Required Equipment to pass emission test (Maricopa County AZ-- OBD1) (1 Viewer)

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Joined
Jun 9, 2003
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Location
Mesa, Arizona
My Land Cruiser is a 1993. I live in Maricopa County, Arizona. As such my 80 needs to pass an emissions test every year. Because it is a pre-OBD2 and a full time 4WD, it needs to pass a sniff test at idle and a visual inspection. This has never been an issue, in the many years I have owned this 80 it has always passed with flying colors.

However, I would like to install a second battery using an FJ80 box, and a York compressor using one of those fancy mounts made by Wits' End. However, because my Land Cruiser is a 93 it has one of those big PAIR valves that are in the way of the FJ80 second battery and the Wits' End compressor mount.

So basically I want to figure out if I can remove the PAIR valve and still pass the visual inspection. My understanding is that removing the PAIR valve will not prevent it from passing the sniffer test.

It just so happens that I took the 80 in for its emission test yesterday. I watched the guy do the test, and it appears to me that they do not look for the PAIR valve. In fact, it appears to me that they only are looking for the catalytic converter, PCV system, and testing the fuel cap. And maybe the evap system. I took a picture of the guys computer screen, and it shows only those items plus the "air system" -- and for air system he typed in NA. And for that matter he did not appear to look for the evap system because it was list as inaccessible. And I don't think he looked for an EGR either.

So based on that it appears that I could remove the PAIR valve and still pass the visual inspection. What do you think? Does anyone have any experience testing a 93/94 without a PAIR valve in Maricopa county or other jurisdiction that requires a visual test?

Thanks for the help.

Jared

test screen.jpg


test results 2.jpg
 
You will not pass a visual conducted by a competent inspector.

Competent being the key factor.
 
Find someone that lives in a rural area of Arizona and use their address to register your 80. Might do that this year with my 80, since my uncle lives in Show Low.
 
Like cruiserdan said a competent inspector would just look a the emissions sticker on the hood it clearly shows the PAIR system.
I to have thought of doing just what you're thinking on my 94.
I live in a small town and the same old guy has been doing my smog check since we were both young and he never looks at that but I worried tired as soon as I took that for granted he would retire.
I didn't what to take the chance that a new guy would not look at that.
 
So my hope here is obviously that they are not actually looking at the sticker on the hood-- that they are only looking for those elements that are specified on the computer screen and emissions report. And I did watch the guy doing the test and I never saw him look at the sticker. And I never saw any sort of emissions diagram appear on his computer screen. I saw only the list that I took a picture of.

Now I could see how a place like California might actually pull up the diagram and check for everything. But as of now I don't see any evidence that this is what they do in Arizona.

I would really like to hear from someone that has removed their PAIR valve and tried to get it registered in Maricopa County.
 
So my hope here is obviously that they are not actually looking at the sticker on the hood-- that they are only looking for those elements that are specified on the computer screen and emissions report. And I did watch the guy doing the test and I never saw him look at the sticker. And I never saw any sort of emissions diagram appear on his computer screen. I saw only the list that I took a picture of.

Now I could see how a place like California might actually pull up the diagram and check for everything. But as of now I don't see any evidence that this is what they do in Arizona.

I would really like to hear from someone that has removed their PAIR valve and tried to get it registered in Maricopa County.

You might have better luck if you posted in the Arizona Copper State Cruiser Clubhouse as everyone in there is local. You will get some people from there checking in here every so often but if you want a quicker answer post in there.
 
Now I could see how a place like California might actually pull up the diagram and check for everything. But as of now I don't see any evidence that this is what they do in Arizona.
Haha I only have a by-annual inspection and its the same inspection your doing yearly.
Like I said it's a small town and i'm on a first name bases with the owner and I stand there and watch and no there's no diagram on the screen.
IMHO your taking a big chance to remove any smog equipment if you live where there smog checks.🤷‍♂️

FWIW the Puma 12V air compressor kicks ass and fills my 39s as fast as a york and for a lot less money !!
 

sjpitts

I may be able to help you a little bit. I lived and worked in Maricopa county for over 50 years. I saw the start of the first emission testing program in Maricopa and Pima county. I went to the ADEQ school for auto repair shop owners who did emission repairs when the state switched over from testing for 2 gases to the then new IM240 4 gas test.

