My Car Failed It's "Emission Test"

[billt]

We drive 2 older cars. A Ford Mustang, and a F-150 pickup, both 1991's. They both have never run better, or more dependably. Yesterday I took the Mustang in for it's "emission test" which has to be done every 2 years. It failed the "fuel system pressure test". According to them there is a leak in the fuel system somewhere between the fuel tank and the fuel rail to the injectors. The car has never run better. There is no fuel leaking anywhere. There is zero odor of gasoline in the garage when the car sits inside it overnight. It's not the gas cap because they test that separate.

So now I've got to take it in and waste money on something that isn't broken. Mind you we are talking parts per million here, not BP pollution standards. I got to the test facility 10 minutes before they opened, and had to wait an hour. Government workers don't ya' know. They don't exactly set the bar too high when it comes to speed or efficiency. If I performed like that at my job, my a$$ would hit the pavement in minutes, and rightfully so. The place I'm taking it to this morning will take it back to the "emissions test center" so at least I won't have to deal with those buffoons again. Until my truck comes up for testing next month. It has 2 gas tanks. What fun that will be. Neither vehicle has ever failed these tests in the 20 years I've owned both of them.   Bill T.

[alfsauve]

I take mine in today.  Wish me luck.  Both early 90's also.   Fortuneately, I've learned a trick or two about the states license plates.   I have to get new registration by Wednesday (my birthday), or I'm assesed a penalty.  The trick is they will let you pay the "tax" even if you don't have the emission or the insurance up to date.  That way there's no penalty.  You still have to go back later and get the new tag/sticker when you get the emission completed and technically until then you're not legally "registered".  It saves the penalty though.

And also to my favor, the emission place I go likes to talk about ham radio and scanner and will do their best to make sure I pass.

[philw]

so what are they to fix


also  when did they last check the test equipment  who said it is ok

[billt]

so what are they to fix also  when did they last check the test equipment  who said it is ok

Your guess is every bit as good as mine. I've never had a vehicle "fail" any of these "tests" before. As far as I'm concerned, I put this right up there with red light and speeding cameras and drunk driving checkpoints. It's all done for the dollars. Cars today by their very design pollute less because they are designed and built to more efficient standards. Look at the 2011 Mustang. It comes standard with a 305 HP V-6 that produces 31 MPG Highway! How much more energy can you get from a gallon of gas? The government has zero place in this whole equation other than to collect dollars off of it any way they possibly can.

As far as the "repair" I require, I don't really know what they do other than pressurize the system the way the test place did, then check for where the "leak" is, and fix it. All they told me thus far is the diagnostic check is $105.00, plus whatever it requires parts and labor wise to fix the "leak". My guess is $300.00 to $400.00. The whole thing is a joke because like you say I, or they for that matter, don't have any way of knowing how accurate their test equipment is. It's like a gas pump. It says you're getting a gallon for whatever price, but you really have no way of knowing unless you bring a measuring device with you to the gas station every time you fill up. Here in Arizona I doubt they check gas pumps once a year. Not enough money or employees to do so. That's at least the story they give. I read an article in an auto magazine a while back, that running a 2 cycle chain saw for one hour expels more pollutants than a modern automobile does driving coast to coast. They don't emission test lawn and garden equipment. Much like everything else the government gets involved in, it equates to total nonsense. Bill T.

[billt]

One thing I did differently this time was I only had a quarter tank of gas when I had it tested. Normally I go in with full tanks. I have no idea if that matters, but it's the only thing I could come up with. I'll ask the mechanic this morning when I see him.  Bill T.

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[philw]

lol  what I would do is fill it up with petrol then speak with the mechanic and get him to have a "quick" look   ie  look at it to double check there is nothing wrong with it
then get it re-checked to see if it would pass


who wants to bet it will get passed   

I will put $5 down 

[billt]

lol  what I would do is fill it up with petrol then speak with the mechanic and get him to have a "quick" look   ie  look at it to double check there is nothing wrong with it
then get it re-checked to see if it would pass


who wants to bet it will get passed    

I will put $5 down  

Here is the problem. If the "Check Engine" light comes on at any time during the test, it will automatically fail. If it is on when you bring the car in, they won't even test it. The "Check Engine" light in our Mustang has been coming on and off intermittently for the last 100,000 miles. As I said, the car has never run better. They never said anything about this light at the test facility, but if the reason it's coming on is because of this "leak", I've got no choice but to repair it. There is no rhyme or reason when it comes on, how long it stays on, or how many times it blinks. My truck is less frequent, but It does come on and off once and a while as well. Knowing this, if I ever see either "Check Engine" light come on again before I take either vehicle in for testing, I'll go under the dash with a pair of dikes and cut the line to the bulb.

A co worker friend of mine has a relative who is a fleet buyer for Hertz Rent-A-Car. He said the first thing they do when they get a delivery of new cars, is to have one of their mechanics disable the "Check Engine" light on every new vehicle before they rent it out. This is one of those items that would have been better if left "uninvented".  Bill T.  

[m25operator]

Bill T, I am an advanced emission repair specialist, my specialty is not Ford, but am pretty sharp about the lingo and systems, what confuses me about your case, is it sounds like your failing the evaporative  emissions test, thing is, besides the gas cap, this was generally not part of the test until 1996, when vehicles came equipped with their own evap test systems and would set fault codes, there are some codes that can be set on your year model 1991, and if there are any codes I would like to know them. Generally speaking, in most systems, as you drive the fuel vapor system will be either pressurized by an external pump, or have a vacuum put on it, usually through engine vacuum, there is a pressure sensor in the fuel tank, and once the self test starts, the pressure must stay within limits or a code is set. On 1996 and newer vehicles, these limits are extremely narrow, and most of the time are due to deteriorated vent hoses, sticking purge valves or perforated charcoal cannisters. Any extra info would be helpful in me helping you.

As to disabling the CEL, that won't fly anymore, at least here in TX, that is part of the test, if light does not work, no pass, and then on 1996 and newer vehicles, there are these pesky readiness monitors, they are there to keep someone from resetting the CEL, and getting a inspection before the light comes back on, the monitors are subsystem tests that occur while driving to verify the repair was successful.

[tombogan03884]

Bill, I had that exact Problem in Ca.
If you have a locking gas cap the key hole will cause you to fail the test.
Get an ordinary non locking cap and try it again.
Also, gas pumps are calibrated and checked by the state Dept. of weights and measures or whatever the particular states equivilant is.

[billt]

Neither of my vehicles have locking gas caps. The gas cap passed it's pressure test.  Bill T.