Roperteacher

Yuck! I happen to live in one of the counties in CA that has to have my truck smogged. Also got a recall notice to take truck in for ECM flash so the smog stations can get accurate emissions readings. My Annual truck license and tags are now $630!!!! $77 to have it smogged. Bummer!

cdennyb

does anyone know if you could use an ECM from a junk yard truck, install it and then do the smog thing and after you get it home, swap out for the "good" ECM.

Big Horn 06

I smell something wrong with your recall, the smog test doesn't give "readings", the pass/fail is based on the tech's "observations", an obd check and the underhood look. No dyno, sniffer or the like.

steelblitzkrieg

I'm also due, I posted about it in the General Diesel Forum.

I talked to a smog guy, he said they look for missing emissions equipment and then perform the snap test (Blip the throttle and look for too much smoke). He said that pretty much it, didn't mention OBD check? He said they are trying to pass smog laws for Motorcycles also now.

Big Horn 06

I was told they plug into the obd to check for codes. I also heard about bikes and lawn mowers. When the lawn mower got brought up, I instantly thought of Hank Hill riding into town in search of a smog test station............

Roperteacher

I didn't read the Recall notice word for word but it said that the ECM will fail to report certain data during a smog check which will cause the truck to fail. I called my dealer ( Real good guys) and they said they offered the smog check as well. Did not go into what was actually part of the test. I have nothing to hide, just gauges. I have not touched my cat or other emissions stuff. 77 seems pretty steep for a " Look over" of equipment. LOL

Big Horn 06

The price is my main gripe. I got into it on another site with a guy that turned out to be a smog guy and he went on and on about the price was due to the cost of his equipment. Well, that's just fine when you have to use the equipment for the job, but with our trucks, you don't, well, you need it to send the results to DMV but so are we paying for your time to look pretty in our trucks and send an email to Sac? $70 for 10 minutes? Wow, sign me up!! Also, with the '06 and up has can-bus pcm's, we don't even get an obd check. He didn't say anything else after that. The more I hear about this, the more I like my '06 and the LESS I like the '10 I drove this weekend............

.D.

Recall is so the independents can read the vehicle info through the OBD port.

Swapping an ECM will do nothing for you except cause you more problems than you ever started with.

Smog check is a joke and yes, places are charging $80.00 for the static smog test - IE rev the truck to certain rpms and check for smoke after visual inspection has indicated stock emissions equipment is in place.

I sure hope there is alot of smog legal Diesel products at SEMA this year cuz those companies have all made millions while under the shadow of impending "smog checks" - basically none of the bolt on opr programmer stuff they sell is legal.

dhe9

the writing has been on the wall for some time, this freaggen state will do what they can to gin up money. i get edit off because i also ride a harley and i can see the BS coming. rumors have been around for some time regarding bikes and have left mine stock knowing it was coming.

may be ordering a 2011 this coming week, how does the smog test work, i mean to say is it not exempt for the first 5 years? i have been driving diesels for 10 years and have not given it much thought.

sigh.

david
north san diego county

Big Horn 06

dhe9, no it's not exempt, it goes by the last number of the vin. Mine ended with a 9, so I go next year.

dhe9

i guess i mean to say are not new vechiles exempt for 5 years?

david
socal

pronstar

Gas, yes.
5 year exemption.

Diesel, no exemption.
I have to get my '07 smogged this year.

SuperGewl

Most of the trucks won't accept another ECU if you have the key with the chip in it. The ******* would have to reprogram your truck to accept it which will cost you about $100. I had a rebuilt ECU because mine was bad and the truck would not even turn over yet alone start.

coargonaut

I had to get my 2005 "smogged" last year for the first time. Now, I think I will be getting in line annually.
In Colorado, you don't go to the same locations as the cars go. Indepentants with the equipment to do the jop (measures opacity). There is a state mandated maximum charge- $150. My friendly *********** told me it was a state mandated minimum (that was about the last straw with them).
The test takes about ten minutes, the truck is placed on a dyno then they run it through the gears. Exhaust is routed through a pipe and the smoke is measured via a light for the presence of smoke.
The worst part of the test is most places do not have the pipes for smaller cars like a VW. Those guys are really screwed.

CD in NM

It's one thing to have a vehicle tested via the exhaust to meet the smog requirements at a given rpm - it is a WHOLE OTHER STORY to have someone run your truck through it's gears on a dyno . .

COLD DAY in **** before I let some fool run my truck on a dyno. The few times I took my truck to my dealer for a recall or a warranty problem I insisted that I ride along for any test drives.

Someone doing a test on a dyno with out trucks could have a field day with them . . like handing your child over to a child molester and expecting them to play nice . .

What BS, I'd be saying bye-bye to Colorado . . and Californication . . I grew up there, I left that state in 1976, never looked back at their insane nonsense. With as many diesel trucks that are in CA, let alone those who transport goods into CA, the truck people/owners/industry should revolt against this carp . . the people of CA have NO IDEA how their daily dependence is based on trucks . . maybe the need the truck guys to boycott their state for a month or so . . bet that would be a wakeup call like no other. Are they requiring the diesel trains to also have smog testing?? That would be an interesting event to say the least. And to think, all those in both these states actually elect these morons who appoint even bigger morons and then they give them this kind of control . . DUH !!!!!!!!
What are people thinking??????


CD