Smog Test Full Time 4WD Cars

[Winston]

So how do they smog test full time 4WD cars/trucks? My friend has an Acura RL (Super Handling AWD) and he was wondering how they would do it. All the smog places I have seen, just have a spot to run two wheels. Do some smog shops have a way to run all 4 wheels? It would have to be adjustable for the wheelbase too. Hmm. Anyone know?

 

[surfstar]

Down here in Santa Barbara County they just use a sniffer without putting it on a dyno, just rev it up in neutral.

Maybe they'll do that or there are specialty shops with four rollers.

 

[brianl703]

In Virginia, those get a two-speed idle test. Or, now, if they're OBD-II, they get an OBD fault code inspection and no sniffer test. (This applies to all OBD-II vehicles actually)

 

[Quest]

here in the land of Beavers, we do have provincial testing centre with 4WD aircare testing facilities for 4WD/AWD vehicles.

 

[D189379]

Quote:

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here in the land of Beavers, we do have provincial testing centre with 4WD aircare testing facilities for 4WD/AWD vehicles.

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They test that in Canada? Never heard of that before.

 

[Vilan]

At the Aircare station I go to (in BC), there is one lane specially marked for 4WD/AWD vehicles. I've never used it so I don't know what exactly they do there, but they can handle it.

 

[AndyH]

Probably differs from state to state. Best bet is to check the California DOT web site for specifics for your state.

 

[tom slick]

the DMV and BAR take care of all smog rules in Calif.

 

[williar]

Department of Motor Vehicles
and
Browning Automatic Rifle?

 

[Norm Olt]

About 6 years ago (3 DEQ cycles ago) they came out with the rolling wheels ("improved" which just turnrd out to be MORE EXPEN$IVE by $10-15) test, and, of course, none of the full time AWD cars were able to be tested in this way...

Last year they got rid of this test (for all but a couple of year's production of 2WD cars) the since the VAST majority of all the cars they test are OBDII compliant: all they do is PLUG INTO the harness and STILL charge you $25.00, the more EXPEN$IVE rolling test price which was "justified by all the new equipment" but they don't do that test, much, anymore...

City of Portland still requires the "much better" oxyginated(?) gas year-round, because it is "so much better for the Earth" (even though the gas mileage goes down for all the cars using this #@$%!)and 5% BioDiesel for the city vehicles and bus fleet...

 

[moribundman]

Quote:

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So how do they smog test full time 4WD cars/trucks? My friend has an Acura RL (Super Handling AWD) and he was wondering how they would do it. All the smog places I have seen, just have a spot to run two wheels. Do some smog shops have a way to run all 4 wheels? It would have to be adjustable for the wheelbase too. Hmm. Anyone know?

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2WD cars now must go on the dyno here. I have a quattro AWD and even here in the Bay Area this car is exempt from dyno testing.