Maryland Emissions Question

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A

Atticus

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Hypothetical question. What is involved in a VEIP inspection for a 97 LC? If one were to reset the codes to clear a CEL, would that be picked up at the VEIP?

Any information is appreciated.

Thanks.
 
If they plug into the computer, maybe. If they sniff the tailpipe probably not. I've had both done, but usually the tailpipe test. I'm going this Friday so I'll get another data point.
 
greytandy said:
If they plug into the computer, maybe. If they sniff the tailpipe probably not. I've had both done, but usually the tailpipe test. I'm going this Friday so I'll get another data point.
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I thought the tailpipe sniff was only done on vehicles before 1995.
 
If it's like VA the computer at the emissions station will pick up that the codes have been reset and it will not pass until all the codes are gone thru by the vehicles computer. The tail pipe test is only if you do not have a computer hookup
 
Atticus said:
I thought the tailpipe sniff was only done on vehicles before 1995.
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I've had both on my 1998 Prelude. The 2006 Civic was the tailpipe test. These were all done at the now-defunct Gaithersburg center. I'll let you know what they do on Friday at the new Gaithersburg center.
 
John Smith said:
If the check engine light is not on and you have cleared any codes you are all set. They check the gas cap for proper vacuum seal and plug into the truck's computer looking for active fail codes.
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So, hypothetically, one could literally clear the codes right before he/she shows up and would be good to go?
 
Atticus said:
So, hypothetically, one could literally clear the codes right before he/she shows up and would be good to go?
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Yes, that is what I had to do to get my 2004 Mini Cooper S through last time. It kept throwing a intermittent fail on a particular sensor bank at start up. Cleared it and went for the test and passed fine.
 
Atticus said:
So, hypothetically, one could literally clear the codes right before he/she shows up and would be good to go?
Click to expand...

John Smith said:
Yes, that is what I had to do to get my 2004 Mini Cooper S through last time. It kept throwing a intermittent fail on a particular sensor bank at start up. Cleared it and went for the test and passed fine.
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John I've got to diagree. Unless MD is using something totally different than VA it will not pass until the vehicles computer goes thru the codes and resets. I had to go thru this every time I had to do emissions on my '96 Tacoma. The damn thing would trash egr tubes and I finally got to the point that I would drive it with the cel on and when it was time for emissions I would slap on the good egr tube have my son clear the codes, drive it until the the computer went thru its cycle and then Josh would do an emissions inspection on it. Then I'd take off the good egr tube blank it off and let the cel stay on for another 2 yrs
 
Thornton said:
John I've got to diagree. Unless MD is using something totally different than VA it will not pass until the vehicles computer goes thru the codes and resets. I had to go thru this every time I had to do emissions on my '96 Tacoma. The damn thing would trash egr tubes and I finally got to the point that I would drive it with the cel on and when it was time for emissions I would slap on the good egr tube have my son clear the codes, drive it until the the computer went thru its cycle and then Josh would do an emissions inspection on it. Then I'd take off the good egr tube blank it off and let the cel stay on for another 2 yrs
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Tom, I have no insight into what systems MD or VA use or how they work, only what worked for me. It sounds like you did the same thing I did. Clear the fail codes from the ECU which turns off the CEL then go for a test. All I know is that worked for me.
 
Does sound like we went thru the same steps. The problem with my Tacoma and I 've heard the same with other Toyotas is that it takes awhile for the computer to recycle thru the codes and when Josh would put mine back on the emission computer it would fail it. Maybe the Mini Cooper is different.

One thing you don't want to do is use another car in place of yours to try to pass a test. two inspecters tried that trick and it didn't take long for DMV to catch on. They were typing in one vin# and the the computer was sending the actual one from the car that was being tested to DMV. They got a nice visit from the state police and almost went to jail

I just hope good luck to Atticus on getting his thru
 
Thornton said:
Does sound like we went thru the same steps. The problem with my Tacoma and I 've heard the same with other Toyotas is that it takes awhile for the computer to recycle thru the codes and when Josh would put mine back on the emission computer it would fail it. Maybe the Mini Cooper is different.

One thing you don't want to do is use another car in place of yours to try to pass a test. two inspecters tried that trick and it didn't take long for DMV to catch on. They were typing in one vin# and the the computer was sending the actual one from the car that was being tested to DMV. They got a nice visit from the state police and almost went to jail

I just hope good luck to Atticus on getting his thru
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Thanks. I'm not worried about passing/failing. I just know that it will be a pain to chase an occasional EGR code for no good reason.
 
Thornton said:
Does sound like we went thru the same steps. The problem with my Tacoma and I 've heard the same with other Toyotas is that it takes awhile for the computer to recycle thru the codes and when Josh would put mine back on the emission computer it would fail it. Maybe the Mini Cooper is different.

One thing you don't want to do is use another car in place of yours to try to pass a test. two inspecters tried that trick and it didn't take long for DMV to catch on. They were typing in one vin# and the the computer was sending the actual one from the car that was being tested to DMV. They got a nice visit from the state police and almost went to jail

I just hope good luck to Atticus on getting his thru
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In MD the state runs all the emissions stations unlike in VA where the individual shops do it; so no shenanigans like were possible in VA on pre-OBD2 vehicles.

Atticus said:
Thanks. I'm not worried about passing/failing. I just know that it will be a pain to chase an occasional EGR code for no good reason.
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If your EGR valve tests out good, look for carbon plugging the passages in the system. You should be able to get through your emissions test much easier than the fiasco that was your inspection.
 
John Smith said:
If your EGR valve tests out good, look for carbon plugging the passages in the system. You should be able to get through your emissions test much easier than the fiasco that was your inspection.
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I was actually thinking that it would be impossible for it to even approach that.
 
your 80 should pass the test if you clear the codes right before u have it inspected. As it does not remember the code. It does how ever take a certain amount of drive cycles to set it back off. Also note that 95 and later with full time four wheel drive the emissions station must have a 4 wheel "dino" to run the test. Most likely like most place in VA your truck will get plugged in and maybe sniffed at idle.

Cam
 
Just talked to our lead tech your 97 will just get plugged in. So reset the code right before you take it in. As long as it is an EGR problem it wont pop back up, but if it is a Knock sensor if will pop right back up as soon as the engine goes over 1900 RPM. If it is a bad O2 sensor no telling how fast it will come back on.

Cam
 
The answer is "no." If you cleared the codes before you went in, the computer couldn't get a read and you have to come back in a couple of weeks.
 
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