mxrider914

iTrader: (3)

Hey guys, I know this has been covered but I just wanted to ask some specific questions.

I currently live in FL where there is no emission or safety testing. I'm moving to Austin which I saw is a county that does emission testing. Now from what I understand, my 87 with a S5 TII swap will be exempt from this because of it's age correct?

I believe I still have to pass the safety test. Now my car is pretty much a track car, fully stripped, emissions removed, and my exhaust is just 3 inch straight pipe to a muffler. I saw exhaust system is on the safety test. Is that just to make sure it's not about to fall off or something? I built it myself but it's all very secure. I seem to remember hearing somewhere that even though I don't have to pass emissions I have to have all the stock parts for it, which I really hope isn't true. I also don't have a horn, are they strict about that? I'm sure I could wire one up pretty easily just to pass. Oh, and I have a sparco seat that I made my own rails for and cut out the stock floor mounts and welded in my own box mounts and then bolted the seat down through them, will that be an issue? I honestly have no experience with this type of testing living in FL.

Thanks for any help, I'm all ready to move and didn't even think about this until now.

mrb63083

iTrader: (4)

The rule is your car has to be at least 25 years old, and from what a mechanic friend of mine told me, it goes by the sale date on the car (which I believe can be pulled from your VIN#). If your car is this old, you will have to pass visual and safety along with minor other things I'm sure. Regardless of age of vehicle, I believe they do inspect to make sure the car is "legal". However, most shops don't really know what they're looking for with these cars. You might get by OK.

Click this link for more information:
Texas Department of Public Safety - Inspection Criteria for the Annual SAFETY Inspection

Tanj!

iTrader: (5)

Inspection Criteria from DPS - Texas Department of Public Safety - Inspection Criteria for the Annual SAFETY Inspection

Cars are exempt from emissions testing in Texas once they are 25 years old. That is calculated based on model year. So your 87 is exempt. Many stations can't seem to do math (or know the law) and will sometimes say they can't inspect your car. Just be firm with them and insist that you want them to do a safety check only. I'm still having to tell people that my 86 and 87 are emissions exempt. Your typical safety check will consist of anything from just making sure all your signals and lights work, wiper blades are intact, no illegal tint, tires aren't overly worn and that your horn works. Places will do anything from that minimum to going over everything listed on the DPS page in full detail. They should take the car for a quick drive to test the brakes and steering but even that is hit or miss. Your best bet is to go to a non chain shop to get your inspection done. If you pick a shop that hassles you about something that I didn't mention just pay your $15 bucks and move on to the next shop or just get it fixed.

Specifics about your car:
- Yes you need a horn. In my experience this is pretty much always tested and I've failed in the past due to an in-op horn.
- Your exhaust needs to exit past the edge of the cars body. I.e. you will probably fail if it dumps underneath the car. The thought is the exhaust gases will raise up into the passenger cabin. Trucks that dump underneath the bed are okay on this since it's not the passenger compartment. If it's crazy loud it's all up to the shop if they pass you. Same is true if you have a cat or not. Most places won't crawl under the car and do a visual inspection but they might and if they do chances are they will fail you. Just find another shop.
- Seat belts - you may fail if you don't have your stock seat belts in the car or a harness that isn't DOT complaint. IIRC there are only a few DOT compliant harnesses. again dependent on the shop

mxrider914

iTrader: (3)

Thanks for all the info! My exhaust exits in the rear so I should be good there. I have stock seat belts, hopefully they won't know the difference that my seat mounts aren't stock, if that even matters.

My car is also maxed out on BC coils, will that cause any issues? Should I raise it up when I bring it in for the inspection?

Hopefully I can get it to pass, because I"m not going to have access to a welder and **** out there to redo my exhaust and what not if it doesn't. My buddy gave me the idea to do what his brother did and just transfer the title over to my dad and keep my FL plate, so I'm considering that too.

10thaniv

iTrader: (1)

I tried to get my 1988 inspected last week and they told my I still have to get smog. Cars 25 years and newer need it, so next year no more smog testing. Im going to DMV for a waiver, since I only drive mine less than 1000 miles per year. Or pay someone 100 to get me a sticker.

Tanj!

iTrader: (5)

The inspector is wrong. Per DPS website "Q: Which vehicles are required to have the emissions test?
A: Vehicles 2 through 24 years old OR upon expiration of the two-year initial inspection sticker."

I get/got this same run around when I did the 87 last year (and this year too for that mater.) Force them to do the safety check only. And if they are math impaired it's pretty simple. 2013 minus 24 = 1989. 1989 vehicles require the emissions test since they are only 24 years old. Everything older than 1989 is exempt. A car's age is determined by model year not by date of manufacture.

Texas Department of Public Safety - Inspection Criteria for the Annual SAFETY Inspection

*edit*
Oh and if the inspection station is an *** about it then report them to the state.
https://www.txdps.state.tx.us/rsd/contact/default.aspx
Choose vehicle inspection from the drop down.

I've done this a few times in the past for stations with rollers whose machines are always broken. It's hard enough to find places that can do pre-OBDII emission testing without you rolling up and their equipment hasn't worked for months.

10thaniv

iTrader: (1)

Thanks for the info. The Inspector now knows. Just need to put car back together and I will go up there and pass the saftey. Yay

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

do you need a cat on to pass(sorry if dumb question)? i live in nueces county(corpus christi) car has passed inspection no problem for 3 yrs. now they are telling me the car doesnt have all these valves and stuff. i laughed.

they dont know what they are talking about obviously and they couldnt even pop the hood. i watched them try. which is weird because theyve never done that before. they proceeded to tell me the car isnt exempt which it is(24 yrs or older). i proved it. he proceeded to tell me govenrment laws are making it stricter and every car will need to pass. which contradicts the DMV website.

pissed me off. i can understand if it needs a cat. but all the other bs.

