My GTA failed emissions the first time I got it tested almost a month ago. I take it to a shop that proceeds to tell me what I need fixed but wants WAY too much to fix it. ($1200 for 2 cats and an O2!) So I take it to another shop to get the cats done and do the O2 myself. I go to get it tested today and they won't test my car because I don't have the back of my failed emissions form properly signed...

Ok, if you have a shop do the recommended repairs they need to sign the form. The shop that I took it to for the cats won't sign the form because I told them I needed 2 cats and they installed them- basically, they weren't the ones who said I needed them, I did. I don't blame them because in IL, if a shop signs the form and you fail again, it goes as a mark against the shop. No big deal, I'll just sign it saying I did the repairs myself, which is also a valid option on the back of the form...

Well, I come to find out they won't accept that either without receipts proving what I paid for the parts and varifying that I got new parts. The receipt I have from the cats includes install labor, so I can't use that (they'd just ask why the shop didn't sign my form). The spare O2 was included with the car when I bought it.

So anyway, I wait in line for almost .5 hour to get tested and when I get into the testing station, the (very elderly) man asks me for my failed emissions form from my first time. I didn't know how to fill it out exactly and figured I'd ask when I was there and fill it out while they're testing my car. (Gee, to avoid hassles) He calls the manager out and she tells me I need to have my sheet filled out by the shop that repaired my car before they can test it. I apologized and told her I fixed it myself and I can sign it real quick-- I just wanted to make sure I filled it out right. (There's honestly about 5 boxes to fill out) She asks if I have receipts with my VIN and/or license number on them, and I say no. I tell her I bought the car and the seller included spare parts (which is 100% true, btw). She looks at me kinda like she's "not buying my BS" and tells me I can fill out the form but I'll have to go back around and wait again for almost 45 minutes.
(rant off)

Bottom line-- What's the big deal about the stupid form??? I'm sitting here in the station, test my $%&*@! car! I understand the need for standardized procedures, but wtf-- my car is here, just test it... You'll have the paperwork completed in 30 seconds.

Oh, and I need to pass by March 31 or they suspend my license. I haven't had a chance to get it looked at or worked on until last week...

First time I tested, it got:

HC: 2.29-- passing is 0.80
CO: 19.1-- passing is 15.0
CO2: 447.0-- passing is NA
NOx: 3.10-- passing is NA
gas cap passed (yes!)

My car weighed 3516lbs with me in it, I'm about 155lb, so that's around 3361lbs curb (don't remember how full/empty gas tank was).

Turns out both my cats were completely hollowed. If I knew that, I wouldn't have even tested it. Weird cuz the original owner threw in a set of hollowed cats when I bought it too. Why would I need two sets of hollow cats?

Does anyone think two brand new cats and a new 02 sensor will clean that up to passing levels? I changed the oil too. Looks like HCs have to come WAY down.

 

Have a friend that runs a shop say that he did a bunch of **** to your car costing over $600 (may vary from state to state) and they have to pass you no matter what. Also go buy a bottle of RXP, that, and heating up my cats were the only factor that made me pass.

 

I don't have any friends....... that run shops. lol Anyway, I think in IL it's $450 minimum. I spent around that much on the cats + labor, but again, I can't use that receipt cuz they wouldn't sign the form. I might just go to a parts store and get an O2 just to have the receipt then return it after I pass. Just to satisfy the emissions lady.

I'm just going to try my luck and fill the form out myself and tell them the car came with the spare parts I needed. I also have the paperwork from the first shop I went to that recommended changing the cats and O2. I'll bring the empty boxes from the cats and 02 if they want proof.

I'll get some RXP or equivalent thereof too. It needs to pass before or on March 31, 2004. I start a new job on April 1 so I really need it taken care of by then.

 

Jebus... why don't they just stick the hose on the pipe, let 'er rip, and be done with it already?

 

I ended up taking the GTA to another station. Turns out this station is closer, and there was 0 minutes waiting, so that's ok with me.

It passed easily. It ran so well I even got a quick-pass, which is only having to run the first half of the test.

HC: 0.092/0.124
CO: 0.005/0.693
CO2: 95.200/NA
NOx: 0.196/NA
gas cap: passed

They didn't even hassle me about the paperwork or ask for signed receipts. I just gave them the form from my first time with my name signed on back. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes.

It's bone stock even down to the paper air filter, so I didn't anticipate any problems. I did add some RXP just in case though.

The saga is over.......... Until March 06.

 

Where is Barrett or where ever you live? Is it up by Chi Town? We have never had to be tested down here. I don't think there is any place to be tested around here. That sucks you had to go through all of that.

 

Bartlett is about .5 hour west of Chicago. Next to Elgin. The first station I went to was in Elgin. Maybe they were collectively having a bad day. The second station was in Streamwood and they were really laid back.

Actually, I remember the Elgin station wouldn't believe my 93 Eclipse GSX was AWD and wanted to test it on the dyno as a FWD. They thought I was trying to get out the test and I put the "AWD" factory sticker on the pillar myself. You'd figure they'd run the plate or VIN and there'd be a note that it's AWD... That would have been interesting.

Another time, I took my old 96 Z28/SS 6-speed there for testing and a HUGE guy got in it to test it, moved the seat all around-- and couldn't drive a stick-shift to save his life! He literally was putting it into gear without the clutch! I was livid and he couldn't have cared less. I talked to the station manager, called the secretary of state, etc...

Some people just feel the need to make the easiest things more difficult than they need to be. I should have known not to take it back to Elgin, but I thought it was the closest station. The Streamwood station is even closer though.

When I lived in Naperville, the station there tested my Contour SVT and Grand Am GT with no issues.

Guess it's a station to station, day to day situation. We, as motorists have to go through it.

 

ZROC86
There are 10 counties that have emissions testing in Ill. all of them are around the Chicago area, there are none around us