stupid emissions

[RonBurgundy]

here's how my dilemma began.
i got a ticket for out of state expired tags one day. the officer told me that it's considered a criminal offense and results in an arrest and my car being towed. he wanted to remain civil about it and just give me an expired tags ticket. i think it's bull**** cuz i've gotten ticketed for out of state expired tags b4 (2 cars ago) and nothing was mentioned about a damn criminal offense.

i go through a big hassle(UPS SUCKS ASS and USPS is crappy in AZ) just to get my title back from mi madre cuz she needed to notarize and sign it over to me. i get off work early and start the registration process....

initial inspection....done
emissions:
HC'S....pass
Carbon Monoxide....pass
Nox....pass
Fuel Cap....pass
Pressure Test.....Fail!

i noticed that during the last few times i refilled the gas tank, the hissing sound wasn't there...something didn't feel right then, and apparently it was enough to fail me. Now i need to get a temp permit to drive legally while playing the game "find the vapor leak." Also, i needed to ask for a continuance from the judge so i can fix this first, then appear in court. The guy in the emissions lobby even showed me what hose isn't holding the pressure. I've been told about a fuel pressure tester that screws onto the same place the fuel cap goes. apply pressure, and look for where it's coming out.
Has anybody seen this tester at auto shops? i've gotta check autozone and checker in person and maybe see about borrowing/buying this thing, but can't find it on their website.

[Jho]

here's how my dilemma began.
i got a ticket for out of state expired tags one day. the officer told me that it's considered a criminal offense and results in an arrest and my car being towed. he wanted to remain civil about it and just give me an expired tags ticket. i think it's bull**** cuz i've gotten ticketed for out of state expired tags b4 (2 cars ago) and nothing was mentioned about a damn criminal offense.

i go through a big hassle(UPS SUCKS ASS and USPS is crappy in AZ) just to get my title back from mi madre cuz she needed to notarize and sign it over to me. i get off work early and start the registration process....

initial inspection....done
emissions:
HC'S....pass
Carbon Monoxide....pass
Nox....pass
Fuel Cap....pass
Pressure Test.....Fail!

i noticed that during the last few times i refilled the gas tank, the hissing sound wasn't there...something didn't feel right then, and apparently it was enough to fail me. Now i need to get a temp permit to drive legally while playing the game "find the vapor leak." Also, i needed to ask for a continuance from the judge so i can fix this first, then appear in court. The guy in the emissions lobby even showed me what hose isn't holding the pressure. I've been told about a fuel pressure tester that screws onto the same place the fuel cap goes. apply pressure, and look for where it's coming out.
Has anybody seen this tester at auto shops? i've gotta check autozone and checker in person and maybe see about borrowing/buying this thing, but can't find it on their website.

Was the cop white?

They have EVAP pressure testers that emit smoke too, so it's easy to pinpoint the leak.

Take a look at your charcoal canister, purge valve, and associated vacuum lines to make sure that is all okay.

[RonBurgundy]

hey Jho, pepboys will do the leak check for 83 bucks, but are there any places that sell that kind of tester? i couldn't find it for sale at any shops. guess i'll have to pony up the dough and just replace whatever they find myself. assuming it's a simple fix. i'm not paying the damn labor charge to have somebody else replace a 5 dollar part. It usually ends up being like that with repair shops.

[escortkid]

did your gas cap pressure test fail or an evap pressure test? on our cars the evap shouldnt be being pressure tested.
should just be pressure testing your gas cap atleast thats how mass and texas do it.

[Jho]

hey Jho, pepboys will do the leak check for 83 bucks, but are there any places that sell that kind of tester? i couldn't find it for sale at any shops. guess i'll have to pony up the dough and just replace whatever they find myself. assuming it's a simple fix. i'm not paying the damn labor charge to have somebody else replace a 5 dollar part. It usually ends up being like that with repair shops.

The testers are very expensive......................like thousands of dollars.

[RonBurgundy]

did your gas cap pressure test fail or an evap pressure test? on our cars the evap shouldnt be being pressure tested.
should just be pressure testing your gas cap atleast thats how mass and texas do it.

no my gas cap tested just fine. the very last test required in AZ was the pressure test of the evap system. they pinched off the hose running to the charcoal canister, and then applied pressure through the gas filler neck. somewhere in the middle of the vapor hoses, there's a leak. i could smell vapor sometimes when getting out of my car, and there's no hissing noise when i open the cap to fill up anymore. It'll cost about 80 bucks to get it done at Inept Boys(Pep Boys) but i just wanna see if they'll find the leaky section, and then let me know what needs to be done to it. if it's simple then i'm gonna do it. i ain't payin extra for some other schmo to change some hoses and clamps. it just better not be somethin hard to do....money's tight, and i don't wanna have to set up a cot at work so i can just sleep there and never stop working or some ****.
and of course, the Pep Boys that's a stone's throw away from my apt has a broken machine for detecting this kind of ****. Now i'll have to go somewhere farther.....****balls.

[Tazman2]

What runs to that canister? I believe just vacuum lines and some semi main lines no? I'd just check the lines for cracks and what not and just get them replaced with some non oem lines and solve the problem for cheap.

[Denis]

That is the dumbest test I've heard of. Who came up with that BS?

[Jho]

That is the dumbest test I've heard of. Who came up with that BS?

The EPA?

Who knows, I don't even have a charcoal canister anymore.

[TurboProto]

The EPA?

Who knows, I don't even have a charcoal canister anymore.

Mines in the trash!

[RonBurgundy]

well they just wanna make sure that the fuel vapors are contained within the lines to avoid any excessive accidents caused by the vapor igniting. Fuel Vapor is what's flammable. not when it's in a liquid state.

scenario: imagine lighting up a cigarette while hanging out by your car while the fuel vapor is leaking near you. you'll get lit up faster than a roman candle on the 4th of july. luckily i don't smoke. but should any smoker approach the car close enough....well you see what i'm getting at.

[danielb927]

man i love no emissions testing.

where is the charcoal canister anyways? i couldnt find it if someone asked me..

[Dijadoit]

The charcoal canister should be on the passenger side right on the firewall. Big black cylinder shape module with vacuum lines hooking up to it.

[Jho]

The charcoal canister should be on the passenger side right on the firewall. Big black cylinder shape module with vacuum lines hooking up to it.

Yup.

[TurboProto]

I have to use mine when it comes time to smog it. But until then its off the car.