her on planned non-operation,
then paid the registration to put her back on the road,
but never got around to the SMOG test.
This summer I used the Beetle a lot more than usual,
so it kind of became an issue, Because sooner or later I was going to get busted by the cops.
It’s not like I’m Steve Jobs, and I can buy a new Benz every six months to avoid running a plate.
And I get my two other VWs SMOG tested without issue, so WTF was I thinking.
To be honest, I didn’t want any jack ass in my ’78, I had a weird trust with the VW dealer,
Because every time I brought the ’78 in for SMOG,
they made a big deal out of treating the Beetle with respect.
It’s a ’78 VW, most 33 year olds deserve some respect!
This year I end up needing SMOG test on my other two VW’s so I looked for a TEST ONLY shop.
Checking Yelp which is a good habit I picked up from my old girlfriend resulted I finding a good shop.
I don’t know how this place stays in business, because I’ve been there 3 times now,
And never had to wait, but the cars there are interesting, so I think does repair/restoration,
but not SMOG repair.
He refused my New Beetle because I could tell him if I was current on recall notices,
New Beetles are big for recall notices, so I couldn’t fault the guy,
and the New Beetle got SMOGGED at the VW dealer, after they fixed the recalled stuff (LOL).
My ’01 Passat went there next, she as 118, 000 miles on her, so I was expecting to fail,
but we passed. So Thursday morning I woke, got up and decided today was the day.
I didn’t even shave or take a shower, just jumped in Baby, and drove her to TEST ONLY.
I pull in, and the guy looks the car over, and then opens the front hood, seeing a car cover her says “Engines in the back?
Front wheel drive or rear wheel drive?” I like this guy already!
So I tell him the engine is in the back, and the car is rear wheel drive,
as he walks around the car twice. I realize he is looking for the gas cap,
when he does a double back, and finds the gas tan k door on the front quarter panel.
He plays with the cap for a while, and tries a few different gas caps in the filler neck,
my guess is he gives up, but passes us on that portion of the test.
He puts her on the rollers, and does the two required driving tests.
She passes the roller tests, and it’s nice for me to see that the brake lights still work,
and that there are driveline vibrations that I wasn’t feeling or hearing from inside the car.
So now he goes to do the visual test, and says “Is that a carburetor”,
I say no and point out the throttle body, injectors, airflow meter, and catalytic converter.
“Where is the air pump” he asks, I say only VW busses have air pumps, “OK” he says.
He pulls out a timing light, but between him & I we can’t figure out where’s #1.
I should know, but I haven’t timed Baby since I put in the compufire, so I’ve forgotten.
He says “never mind, it’s running too good to be out of tune”
A yuppie pulls in with an Audi Quattro, he takes the guys info, pulls my car off the rollers and puts the Audi on them.
I’m thinking he going to tell me that I’d failed the test, and he says “Oh, You passed”.
We take care of payments and such the guy says “I can tell you’ve put a lot of love into that car”.
On the way home Baby and I stopped for gas, she took 5 gallons, the first gas I’ve put in her in this year.
Once I got home I looked at the test results, she may be old, but her test results where all at the lower limits,
So she did better than her great grandchildren?
No, my guess is the limits for the Passat & New Beetle are a lot stricter. |
I thought the smog cutoff was '79!  It sucks we have to smog our cars (not my bug, but my other cars). Maybe I should register my bug in Arizona  . Not only that, but California's Smog laws & registration are ridiculous. By the way, Steve Jobs had a deal with his leasing company to swap out his car every 6 months. He only paid the lease, not buying a new car every 6 months. Sorry, I was just a big fan of Steve Jobs.
_________________
My '65 Beetle "Herb". Originally Panama Beige. His forum (for now) - http://bit.ly/AbcyLC
California YOM Guide & Stories http://bit.ly/x8izYR
Looking for Catron Motors items and 1963 California plates #NHF 447.
| kombi kid wrote: |
| I asked god for my first VW, I know he doesn't work that way so I stole a bug and asked for forgiveness! |
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Cusser
Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006
Posts: 31379
Location: Hot Arizona
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| Posted: Tue Jan 03, 2012 12:07 pm Post subject: Re: Smog Check |
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| AlmostOriginal wrote: |
| I thought the smog cutoff was '79! It sucks we have to smog our cars (not my bug, but my other cars). Maybe I should register my bug in Arizona . Not only that, but California's Smog laws & registration are ridiculous. |
Arizona is worse in two largest counties, tests back to 1967 for all vehicles !!! Unless you have classic insurance and classic plates. Catch is that most classic insurance companies will not accept old VWs unless decent convertibles or unless show car quality, and under 2500 miles per year, garaged, etc..
