Re: <E28> '88 535i - "Check Engine" light

[SMILLER@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Russ, allow me to speculate about the smog check "failure" due to no
check engine light on an E28:

>Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1999 17:38:39 -0800
>From: rusmaster <rusmaster@domain.elided>
>Subject: Re: <E28> '88 535i - "Check Engine" light
>
>I have and '88 535iS, prod date 5/87, and I know there is no "check
>engine" light at
>all on my car.  It was originaly a Texas car that was sold to me in 12/88.
> I have
>never even heard of a smog inspection that requires the Chk. Eng. light
>to be looked
>at on any E28.  And my checks are here in CA which has the most
>regressive smog laws
>in the union.  
<snip>
>Take Care,
>Russ

Actually, in California there are two separate smog checks, the original
called Smog Check, and a new one called Smog Check II.  The Smog
Check II program has only been implemented in areas that repeatedly fail
to meet clean air standards.  This includes Los Angeles, Sacramento,
and a few other areas.  In the S.F. Bay Area, where you live (me too),
our air has been *just barely* clean enough so that Smog Check II has not
been implemented, so we go under the old program.  The newer program
is much more strict, checks more things, and is more likely to fail you for
things that might kinda sorta pass under the old program.  Training for the
two programs is, I believe, different, too.  

So, Russ, you may never have encountered a technician looking for a
check engine light, but in other parts of the state I'll bet they're checking
for all kinds of neat stuff that we never even think about!

OTOH, I could be completely wrong about this, in which case, like Emily
Latilla (Gilda Radner) used to say, "Never mind".

Scott Miller
Golden Gate Chapter
BMW CCA #44977

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