Emissions Testing questions

[MarkJ]

My first post. I've got a couple of questions about passing the smog test.

First off, what equipment am I supposed to have for a '77 EB 302? I have an aftermarket intake, no EGR. Some guys have posted that the independent shops (not Air Care Colorado official test stations) don't care too much about aftermarket parts. True, or false, what's been your experience?

If you've used one of the independent shops in the last few years how did it go?
Just for reference the two shops are:
1) Discount Auto Emissions on Federal
2) Econo Emissions on E. Colfax

Thanks for the help.

[landshark]

You will need a sealed gas cap, catalytic converter, smog pump plumbed into the exhaust before the cat or heads.

True. Go to the independent shops. If you have the three things above and pass the sniffer (tailpipe) test then you should be good to go. Get 5 year plates!

I hear you can get an exception if your bronco has a delivery code from certain cities. Roxcrusher on here knows more about that.

[Rox Crusher]

Howdy Mark and welcome aboard.

Is the rig new to you and Colorado ?

I have a 77 and it all comes down to how your individual Bronco was originally equipped, which was determined by the DSO. The DSO for mine was somewhere in TN which wasn't CA, a big city, or a high altitude destination.

This meant it came with a cat but no air pump. They have a reference book to check what your rig is supposed to have.

I don't think the emission shops specifically look for aftermarket intakes, etc. I think they simply look for the required component (air pump, EGR, cat) for the subject vehicle.

[Rox Crusher]

I wanted to clarify my experience.

I originally went to this really small emissions testing place in Englewood. It was literally a guy with a machine in a single car garage. I thought "no problem", but he failed it because it didn't have a cat or a air pump.

Gave me a card for a guy at Colorado Air's technical inspection location in Highlands Ranch. This guy turned out to be a "car guy" and he liked the Bronco.

He went and researched the DSO and came back with the attached evaluation form. Took him about 20 minutes and he was happy to do it.

DSO was Memphis so I suppose I should find out if Elvis ever owned this beauty.

image.jpeg

[sykanr0ng]

You will need a sealed gas cap, catalytic converter, smog pump plumbed into the exhaust before the cat or heads.

True. Go to the independent shops. If you have the three things above and pass the sniffer (tailpipe) test then you should be good to go. Get 5 year plates!

I hear you can get an exception if your bronco has a delivery code from certain cities. Roxcrusher on here knows more about that.

Those are kind of a good news / bad news thing for anyone with a vehicle newer than 1975.

Yes you get out of emission testing until you renew in five years.

But you also must sign an affidavit that it will be driven no more than 4,500 miles per year.

[MarkJ]

Thanks for all the help. If anyone has had experience at the two shops let me know. Or are most people going to the Air Care stations?

[Viperwolf1]

You will need a sealed gas cap, catalytic converter, smog pump plumbed into the exhaust before the cat or heads.

True. Go to the independent shops. If you have the three things above and pass the sniffer (tailpipe) test then you should be good to go. Get 5 year plates!

I hear you can get an exception if your bronco has a delivery code from certain cities. Roxcrusher on here knows more about that.

Those are kind of a good news / bad news thing for anyone with a vehicle newer than 1975.

Yes you get out of emission testing until you renew in five years.

But you also must sign an affidavit that it will be driven no more than 4,500 miles per year.

I just reg'd my '70 with classic plates last month. No emission test needed and the only signature was the one on my check. In fact they didn't even mention a mileage limit. Maybe I just got lucky.

[plumbdoctor]

Phil, the affidavit is for 76 and newer vehicles. When i got my plates the lady at the counter showed me the affidavit , then laughed and didn't make me sign it..." How can we prove it" she said...

[Viperwolf1]

Ok, that makes sense.

[landshark]

I never signed anything for my 76 stating limited miles either.

Go to the independent shop, avoid the air care if you can.

[MarkJ]

Will do. Wish me luck.

[Zenzone]

When I went and got my bronco done last year at air care colorado the first round through it failed because believe it or not three guys came over after the original person couldn't find the smog pump and they were crawling around with flashlights looking. I have the 670 truck avenger as well so it didn't pass the sniffer either. I do however have a 4 barrel manifold off a mustang and an egr in the system thats just there for looks to pass. I also have a cat converter, and they did look for it. So in order to pass I had to go home and take the york compressor off and put my smog pump back on and just lay the lines in so it looked like it was attached. This did work. The next round through I did pass the test by the same individual and he was amazed I passed with flying colors. I took my paper and ran before he could ask any more questions. I'll send you a PM with what I did to get mine to pass with flying colors!

[MarkJ]

Thanks for the info and PM. I had the exact same thing happen at Air Care Colorado with a Dakota. Not sure what they were looking for because that vehicle was all stock, but had 3 guys looking all over and talking for 5 minutes. A lot of those guys aren't mechanics though. One guy told me that he never worked on a car in his life just got a job driving them into the lane and then after a few months they bumped him up to inspector.

[Zenzone]

Yeah it's how sometimes they think they know more than they really do. I understand the whole clean air thing and appreciate it, but sometimes the engine runs more clean and much better gas mileage than it does with all the emissions junk on it. Did you do the test yet?