The Pair system is part of that model year trucks federally required emission equipment, by the way it's against federal law to removed, or defeat emissions equipment on your truck. Just because one lazy inspector missed it in this years inspection, doesn't mean that next years inspector won't find it missing after you've removed it. You can remove it if you want, but if it were me I'd leave it alone and go with a different type of on board air compressor system to fill your tires.

You're other option is to register your truck outside the county if you have a friend, or family member who would agree to let you use their address.

You can pretty much forget about getting a U. S. Post Office Box outside the county, they have very strict resident requirements now, and you have to show them proof (rental agreement, house title in your name, or drivers license with a local address) that you live in the area to rent a box.

One last option would be to try and get a P. O. Box at a UPS store outside the county, they may not be as strict on showing proof that you live in area.

If you do move your trucks registration outside the county, you just might end up getting an unwanted surprise in that mail box. A jury summons to serve jury duty in that county. This happened to a good friend of mine that had a hot rod that wouldn't pass emissions, he had it registered in Gila county. He got called for jury duty twice in Globe.
 
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Well lovely... about to move to Maricopa County in a couple weeks and the current plates on my rig expire in September this year. I removed the PAIR system several years ago and yes, it does pass the sniff test with no issues. Now off to the garage to see if I kept any of the PAIR system around in a box...
 
Pro Tip:

Never, ever, toss anything you remove from under the hood. Ever.
 
Pro Tip:

Never, ever, toss anything you remove from under the hood. Ever.
Or from the Cruiser period, I learned this the hard way.
 
Well lovely... about to move to Maricopa County in a couple weeks and the current plates on my rig expire in September this year. I removed the PAIR system several years ago and yes, it does pass the sniff test with no issues. Now off to the garage to see if I kept any of the PAIR system around in a box...

It sounds like you are about to perform the relevant experiment for me.
 
If he passes, go to the same guy. :)
 
And in doing further research I went and found the applicable Arizona regulations:

Section R18-2-1006 - Emissions Test Procedures, Ariz. Admin. Code § 18-2-1006 | Casetext Search + Citator - https://casetext.com/regulation/arizona-administrative-code/title-18-environmental-quality/chapter-02-department-of-environmental-quality-air-pollution-control/article-10-motor-vehicles-inspections-and-maintenance/section-r18-2-1006-emissions-test-procedures

After spending way too much time reading these regulations I found this

Constant 4WD test.png


This says that Full Time 4WD vehicles that are not OBD are required to pass the idle test, the gas cap test, and the tampering test. And if we go to C.16 it says this:

Tampering-- Emission Test Rules.png


Under b) it says that for tampering they look for the i) catalytic converter, the ii) air injection system (if there is one -- and I think this is talking about smog pumps), iii) PCV valves, and iv) evap control systems.

This basically corresponds to what was on the computer screen at the emission test facility.

Now it does reference the emissions label in a), but it doesn't say that they actually look for everything in the label---it only says they look for what is in b)

Jared
 
So in summary, I still don't see any evidence that Arizona looks for PAIR valves when doing emission tests in OBD1 land cruisers.

But at this point is all moot, because Wits' End doesn't appear to be selling the York Kits anymore. :(
 
PAIR is a type of air injection. Therefore part of the inspection.
 
sjpitts like Cruiser Dan just told you above, the pair system is a type of air injection system, so that would make it required emission equipment for your truck. But if you really want to find out, why don't you call the Arizona Dept. Of Environmental Quality and ask them this question. Seeing as they are the ones who set the rules and standards for all emission testing done in Arizona. They would be the definitive source to give you the answer you are seeking.
 

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