Well, the evil that smog checks can bring, has happened.
I took my Spitfire 66 into be tested this weekend. A most interesting
experience, to say the least.
After they, a. spent 15 minutes watching the car idle (at 1200 RPM) they
decided that it was "a modified exhaust system". Out came the Haynes manual,
several more minutes discussing this, then phone calls to the state board.
then we had fax'ed diagrams to look at to see if they were the parts under the
hood.
We then got to the fun part. They stood around, stared at the car again for
ten minutes, idling. They then punched the gas for 30 seconds and let off.
Then they told me they couldn't test it. (It was idling too fast). I slowed
the idle speed down to the required 1100, so the real fun began. On goes the
testing gear, including the up the tailpipe scope. They rev'ed the engine up
to 2500 RPM for 30 sec's, then drop it to idel for 30 seconds. They then print
out 6 pages of stuff.
Bottom line. My car failed. I passed the high rev part with flying colors, at 2
tenths of max permissible for Hydrocarbons, CO, CO2, 02, and revs.
I flunked the Hcarbons 2744 out of permissible 1200, funked CO 1237 out of 650,
and passed all the other stuff.
Now I've got to figure out what to do to get my car to pass, or I'm out of luck
(I can spend $450 and hopefully get a waiver for two years, then be out of
luck). Unfortunately, this sum of cash must be spent at a " authorized state
inspection and repair station", and the location I was at wouldn't touch it.
So.... any suggestions on a) things I can do to improve this myself (I'll
gladly spend the $20 bucks for a retesting if I can avoid the $450) or b) a
duly authorized service location in the San francisco bay area would can
recognise a spitfire without reading the trunk.
thanks,
Dave McAllister
'66 Spitfire
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Advanced Technology
Developer Programs - Silicon Graphics Inc.
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