_________________
1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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LeviMan2001
Samba Post Whore
Joined: April 11, 2009
Posts: 3855
Location: Alaska
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| Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:42 am Post subject: |
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I'm glad you had a nice guy. I've had some real assholes at the "IM" place (what they call it around here). One guy nearly rolled his eyes at my brother and I when we rolled up in a smashed up '70 chevy pickup. The look on his face when he saw the rattle can overhaul my brother had done on the free-oh-5 (305) was great! haha passed with flying colors 
_________________
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=366056 - My '73 Super Build. 2332cc, 16" Fuchs |
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vwkidd
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2004
Posts: 641
Location: Glendale, Cali via SouthEast LA
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| Posted: Sat Mar 17, 2012 5:36 pm Post subject: |
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Ach60, As a currently unlimited Licensed test & repair smog tech for the State of California since 1986 I can give you guys some insight into the California's Smog Program. All vehicles that are 1975 newer require a smog test. The reason why your 1978 Fuel Injected VW was required to go to a test only station is that the years from 1974-1983 the emission controls were after thoughts by the manufactures and hence were basically add ons to meet stringent for the times standards, so the state wants a smog shop that has no financial incentive to fail/pass these early vehicles "test only" shops. The tailpipe standards are loose and as long as the vehicle has nothing missing, modified, disconnected during the visual check and the functional check of the ignition timing passes they usually pass the tailpipe sample test.
_________________
1955 151 Deluxe L219 Congo Green (Project)
1951 11A Standard L21 Pear Gray
1954 117 Deluxe L227 Strato Silver "Delilah"
1966 141 Cabrio. L554 Cherry Red (low mileage)
Owned: All in the 80's slammed & running BRM's,Fuchs,OG Empis w/ big motors & 48IDA's LA Style!
1959 Convertible 151 L41
1955 Convertible 151 L41
1958 Convertible 151 L349
1966 KG Convertible L456
1967 KG Convertible L41
1959 117 Deluxe L451 |
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16CVs
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2004
Posts: 4026
Location: Redwood City, California
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| Posted: Sun Jun 17, 2012 10:27 pm Post subject: |
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My 89 Tristar has always been a pain to smog . So this time I bought a new 50 State cat and did a complete tune up . I found the old cat was hollow and my tritip plugs were cooked and a plug wire was almost dead .
With the new cat and a friends recommendation for a Smog shop .It passed with flying colors .I could not believe how clean it was . That new cat was the answer ,while not cheap at $329.00 it sure scrubs the crap out of the emmisions .
Amazing how well it runs as well.
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread. |
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sd_pilot
Samba Member
Joined: January 08, 2013
Posts: 1
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:05 pm Post subject: |
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Hi, I have a 1978 super beetle convertible for sale
the problem is that the engine is a 1600 from the early 70's i think and they took the fuel injection system off and made it carbuerated so I can't get it smogged here in California.
Are there any other options I have with the DMV to not have to smog it? |
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16CVs
Samba Member
Joined: February 22, 2004
Posts: 4026
Location: Redwood City, California
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 8:48 pm Post subject: |
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In a single word "No"
_________________
1987 Syncro Westfalia Triple knob (bastard)
1989 Syncro Tristar Triple knob "Swedish"
2013 Jetta Hybrid a true "Zwitter"
Samba member # 14980
Call anytime number 650 722 4914 .
Keep Your van running and upkept tastefully for the love of the hobby.
Don't let your van end up in an "abortions" thread. |
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vwkidd
Samba Member
Joined: August 14, 2004
Posts: 641
Location: Glendale, Cali via SouthEast LA
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| Posted: Tue Jan 08, 2013 10:11 pm Post subject: |
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| sd_pilot wrote: |
Hi, I have a 1978 super beetle convertible for sale
the problem is that the engine is a 1600 from the early 70's i think and they took the fuel injection system off and made it carbuerated so I can't get it smogged here in California.
