Date:         Fri,  7 Apr 1995 12:07:13 GMT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         vw@gulbransen.com (Vw)
Subject:      Re: SAVE THIS BUS


> From:         Ray Hale <ray.hale@SANTAFE.CC.FL.US>
> Subject:      Re: save this bus
> To:           Multiple recipients of list VINTAGVW <VINTAGVW@SJSUVM1.SJSU.EDU>
> 
>           ok, i know what a bjork is but what the hell is a smog
>           certificate??
>           ray (made it thru the midlife crisis but possibly suffering
>           from culture shock)
> 
> re:save this bus

OK, OK. I apologize for not stating that the bus that needed saving
was in San Diego, CA. But the mention of the required Smog Certificate
should have been a clue.

For those of you who live in other parts of the world, we have a law
in California that requires a Smog Certificate before a vehicle can
be sold or transferred to a new owner. The way to get a Smog
Certificate is to go to a Certified Smog Inspection Station and pass
the required emissions tests. For '71 VW Bus, the tests are fairly
easy to pass, but required nonetheless.  I go to a place that charges
$9.95 for the test and $7.00 for the Certificate. These tests are
also required every two years to keep the privelege to drive on
California highways. If you can't pass the tests, you can pay the
state $5 for the privelege of keeping your car in your garage,
provided that you pay the $5 before the registration expires.
Otherwise, as is the case with my friend's bus, you have to pay the
full registration fee and get the Smog Certificate. This registration
law was passed to rid California of unregistered vehicles. I don't
know if the law worked, but it sure makes things hard when you find a
wonderful old bug that hasn't been registered in years, 'cause you
have to pay all of the back registration fees plus penalties AND get
a Smog Certificate.  BTW, Smog Certificates are not required for
foreign cars before the 1965 model year.

For a '71 VW Bus, they check the gas cap to make sure that it is not
vented.  They make sure that your carbon canister has hoses attached
to it.  The check the throttle positioner. (It has to be there, but it
does not have to work. Does anybody outside of California still have
a throttle positioner on the carb?) They look at the air cleaner. They
look at the muffler. They make sure that the air hose from the air
cleaner to the warm air under the engine is connected, and that the
metal elbow at the bottom is in place. Then they check at idle:

hydrocarbons      700 ppm max
carbon monoxide     6   % max
idle rpm         1100 rpm max
carbon dioxide     no standard, but typically under 10%
oxygen             no standard, but typically under  8%

Why do they check for oxygen?  If you pass, you buy a Smog
Certificate for $7.

Also, if you are unfortunate to have a VW in the years 67-70, there
is an extra EGR-type valve that has to be installed by drilling a
hole in the carb pre-heater tube and putting an adapter between the
carb and the intake manifold. But if you can find Certified Smog
Inspection Station that doesn't know any better, you can get away
without it. Good luck.


Bob Lee      vw@gulbransen.com
San Diego, CA
'71 VW Bus White/Blue
'71 VW Bus Dark Blue
'72 VW Super Beetle White Herbie
'72 VW Super Beetle Orange with sunroof