mhuppertz

I go a letter from the smog police yesterday saying someone had complained about my trucks exhaust , so I went to the vehicle inspection office where they did a visual on my opacity, set it at 10% (20% is max) and the guy noted that my truck was burning oil and I needed to get it rebuilt soon. I politely informed him that all diesels burn oil, to which he responded that diesel soot’s only black, not blue. The mistake I made was to take my truck there in the morning with the sun in the testers face, which made the smoke look worse. Next time I will go on a small roadie to get it good and hot and pull in there in the afternoon!

Thoughts?

Mark

Underpsi

I guess you were giving her huh? and someone didn't like the present you left out of the exh and decided to be a jerk about it. Thats too bad about that, why not just detune your truck? I would back the afc right up and back the fuel screw far out until it won't leave any smoke. as for the burning oil... i have no clue

edwinsmith

You expected intelligent conversation from a bureaucrat?

JD730

Because that wouldn't be any fun.


The guy at the inspection station obiviously has never seen one of these trucks start cold with POD's. 300k is just getting broken in for most of these trucks.

Underpsi

so are u off the hook then or what?

wannadiesel

I guess the smog inspector didn't like the POD haze. High noon or a nice windy day would be the best time if they're just going to do a visual on it.

PA has a smoking vehicle hotline, but they don't promote it very heavily. That's probably why I haven't got a letter - yet.

wheelo90

If it was me, I would have laughed in the guys face. Or took him a ride in it so that he would understand what a diesel is.

NeedMoPower

I got one of those letters form the state of Texas a few years back. I was stupid back then and thought it was cool to smoke out people for the hell of it, but I laughed at the letter and threw it away.
My 91 has over 200,000 miles and doesnt burn any oil at all, nor does it blow blue smoke...even when I had POD's. No doubt the guy at the test station didnt have a clue, but maybe my truck is just an oddball since it has never burned any oil??

rush47

You mean to tell me some states have a hotline for people to call in for exhaust. Ive never heard of this. Must be in the super "eco nut" states I guess. What is next, "OBD three" where you get a nasty letter and fine from the gov for a check engine light. I guess we all should just ride trains and buses or ride a bike to work.

Underpsi

thats what they want us to do.....

wannadiesel

Cody- When the POD's haze, it looks bluish like oil smoke. That's probably what Mark's inspector was seeing. Vinny's truck is probably the worst "hazer" I've seen - it's more of a "fogger". Mine does not haze at idle except when cold started in cold weather. Plug it in and it's clean.

Underpsi

mine never hazes either except on a cold start.

mhuppertz

I was excused from further repercussions on this complaint. I did resent having the guy take a visual opacity test and assign a number to it, like he is some kind of superior bionic EPA man or something. It went my way, but I the experience was frustrating. I ended up talking to the "big cheese" about bio diesel, as I has topped off with B20 on my way over there in attempt to snag an "alternative fuel vehicle" exemption. Didn't work. The Big Cheese was thinking about forming a committee to decide about testing a theoretical fleet of city diesels on bio-diesel. I informed him that the mayor and governor were already doing this, which was news to him .

Public Service Company of New Mexico (PNM) has switched their entire fleet to B-20, he didn't know that either.... I live in a third world state!

mhuppertz

I screwed up today and huffed a dragon fart on an import getting onto the freeway. I hate having to worry about a little smoke! Maybe water/meth and or propane will help, as I REFUSE TO DETUNE! I haven't even ground the AFC lever yet, can you imagine the pyroclastic flow I will be creating out of my pipe then??

Maybe I can put water sprayers in my pipe so the soot will run out of my pipe as a black mud flow instead. Then I will have the HAZMAT team to deal with!
Mark

A.K.APARTSMAN

mine hazes all the time!