All Ethical (and Ethical-Related) Ways to Get Your Vehicle Tested for Toxicity [updated]
Driving in a well maintained, regularly serviced vehicle is the best way to pass an emissions test, but what are you, some kind of square? If you don’t have a newer machine, see the tips below to try and pinch the beater under the smog wire. And if that doesn’t work, don’t use the less ethical, possibly illegal, smog cheats at the end of the article.
Smog ethics tips
Hot machine test
Starting the engine before a test is probably the most useful method of increasing the chances of a successful test. A hotter engine means more fuel burns, so less debris comes out of the tailpipe. Drive around town, ideally on the expressway, before entering the test center . Motortrend put the idea to the test by running the car at higher revs and high throttle, and found that “Emissions are down all over the place. Even our O2 production went down. ”
Try a fuel additive
Fuel additives are designed to improve efficiency by cleaning your car’s engine and exhaust system of carbon residues – a more efficient engine means less emissions and hopefully a passed smog test. Follow the instructions on the package before testing for smog. A “generic” gas additive like Chevron’s Techron should do the trick , or you could go with something special like a CRC emissions guarantee formula .
Use low octane fuel
Don’t refuel super premium before a smog test. Choose the cheaper low-octane tech we all put into our Kias. It burns faster than higher octane fuels and therefore produces fewer emissions – at least according to AxleAddict.com .
Make sure your oil is fresh
If you’re a decent person who changes the oil in your car regularly, it probably won’t matter much, but if you’re a shameful villain who can’t keep up with the manufacturer’s recommended oil change, replace it. According to edmunds.com, the fumes from your horribly dirty oil tank can infect your engine and escape through the exhaust fumes .
Make sure your tires are properly inflated
Low tire pressure or uneven tire inflation can negatively affect your engine’s performance and therefore emissions. According to edmunds.com , many states require a dynamometer test, and under-inflated tires will make your engine work harder to reach the RPM required by the test.
Turn off the check engine light
While the “check engine” light is an automatic glitch when checking emissions, the often repeated idea that you can turn it off right before a test and hope to “slip through” is controversial. (Some sources say it might work . Some say it doesn’t .) Use tried and tested instead: If the check engine light is on, take the car to a mechanic and have it repaired.
If you’ve tried all of these tips and your beloved 1998 Chrysler Sebring still hasn’t passed the test, the unethical tips below may take you to the extreme (but please don’t try any of these – they are illegal and dangerous.)
Tips for unethical smog
Fill the tank with rubbing alcohol.
Alcohol burns much more strongly than gasoline, according to the US Department of Energy , so in theory you could get cleaner test results by draining your gas tank before a smog test and pouring a gallon of pure alcohol into it. Opinions differ as to whether this is legal, but it is probably a bad idea anyway: according to the auto industry trade groups , even gasoline containing only 15 percent alcohol has not been tested enough to know how and how it can damage your car.
Find the center of criminal smog
Sadly, the days of being given $ 100 to a dubious technician to counterfeit certain numbers are over. Computers connected directly to the DMV have made it much more difficult to collect smog, but it’s still possible. Shadow Inspection Centers can replace the exhaust of a clean car with yours before reporting to the government, or use a tachometer simulator to trick a smog car into thinking the car is running at the correct speed by transmitting rpm.
(But you really shouldn’t be doing business with unethical smog centers. It is undoubtedly more expensive than a regular smog center, and getting trapped can result in a civil fine of $ 150 to $ 1,000 for consumers and a fine for station owners. ranging from $ 5,000 to $ 250,000 or even jail time .)
This article was originally published on September 16, 2021 and was updated on September 19, 2021 to correct factual errors.