 |
| photo source: smoghut.com The Smog Hut, San Jose Ca. The friendly Star Smog station. |
As my cars age they are still required to pass the bi annual California smog check. However, they must undergo this test at the "test only" Star smog station. These stations do not perform any repairs, they only do testing. They are a bit pricier than the average test.
In California new cars are exempt from smog check for the first ten years. I suppose that there are many readers out there that have never had to deal with this anxiety producing procedure. Cars that are 1975 models, or older are also exempt. That explains why early models are preferred by collectors and hobbyists. It is easy to keep the cars registered and insured even if they are seldom used or currently not running. I will state once more, that It's not that I want to poison the environment, it's just that it would be easier to maintain my stable. Most of these cars are infrequently used.
Unfortunately, I've got a whole stable of old cars that are singled out for this treatment.
1989 Jaguar XJS. This car was purchased from an estate sale with approx. one hundred thousand miles on the clock. Over time I put it back on the road and it passed it's last smog check with flying colors. This indicates to me that the motor is in good shape, but who knows about the rest of the complex systems that support it?
1996 Mustang GT. This car is a real favorite of mine. Purchased with 150,000 miles on the clock I've rolled up over 60,000 additional miles since. It's a good runner. A few months back I drove it out to Riverside Ca, a round trip of over 800 miles, in two days. It uses a bit of oil, but thanks to my commitment to repair and upkeep it has been quite reliable and trustworthy. At over 208,000 miles it is also in the ring.
1996 Jaguar XJ6. Of all my cars I guess that you could refer to this one as my baby. It sat out an entire year off the road, it's time to get it back in use. It has over 150,000 miles on the clock, and it has a check engine light (CEL) on. It's future is riding on the results of this test. If successful or if if it just needs a little bit of work, then I'll proceed forward to the suspension work. If it's not practical to smog it, well I shudder to think of the consequences. The results will be as anticipated as the outcome of an MMA cage match!
1997 Ford Explorer. It passed the smog check at the time I bought it, a year or so ago. It's been registered for another year, but it will get it's turn in the barrel next year. It has gotten even weirder lately, but smog isn't one of my current concerns.
1951 Jaguar Mark VII. No requirement of smog test for this oldster. That's one of the reasons that I bought it. Currently not running, it still it has a slew of it's own problems.
 |
| photosource: vista smog.com A probe up the exhaust pipe is never a pleasant experience. |
First things first, I went to AAA to pay the fees on the XJ. I paid 132 dollars last year, (yes I was late), for the privilege of having the car sit in my driveway. I paid the fees on time this year, and they wanted an additional 80.00 penalty. I explained that car has been in my garage while I attended to my other car projects. The nice lady then waived this penalty after I signed an affidavit stating that the car had been stored during this period. I guess that DMV wants to discourage the sneaky use of unsmogged cars, even if the fees are on deposit. I could of placed it on non op status for 35.00 bucks! Next time.
I could complain about all these fees and penalties, but I won't. I know how the game is played. The DMV established the "planned non operation provision" for hobbyists like me. That would have saved me around a hundred bucks or so and the possibility of additional penalties. I should also investigate suspending my insurance coverage during the inop period. I was just too optimistic about my chances of getting around to fixing up the XJ.
Since the XJ is going to sit around a bit anyway, I decided to move onto the '96 Mustang.
I usually start out with an oil change to purge any foul smelling fumes from the crankcase. Then I'll check and replace the air filter, if necessary. The plug and wires were replaced when I replaced the intake manifold the first time, about four years ago. After the oil change I drove it about ten miles on city streets to the smog station. I won't deny that I was starting to feel some apprehension, it has always done okay, but the mileage is starting to pile up.
 |
| The shop is as friendly as it's name. |
As I waited in the customer area I remarked to the owner that this was like the maternity ward of a hospital, everyone was anxiously waiting to see if their baby was going to be okay! The operator ran the Mustang through it's paces and thankfully, it emerged with a clean bill of health.
Two more years! I could breathe again!
I stopped by the AAA office near my home to pay the registration and get the new tags. Things are definitely looking up! A couple of days ago I had a problem with the front passenger's seat belt getting stuck in the retractor. The belt must have gotten twisted as it rewinded and it was jammed up and now wouldn't retract or release. My Wife had to ride home with the belt held across her chest so that we wouldn't get stopped by the cops. For some reason, this problem put me into a funk, but I fixed it today after I got home. I pulled the cover off the retractor so that I could see and manipulate the twisted belt. A few minutes spent fiddling with it solved my problem.
Now it's the XJ6's time to enter the ring. The CEL (Check Engine Light) has been on for awhile. The car seems to run great with no driveability issues. I borrowed an OBD reader from my Son and figured how to hook it up and operate it. I found a couple of codes and erased them. The CEL went out. Hmmmm, will this be enough to allow it to be smogged? I don't know. I'll swing by the Smog Hut after work and talk to the technician. More to follow.
Believe me, California is serious about nabbing gross polluters. Just check out the illustration below. This is really to catch vehicles that are not required to submit to the bi-annual smog check. Even non regulated cars have to be in good running condition. It will also catch those that have suffered some grievous mechanical misfortune and won't have to undergo the test for another year or so. I don't have a problem with this. I'm all for clean air.
No comments:
Post a Comment