Are there any other options I have with the DMV to not have to smog it? |
Man! Not good. First off if you sell any used vehicle in California to someone that will transfer ownership in California then it is the sellers legal obligation for the vehicle to be smog legal.
You could make an appointment with the BAR Referee. California's Bureau of Auto Repair and have them inspect and possible affix a current Emission control label for an engine change. As a current EU Unlimited Licensed Smog Tech I will tell you this. What ever is later the engine or Chassis you would have to meet those standards. In your case it would be Fuel Evap, spark controls (have all the 1974 carburator smog stuff ie: air cleaner, distributor pass the Tail pipe sample, and the Referee might issue a non compliance certificate) But it's their call.
_________________
1955 151 Deluxe L219 Congo Green (Project)
1951 11A Standard L21 Pear Gray
1954 117 Deluxe L227 Strato Silver "Delilah"
1966 141 Cabrio. L554 Cherry Red (low mileage)
Owned: All in the 80's slammed & running BRM's,Fuchs,OG Empis w/ big motors & 48IDA's LA Style!
1959 Convertible 151 L41
1955 Convertible 151 L41
1958 Convertible 151 L349
1966 KG Convertible L456
1967 KG Convertible L41
1959 117 Deluxe L451 |
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gitchesum
Samba Member
Joined: November 10, 2003
Posts: 513
Location: North Cali
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| Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2013 6:37 pm Post subject: |
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All reasons I've tried to drive non-smog cars....and also one of the main reasons I bought a diesel truck in 01....then in California's infinite wisdom, they decided to smog diesels....back to 98 Disappointed !!!! I've got mine turned up and I can block the sun at will....at least my VW's don 't have to go thru the smog checks.
_________________
Looking for SP Kadron manifolds...please !!
57 SC
61 rag w/356B brakes
61 356B
Honda XLR 250, 69 Z50, Yamaha 100 Enduro...and others.
GMC SLT 4x4 Dmax
Kubota L3710, not enuf attachments.
And various VW's that come and go... |
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uncapj
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2010
Posts: 384
Location: california (high dez)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:09 pm Post subject: |
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| sd_pilot wrote: |
Hi, I have a 1978 super beetle convertible for sale
the problem is that the engine is a 1600 from the early 70's i think and they took the fuel injection system off and made it carbuerated so I can't get it smogged here in California.
Are there any other options I have with the DMV to not have to smog it? |
you have too choices you can do a subi swap to ej22 and get 135hp around 2000 for the intire build joel has done one and is a wonderful guy to talk to
or
you can buy all the old fuel injection equipment add a cat and hope the car gods smile on thee for around 500
let me tell you about smog reps i had one for a teachers aid when i was at colledge in sacramento i had pulled my 74 beetle in to the shop for some maintenance tune up crap and the teachers aid walks up and askes me what year it was i told him 74 he tells me where is the cat i told him it doesnt have one he tells me to put it back on it told him to go to hell it never came with one then he starts asking about the missing evap cans since he thinks hes some kid of vw expert i tell him they are in my garage 450 miles away and also go to hell and sit and spin he told me to pull that gross poluting car out of the shop before he has it impounded i told him if he ever threatens me and my car again we will meet in the parking lot and asked him about the smog equipment and legality of his "built" galaxy in the parking lot he walked away
he later got his ass kicked by my teacher and told never to step in his class again
the school calls him the "smog nazi" smog hiel!
_________________
I lack the tools that I have come to learn are imperative to work on a Volkswagen a compression gauge and a timing light.
they say money doesn't buy happiness but it buys car parts and those make me happy
Cars are like the perfect girl always ready and never say no
Current 74 Std Beetle (class 11ish)
Past 67 Baja |
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uncapj
Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2010
Posts: 384
Location: california (high dez)
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| Posted: Wed Apr 03, 2013 11:14 pm Post subject: |
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oops i forot to mention you can sell it as-is for parts stipulation to the buyer
_________________
I lack the tools that I have come to learn are imperative to work on a Volkswagen a compression gauge and a timing light.
they say money doesn't buy happiness but it buys car parts and those make me happy
Cars are like the perfect girl always ready and never say no
Current 74 Std Beetle (class 11ish)
Past 67 Baja |
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