Andre The Giant

iTrader: (21)

Qualification: I am a Texas inspector

Even though it is called a "Safety only" test, one of the items of inspection is "Manufacturer installed emissions control devices"

So even though they don't test your tailpipe emissions to be sure your emissions controls are working correctly, they still look to see if they are installed.

This will vary by location and inspector. Find a lazy guy and you'll get away with anything. Find a recently certified inspector and he"ll whip the book out and fail you for everything he can.

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

ill just have to make time to put on the presilencer again. they gave me 15 days to put a cat on and itll still be free. since im flagged, do i have to return to that same place after the 15 days are over or can i go somewhere closer to home(place was across town i went too)? thanks!

Andre The Giant

iTrader: (21)

All the questions you have can be answered be reading the TXDPS website link that has already been provided above two times:
Texas Department of Public Safety - Inspection Criteria for the Annual SAFETY Inspection

You said they mentioned the cat, but also "a bunch of valves and stuff" right? Well if you don't put a "cat and a bunch of valves and stuff" on the car, and take it to the same place again, it will be them laughing at you, as they fail you again

Your best bet is to take it to a place that has passed it in the past without popping the hood or looking underneath for a cat. You'll have to pay for it again though.

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

i appreciate the info. i will wait the 15 days, so i dont have to go back to where ive been taking it. the place ive been taking to for the past three years never had a problem until now. which is like you stated, someone going by the book.

that picture you put up. answered what i needed to know. cause i took my car to another shop yesteday but it showed on his computer that i was flagged and he didnt know if he could pass me because i was flagged in the system. so i told him id wait 15 days. repay and get it done.

cewrx7r1

iTrader: (2)

If I understood the 25 year statement, you also have to register your car as and get CLASSIC plates.

Tanj!

iTrader: (5)

Classic plates are not required.

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

What tanji said is what I understood

cewrx7r1

iTrader: (2)

The Texas laws as written are not very clear!

"Vehicles registered as "Classic" are required to have an annual safety inspection. These types of vehicles are inspected like any passenger vehicle. Certain items of inspection, however, may or may not be required to be inspected, depending on the age of the car. (For example, seatbelts and anchorages are only required if the vehicle was originally manufactured with them.)"

Rotor_Venom08

iTrader: (3)

being the owner of a 1st gen i can tel you first hand, i just get a regular safety inspection. lights horn all that bs, thats it 15 bucks and im done. no special registration required ive been driving "classic" cars all my life.

now vintage, or nostalgic registration is something else all together that makes your insurance cheaper and all that but you can only drive so many miles per year and all that is not something you want to do. you get special plates and your registration can last more than a year and all that but trust me its not worth it.

the easier way around the emissions law is to pay someone for a BS sticker or register the vehicle in a county that doesnt require emissions. but then you have the trouble of driving out to middle of nowhere TX every year for an inspection.

Tabbasco

iTrader: (1)

Soooooooo...where do you work and can we come to you??? Just Sayin

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

ive been talking to this guy who is a inspector and has a shop. im running no cats. im flagged in the computer system its been past the 15 days. hes trying to help me get a sticker but hes scared that DPS will come to his shop because he wouldve given me a sticker(he knows im catless and flagged). since he is a inspector cant he override what the system the says?

Andre The Giant

iTrader: (21)

I can't give advice because its based on the other guys morality. The penalties for committing state inspection fraud are pretty steep. The system shows you have a prior failure, and it asks what has been repaired on the car since the failure. If he lies and types in that the emissions system has been fixed, then that's fraud. I have heard of shops being cracked down on after much criminal activity, but I think they will usually have to perform a "sting" to catch the inspector in the act.

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

I understand its a moral thing. This guy wants to help....but is nervous. He would have to go in the computer and say I have a "cat"? That's what I understand from what you mean. I get why he nervous. Lol. Thanks for the input.

Andre The Giant

iTrader: (21)

If he's an inspector then he should know the process. If you do an inspection on a car that has been failed in the computer last time it was done, then the computer asks you "what was fixed?" and has a list of options. It's not difficult to figure out. He may just be putting you off because he does not want to commit any crimes. I'm sure the penalties are a lot worse for someone who is also the station owner. I know that as an individual, I could be fined up to 10,000$ PER offense. The state will not hesitate to ruin your life if you are caught.
Having said that, I think you it should be YOUR responsibility to get your car passed legally since you already got failed ( even though you didn't know your car was in a failing condition until they failed you)
You could put hollowed out cats on it or whatever. As long as it appears that "OEM installed emissions control devices" are all still present. Even if you take the stuff off the next day, the inspector won't know and so he won't be at risk of getting in trouble.

At least we are not to the point of having cameras at all the inspection stations (yet). I have heard about that maybe in Canada....

O_Adam_7

iTrader: (8)

Yeah that's what I'm getting from the way he's talking. I don't mind. Ill just have to make some time and switch things out back and forth.

cewrx7r1

iTrader: (2)

There is a limit such that if you spend more than that and you still fail; you can get a one year exemption. Requires going to a DPS site.

Andre The Giant

iTrader: (21)

I'll start by saying that, like most other governments, Texas has goofy rules and laws that are confusing and sometimes downright unfair.

You have a good point about the waiver. Except, it is not applicable for this person. To apply for a waiver or extension, you must fail an emissions test. His car is not emissions tested anymore, so he failed the "safety" inspection. Yea, it's pretty dumb. Failed safety inspection for missing emissions equipment.

I see what you did there, Goverment.