SF Bay Area Smog tips and tricks for 1999 LC

[chrismenke]

The every two year ritual is upon me for the first time and I don't do SMOG Checks much...most everything I own is pre 75 or registered at my vacation home in a no smog state.

I know because I'm a 1999 I'm gonna get a sniffer. I know I should do an oil change first. I know I should drive the truck and get the cats good and hot.

272k, no codes, will hook Techstream/OBD II up to read the readiness. Anything else? Seafoam? Running alcohol in the gas? Snake oil? Anybody have a shop that is star certified but doesn't have an AWD dyno to recommend?

 

[JunkCrzr89]

I know because I'm a 1999 I'm gonna get a sniffer

I can’t speak for CA but here in AZ that’s not true. Only pre-1996 vehicles (ie, pre-OBDII) get sniffer tested. Otherwise they just hook up to the OBD port to check that readiness monitors are complete and you have no DTCs. If your monitors are complete and the check engine light isn’t on, then you pass emissions testing here.

Changing the oil, getting cats hot, snake oil, etc all can work for pre-96 trucks that get sniffered, but are unnecessary on an OBD-II truck if no DTCs are present.

 

[chrismenke]

Yeah, California is ODB II testing from 2000 forward.

 

[hoser]

I did my '98 two weeks ago. Indeed a sniffer test. All I did was get the cats hot and make sure the readiness monitors were complete. Nothing else and it passed with flying colors.

 

[OEMGUY0720]

Here in Nevada no codes means no problem. You are all set.

 

[awesomeissquid]

There was one in the Mission that I used a bunch of times, but I am not seeing it on google maps. Let me check my records tomorrow and get back to you if they are still around.

 

[NoTempoLimit]

....Anything else? Seafoam? Running alcohol in the gas? Snake oil?

I got a tip for 'ya. Let me explain:

First time I did smog in CA I did something stupid: I'd heard that you couldn't pass with a MIL light and thought that if you had codes that would prevent passing too. So I used my OBDII tool to clear the codes on my E39 BMW. The car passed everything but failed because all the OBD monitors had been reset. I didn't even know about the monitors at the time.

I had two days to re-test for free. I put in a bottle of Techron and drove around at night so I could do the drive cycle test procedure. This is very difficult to do in the LA area. Try going between 20-30 mph or 40-60 mph anywhere for even a few minutes without stopping or having a**hole drivers hassle you. But I got it done (didn't have a tester that had the monitor check so I had to guess).

Tested again and passed. Now here is the important part: This is back in 2012 when they ran on the dyno and you got the numbers for CO, HC, etc. All the pollutant numbers were much lower as a result of the Techron and the continuous speed driving.

If you don't already have one, get an OBDII reader that shows emissions readiness monitors.

Put in some premium gas (does not have to be a full tank) and a bottle of Techron concentrate and do some highway driving, including a few part throttle pulls (avoid downshifting) maybe some hill climbing. That will get the engine and cats as clean as you can get them.

If you have EVAP issues, make sure your gas tank level is outside the range where the OBDII can do the EVAP test. You can pass without having cleared the EVAP monitor.

SO glad I don't live in CA anymore. I know they are going to make life miserable for anyone driving a gasoline or diesel powered car/truck.

 

[chrismenke]

Awesome info...you still had the Techron in the tank during the test?

 

[awesomeissquid]

There was one in the Mission that I used a bunch of times, but I am not seeing it on google maps. Let me check my records tomorrow and get back to you if they are still around.

I finally found the receipt, but the place is now gone. It was SFC Motors on 15th and S. Van Ness.

 

[NoTempoLimit]

Awesome info...you still had the Techron in the tank during the test?

Yes, it has no negative effect. It's just a detergent.

I finally found the receipt, but the place is now gone. It was SFC Motors on 15th and S. Van Ness.

Surprised there are any non-tech business left in S.F. other than coffee houses and hair salons. Glad I got to see S.F. in the early and mid '80's when my uncle lived just South of the city near SFO airport.