Smog Check rant

ugh... both jeeps... same year... registration is due one month appart... and I gotta go to test only or a gold test station only... on both of them..... UGH!

Had you ever been branded as a "Gross Poluter" in the past?
They really shaft you forever for that.

RobertF said:

Had you ever been branded as a "Gross Poluter" in the past?
They really shaft you forever for that.

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One of them failed visual due to screwup by the smog place.... but resmogged and passed within the hour. I think partially what got me... is age.... of the rigs? :dunno:

Mine failed 2 years ago because the connector on the back of the instrument cluster was loose and the CEL did not light when the kay was turned on. 2 minute fix cost me an extra $25.

Kejtar said:

... and I gotta go to test only or a gold test station only... on both of them..... UGH!

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I think it's just the "profile" for old Cherokees, both ours are "test only" and the '96 has always passed.
Our '89 needed lots of help to pass after I accidentally swapped the two vacuum lines at the back of the air cleaner. Earlier this week I managed to get the CEL light to go off for long enough to get the '96 through.
A couple things that you might miss and can fail you. Bad gas cap that that doesn't hold vacuum [ you only need one new one ] and a fuel system that won't leak when pressurized. I saw two cars dumping gas on the ground from old lines while waiting.

Good luck, '97's should be fine.

Kejtar said:

ugh... both jeeps... same year... registration is due one month appart... and I gotta go to test only or a gold test station only... on both of them..... UGH!

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I have just got mine the other day. My 1990 xj passed smog just last year at normal station with no problems (I actually didnt do anything to it when I smogged it). I just got the renewal for october and I have to smog it again?!? on top of that it is also at a smog test only (which I didnt have last year.

Has CA changed smog or something? I thought it is supposto be every 2 years with occasinally getting maybe a test only? Someone told me that CA makes you smog every year when vehicle gets older and make you do test onlys. Is this true?

Supposed to be biannual (2 years). Ive had older vehicles that I have not had to take to test only stations. Part of it may be due to that "cash for clunkers" BS thats starting soon. Maybe an indirect hint to trade in vehicle?

Johnnie Walker said:

Supposed to be biannual (2 years). Ive had older vehicles that I have not had to take to test only stations. Part of it may be due to that "cash for clunkers" BS thats starting soon. Maybe an indirect hint to trade in vehicle?

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Oh great I hope not all my vehicles are clunkers lol.

XJ4Christ said:

Oh great I hope not all my vehicles are clunkers lol.

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Well, if you have heard about the bill, doesnt mean your vehicle necessarily is or have to get rid of it. Just a "help the economy" deal and to help some people that normally couldnt afford a new vehicle to get one.

I took my '98 in from MI to have it tested, it passed amazingly. I figured it wouldn't since it was never in CA before, and MI has no smog laws.