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2002 Emissions

Well, funny you ask that now--I just jumped through the annual emissions 
hoop here in Colorado.

The current emissions levels for a '75 2002 are 3.5% CO and 600 ppm HC.  
My car, with a Weber carb, passes fine without the smog pump, but I have 
to put on the air injection equipment to pass the visual inspection.  
With that stuff on, I passed with 1.16 % CO and 83 ppm HC (at idle), and 
0.26 % CO and 46 ppm HC (at 2500 rpm).  Only the idle reading counts in 
the current test.

When the enhanced emissions program begins in the Denver metro area in 
January, the emissions standards above will still be used.  There will also 
be a test that the gas cap seals, and that the A/C is not leaking freon.
The two additional tests are for '75 and newer cars.

It's a relief that I won't have to go through the IM240 lanes.  These are 
for '81 and newer cars, and involve the dyno test mentioned in the 
Roundel.  In this region, the testing centers are not built yet, and 
state legislators are getting so steamed up about it they are considering 
finding a way to delay the start of the program.  I read that in Maine 
and Pennsylvania, the program has been delayed because of revolts and 
reconsiderations.  Envirotest, based in Phoenix, has 
the exclusive contract to run the centers in Colorado, and has been the 
center of a controversy.  Apparently, the Health Dept., which is in 
charge of the air quality program, awarded this company the contract even 
though two other companies were lower bidders, and Envirotest is not ready 
for a single test yet.

The goal in this area is a 30 % reduction in CO by the end of next year, 
or else the region faces sanctions in the form of having withheld $320 
million in highway funds and requiring industries to install scrubbers.

In any case, I believe it depends on the region how exactly the IM240 
test is implemented.  

The GAO has made statements that the IM240 is so 
unreliable that a repaired car still may not pass.

As far as 2002s go, it won't be a problem getting the test done in this 
region for next year.  I think it'll only be a matter of time, though, 
before the older cars have to go on the dyno, and they'll be tested for 
NOx, CO, and HC through a simulated driving cycle.  Either that, or the 
state will decide that you simply can't use any older car on certain days 
in winter, which was proposed last year and promptly shot down (don't 
get me started on this).

Keith Gawlik                 gawlik@domain.elided
Boulder, CO                       (303) 384-6260
'71 R75/5, '75 2002