OP
OP
DonTom
Well-known member
Yesterday, I took my RV for a NV smog test. To my surprise, they did have to put the thingie in the tailpipe in my year 2000 Chevy Express Cutaway, unlike my 1999 Dodge Truck which was smogged in NV last week. So I asked why. I was told that Washoe County checks more stuff on heavy vehicles such as motorhomes because they pollute more than most vehicles. They test at various RPM's including idle. I was watching the test gizmo, so I was assuming it would fail, but second surprise, it passed!
They gave me a printout, but it only says it passed. No tech info such as the HC and CO, so I have no clue by what margin it passed. But the tester did mention that Washoe County allows about three times as much pollutants than CA in the same vehicle.
Anyway, from there, I went straight to Reno DMV and got my NV plates. Now, I am registered until May 2010.
But on the way home, my "check engine" light came on, climbing the hill going up 395 north just before Cold Springs Valley (close to home). If this happened on the way down for the smog test, I would have flunked! I was lucky! Anyway, the MIL code was P0300 (misfire detected). That can be caused by just about anything, even a drop of water in the gasoline. I did not feel any misfire or any other problem. I cleared the code and drove it a bit more, so far, no problem.
BTW, I did check my fuel pressure, it's 48 PSI at idle and about 51 when the RPM's are raised. It's not adjustable and most likely has nothing to do with why it cannot pass in CA. Another thing I discovered is that the catalytic converter that is farthest from the engine only gets to 200F even with a totally warmed up engine. I hear they don't start to work well until above 300F.
But since it passes here in NV and this is where it lives & will always be registered, I am done worrying about it, unless that P0300 code keeps on returning.
They gave me a printout, but it only says it passed. No tech info such as the HC and CO, so I have no clue by what margin it passed. But the tester did mention that Washoe County allows about three times as much pollutants than CA in the same vehicle.
Anyway, from there, I went straight to Reno DMV and got my NV plates. Now, I am registered until May 2010.
But on the way home, my "check engine" light came on, climbing the hill going up 395 north just before Cold Springs Valley (close to home). If this happened on the way down for the smog test, I would have flunked! I was lucky! Anyway, the MIL code was P0300 (misfire detected). That can be caused by just about anything, even a drop of water in the gasoline. I did not feel any misfire or any other problem. I cleared the code and drove it a bit more, so far, no problem.
BTW, I did check my fuel pressure, it's 48 PSI at idle and about 51 when the RPM's are raised. It's not adjustable and most likely has nothing to do with why it cannot pass in CA. Another thing I discovered is that the catalytic converter that is farthest from the engine only gets to 200F even with a totally warmed up engine. I hear they don't start to work well until above 300F.
But since it passes here in NV and this is where it lives & will always be registered, I am done worrying about it, unless that P0300 code keeps on returning.
-Don- Reno, NV
