1997 Chevy Cavalier still wont pass emissions... What now?

[Donald]

Yeah, any other state that still does emissions inspection on a 97 would've passed the car if the CEL isn't on and there aren't any codes!

I thought most states plug into the OBDII and tell the emissions to do a self test?

 

[supton]

the knockoff fuel injectors got me past emissions but it's now dying at idle.

That's a bummer. Do you still have the old injectors? I wonder if you could send out for rebuilding on the cheap. If not, when does it have to pass emissions again?

 

[JDenyer232]

I thought most states plug into the OBDII and tell the emissions to do a self test?

Yeah most sane states just plug in to the obd port. States that had inspection stations with sniffers already set up probably didn't want to get rid of them as private businesses had already invested in the equipment. I'm looking into semi retirement in New Mexico and they smog test in the county that I would be living in. There are dozens of testing locations in Albuquerque alone. I don't see that changing as dozens of businesses would be closed. The obd check should have been the gold standard from the beginning.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I now wants to randomly die at stop lights after its warmed up. I suspect that there are other issues

The egr is $300, the knockoff fuel injectors got me past emissions but it's now dying at idle. OEM injectors are $198 apiece, the iac is $84-$150 to replace.

Did you ever pull fuel trims?

 

[97prizm]

I thought most states plug into the OBDII and tell the emissions to do a self test?

In Colorado there's no emissions testing for the first 6-7 years, then an obd plug-in for 5 years or so then a dyno drive test. Heavy trucks and 1981 and older get a static tail pipe test. Then hybrids and certain vehicles i.e. long wheelbase, and a few vehicles that can't have traction control turned off only get obd tests. For some reason the Corvette ZO6 is obd only yet other Corvettes are a drive test.

 

[97prizm]

That's a bummer. Do you still have the old injectors? I wonder if you could send out for rebuilding on the cheap. If not, when does it have to pass emissions again?

I finally found a guy that can rebuild the original injectors. On my list now. The Amazon injectors feel like I have a boat anchor dragging behind me.

 

[supton]

In Colorado there's no emissions testing for the first 6-7 years, then an obd plug-in for 5 years or so then a dyno drive test. Heavy trucks and 1981 and older get a static tail pipe test. Then hybrids and certain vehicles i.e. long wheelbase, and a few vehicles that can't have traction control turned off only get obd tests. For some reason the Corvette ZO6 is obd only yet other Corvettes are a drive test.

That's strange, or seems to me strange. I can see wanting to make sure the older cars aren't driving around with defeated systems... but seems like a lot of work for ODBII vehicles, when just checking would catch most problems for least effort.

I guess I'm a bit spoiled, life in the rust belt means our legislators don't worry much about old cars getting away with things--none of them exist any more, enforced fleet turnover.

 

[D60]

I guess I'm a bit spoiled, life in the rust belt means our legislators don't worry much about old cars getting away with things--none of them exist any more, enforced fleet turnover.

Since we've been told ‐‐ at least until 6 months ago -- that we were all going to electric cars and it was going to be great and we WILL love it, seems to me plans should have already been in the works to decommission emissions programs.

The lack of such action suggests even those pushing said agenda knew it was all lip service and virtue signaling.

OTOH I just had a brilliant business plan: I'm going to open a nationwide chain of service centers that fix typewriters, carburetors and horse-drawn carriages all under one roof! Oddly, I'm having difficulty sourcing start-up capital.....?

 

[supton]

The lack of such action suggests even those pushing said agenda knew it was all lip service and virtue signaling.

Takes time to change the fleet over. Median vehicle age is what, 12 years now? Would take a decade to significantly change the fleet over, then one could remove those programs. From places where they exist (lots of the country does not have).

Lawmakers can't plan farther than dinner--a decade out is too far (and someone else's problem most likely).