Does your vehicle violate the Clean Air Act?

GVX19 wrote: Im proud and sad to say Every YUGO that I have had at the Challenge, could and did emissions.

You are forgetting the year you were in MY Yugo.

SVreX, you wrote "E&I: You are offended at being compared to coal rollers, but are very likely in violation of the actual regs."

I realized its not a good habit to interpret feelings from text . I've been wrong as you are about me being offended. Being offended would be childish and thin-skinned.

To be honest, I don't know exactly what a violation of the Clean Air act would need to be.

I know all my vehicles are able to pass emissions testing in my state. The Diesel in the op would not blowing smoke in that manner. I stand by my Mustang example as the two I see regularly are not breaking any laws that I'm aware of yet I can smell them every time they drive by.

Even though I made this thread, I don't care which way it goes. I'll learn from it either way. No dog in this fight as they say.

my '14 Sonic passes the OBDII plug in

my '13 Fit passes the OBDII plug in

my '97 F150 passes the OBDII plug in

my '91 CRX may or may not pass a sniffer test … not required in NC .. but I've done nothing that would intentionally cause it to fail (of which I'm aware)

My 88 Samurai would pass 91 Tracker standards. It even has a cat on it.

The truck wouldn't, the PO snatched the cat. I drive it very little and probably won't put one back.

The Liberty, 635 and the T-bird would.

All of my vehicles pass the Clean Air Act laws. They are as they were made, which were certified when they were manufactured.

The Clean Air Act is a federal law, trumped by California's Air Resources Board laws- since they pre-dated the Clean Air Act by 4 years or so ('68-72).

Local inspection rules are governed by the Clean Air Act, but do not actually reflect that law.

Applicable laws change with model year- nobody can ask a 1979 car to pass 1996 laws. There were some suggestions behind that, but I don't see a legal way to change that.

As for the idea that regulations stifle creativity, I totally and 100% disagree with that. Not only do they foster creativity, they also end up with some really good paying highly skill jobs. There are 1000's of engineers who work on emissions rules- millions of dollars of salaries just go to meet those rules. And cars have not increased relative cost all the while getting cleaner, more powerful, and more fuel efficient. On top of that, the creative company can use the rules to their economic advantage.

My 1986 Nissan truck is still on the orignal Cat. Because of the way you have to pull codes on it, it doesn't have a check engine light. So I have no idea if its in compliance, but it is orignal equipment all the way. My other regularly used cars are in compliance with the standard for their day, even my 1964 Spitfire, which has an open pipe to the crankcase. But I've been a bad bad boy with the 1980 Spitfire that is not on the road.

I honestly have no idea if my black Civic would or not.

My 25 year old 325i should pass its annual sniffer test when it comes up again in the spring.

It is getting a new 48 state cat this weekend; an actual reputable brand and not something just for show. The O2 is even only 3k miles old.

Any theoretical mods to the injectors, cam, computer, etc. are well within the limits of what an intact and functioning emissions system can handle.

I have no idea what the laws and acts actually proscribe but I do not believe that I am doing anything terribly offensive.

I don't think either of mine would pass, they're JDM vehicles that weren't meant to pass and don't have cats.

GameboyRMH wrote: I don't think either of mine would pass, they're JDM vehicles that weren't meant to pass and don't have cats.

I could be wrong, but I think your cars never needed to pass any US emissions rules.

edit- just looked it up- Barbados didn't convert to unleaded until 1998, and didn't have vehicle emissions standards until 2011. The presentation mentioned most of the cars were imported from Japan or England, so it's not as if the cars had NOTHING, but they didn't have requirements until 3 years ago. Seems as if the bigger push is to have low sulphur diesel.

Even though my vehicles belch hydrocarbons I have a cap-and-trade deal worked out with a local prius driver for his pollution credits.

I'll just go oldest to newest that runs and drives.

