Re: emissions testing - NOT!

[William J Murin <murin@uwp.edu>]

Those of us unfortunate enough to live in the 7 southeastern-most counties
in WI have been undergoing emissions checks for years.  For the first few
years it was a wand up the tailpipe, visual inspection to see the cat.
was still in place and some cursory looking under the hood--for what I
have no idea.

Over the past two years or so the state moved from annual to
once-every-two years inspections.  along with it came dynamic testing.  My
87 4kq never
really cooperated on the AWD test bed.  no matter how they tried to strap
it down it always wiggled around and finally after wasting about 25
minutes of my time the inspector would finally give up and just sniff the
tailpipe.

Last year when the 89 100q replaced the 4kq I had to take it in for a
sniff(under WI law any time a car more than 5 years old changes hands it
has to be inspected).  Same problem, same result; static test.

This year had to take it back again--seems that even though it is a once
every 2 year test you have to be "in phase" (odd numbered model year cars
get inspected in even-number years and vice-versa.  This time they tried
to hook it up again, and much to my surprise they actually got the beast
to stay where it was supposed to.

However, what was supposed to be a 5 or 6 minute evet took about 20.
Could not hear the conversation among the three inspectors but the one
driving the car would get it up to 40+ mph watch some computer print out,
shake her head, bring the car to a stop, and do it all again.  did that
three times or so before she was satisfied.

Car passed, but the HC count was bumping the edge.  Mine tested at 1.098
the max limit for pass was 1.1.

Interestingly enough, this year they did not check the converter, peek
under the hood, or check the gas cap.  The last time I took the 4kq in the
cap failed.  "real" Audi gas caps are not cheap(surprise, surprise).

That's it for 2 more years.  Hopefully when the next time rolls around
I'll have something with an "S" letter designation in front of the model
number.

Dont know how it is in other states, but the company that does the tests
for the state of WI has had a string of back luck in recent months.  Was
at my mechanic's around the holidays and he had a Mitsu/Stealth twin turbo
sitting on the rack.  It was the AWD version.  Seems like an inspector had
messed something up during the test and the driveline was damaged.
Insurance adjuster for the company was looking at the car when I wandered
in.  He mentioned to the owner of the shop that he had been to three or
four such events in the previous months.

Can you imagine how nevous the owner of a 911 carrera 4 must feel when
they try to strap that beast down?

Happy Feb 1 everyone.

Bill Murin
89 100q

On Fri, 30 Jan 1998, glen powell wrote:

> 
> Thank God NH canceled our testing program State-wide.
> (totally 100% canceled as in not even a tail-pipe sniff)
> 
> -glen
> 
> I went and got my emmisions tested yesterday in CT.  A very cool AWD
> rolling road with rollers that adjust for the wheel base of the car/truck.
> 
> 25mph for 25secs is the new test here.  Car passed easy.  The gas cap
> didn't!  They now pressure test all caps. I've got to replace it and go
> back for a retest.