Emissions inspections in Texas

[Ecomike]

I heard a rumor that Texas may drop tailpipe inspections for pre 1996 vehicles next year.

 

[scottmcneal]

Hell i may move there.


Good luck with that, but i don't think they'll do it myself.

 

[Ecomike]

Word is that less than 2% of the vehicles being inspected now are older than 1996, and the tail pipe emission testing equipment is no longer worth the expense for so few cars. It was the inspector that I use for my inspections that told me this. >25 year old vehicles have always been exempt here. My 87 is exempt next year, and 85 has been exempt for being an old diesel, and now 27 years old. The 1996 and newer use the OBD-II computer data for pass/no pass, they will stay the same.

 

[scottmcneal]

Man this would be nice if they did this in CA.But this will never happen here.

Good luck.I know Texas has been working hard to clean there air up an have done a great job at it.

 

[Swamprat]

California just likes sticking things in your tail pipe, that is the reason CA exists.

it does make sense to exempt per 96' vehicles, i mean if you know your car isn't going to pass. there is ways around the buttsniffer, like GTP that is sold at almost all autopart stores.

 

[DeftwillP]

Word is that less than 2% of the vehicles being inspected now are older than 1996, and the tail pipe emission testing equipment is no longer worth the expense for so few cars. It was the inspector that I use for my inspections that told me this. >25 year old vehicles have always been exempt here. My 87 is exempt next year, and 85 has been exempt for being an old diesel, and now 27 years old. The 1996 and newer use the OBD-II computer data for pass/no pass, they will stay the same.

I haven't heard this rumor, but this totally makes financial sense.

 

[Manic Mechanic]

This would be awesome. It makes alot of sense to do it that way. I guess it would be a bit much to hope that the costs of inspections would decrease.

-Eric

 

[Ecomike]

The cost of inspecting 26 year old vehicles and old diesels is already less, it just apx $12.50 (IIRC, maybe $14.50?) safety inspections.

I think they are having trouble getting enough new safety inspection stations to fork out the dollars for the dynos and tail pipe sniffer hardware, for just 2% of the customers, as old safety inspection stations close up......

 

[JTM]

I know I am having a hard time finding someone close to my house that the equipment to test my 88'. The place that was recommended by a friend has a broken dyno and they are saying that they might just sell it and not inspect older vehicles.

 

[Ecomike]

Only thing I will miss is the cheap annual actual real data on engine performance, lean, rich...etc.