60 Baja Bug- Not close to stock....doubt it would pass the most basic sniffer test.

69 Suburban 4x4 - I just yanked off the smog pump and installed an aftermarket carb, so doubt it would pass.

71 Chevelle 454SS - aftermarket intake, carb, headers, runs a little rich, doubt it would pass.

72 Ford LTD - All stock, should pass

72 Firebird - 455, not close to stock, highly doubt it would pass.

73 Volvo 142 - Stock, should pass

76 GMC Casa Grande - Stock, should pass

77 Blazer Chalet - 330HP crate engine, headers, no cats, wouldn't pass.

78 Trans AM - Stock, should pass.

84 m1009 diesel blazer - Stock but mil spec non egr 6.2 as delivered, don't know if it would pass.

85 Porsche 911 - Stock minus a catback, should pass.

88 C4 Corvette - EGR delete, no cats, tune, headers, etc, wouldn't pass.

89 Suburban - Stock engine, no cat, probably wouldn't pass.

97 k3500 - No cats, but otherwise stock, probably wouldn't pass.

99 Cherokee - Stock, should pass.

2009 Solstice GXP Coupe - Stock, would pass.

2012 Wrangler - Stock would pass.

2012 k1300s - Replacing the stock exhaust with integrated cat with aftermarket/no cat this week.

I'm sure I'm forgetting something, but that's where most of mine stand.

In reply to Cotton:

Funny thing is, most of those would pass (because they are exempt).

Nice stable!

In reply to ebonyandivory:

I didn't mean to offend you by saying you were offended.

I didn't mean "offended" as in "emotional over reaction", I meant it as in "logical disagreement and/or taking exception".

Looks to me like most of our cars are legal, many don't meet modern standards, few of us (except Alfa) have any idea what is required, and a lot of us really don't care.

alfadriver wrote:

GameboyRMH wrote: I don't think either of mine would pass, they're JDM vehicles that weren't meant to pass and don't have cats.

I could be wrong, but I think your cars never needed to pass any US emissions rules. edit- just looked it up- Barbados didn't convert to unleaded until 1998, and didn't have vehicle emissions standards until 2011. The presentation mentioned most of the cars were imported from Japan or England, so it's not as if the cars had NOTHING, but they didn't have requirements until 3 years ago. Seems as if the bigger push is to have low sulphur diesel.

Nope never needed to. The new regulations only apply to 2011+ cars as well (basically "don't import a coal-rolling Chinese truck" from what I understand)

SVreX wrote: Funny thing is, most of those would pass (because they are exempt).

Pass local testing. They still violate the Clean Air Act.

I think many are still overlooking that the Clean Air Act and local testing are totally different things.

Forgot one: 78 Chevy stepside prostreet truck. Supercharged 383, no cats, no stock emissions of any kind, wouldn't pass.

The only questionable exhaust issue is the leaks at my F150's muffler. Beyond that, I believe everything is in compliance... now that the Ranger is gone.

absolutely not. Well the daily does but the rest? not a chance.

N Sperlo wrote: The only questionable exhaust issue is the leaks at my F150's muffler. Beyond that, I believe everything is in compliance... now that the Ranger is gone.

Exhaust leaks downstream of catalysts are fine. If that helps.

for anyone who is happy and proud to be a gross emitter, is it ok that I drop my oil off in your veggie garden? I need a place to put it, and it would keep the dust down.

Never said I was happy or proud(not that you singled me out or anything...I just thought I'd respond). I just listed most of the fleet and what I thought of the compliance for each.

Also, I don't have a veggie garden. I already have over 60 gallons of waste oil I need to recycle....maybe I should buy a waste oil heater.

I live in California so yea..

Anyone else in for a $300 CA approved cat so your 25 year old miata will pass smog?

My cars and bike with plates are all legal.

My race car, which is not a road legal vehicle and is not subject to those laws has no unnecessary systems in operation.

2000 Cherokee: Should pass? OBDII thingy is clear. Does have a Magnaflow spun cat, though... meth heads stole the factory cat and i ain't paying to put another stock one on there, Clean Air Act or not.

1995 Miata: No cats, aftermarket engine management system. Violates the act, but i doubt that it's truly any "dirtier" than a stock Miata.

1993 Escort: No cats, aftermarket engine management system, JDM y0 motor. Clearly i hate the environment.

1993 Miata: Does it still violate the act if the emissions stuff has been removed? What if the motor went with the emissions stuff?

1990 MX6: Uhhhh.... no comment. Ever seen a gas motor "roll coal?"

1988 MX6: See above.