Pat,
> Well I got my DMV renewal notice today and there were the dreaded words"
> smog certificate required"This is the first time I've had to smog the
> car since buying it 2 years (almost ) ago. Does anyone have any advice
> other than leaving(and I would like to) California?How best to adjust
> the carb etc etc.I have until Sept 16 any help will be apprieciated
> 79"B"
The emissions from your car will be tested at both idle and high revs.
There is a broad range of allowable idle RPM's, I think as high as 1300,
and your car will be more likely to pass if it's at the higher end. For
smog tests, I lean my car out as far as it will go and still run and set
the idle high. If you don't have the Stromberg adjusting tool that holds
the diaphragm while turning the mixture adjustment, you should get one
and if you don't have a Stromberg on your car, you need to put one on.
Also be sure that the timing is in spec because they'll check it. I always
make a point of going to the "pass or don't pay" places because they have
a vested interest in making your car pass. The other places get paid
whether your car passes or not and they can sell you a tune-up and charge
you for an additional smog if your car doesn't pass so they have a reason
to make sure it doesn't.
Also, you don't have until September 16. You have until August 16 or so
because you need to leave enough time to get the sticker from the DMV in
the mail. It turns out that you can get a ticket for having no registration
tag even if your car is currently registered (and they can check this). I
know of one person who got a ticket for no tag when they had the sticker in
the glovebox and showed it to the officer. This is a fixit ticket and these
are no longer free. It can cost you $30 or so to have a burnt out light
bulb on your car. Also, the state of California now has the right to
confiscate a car that is unregistered or driven by a person with no license.
Make sure that your car is only stolen by licensed drivers or you'll never
get your car back even if it's found. If the car is confiscated for not
being registered, the first time, you have the option to get the car back
after 30 days, however they'll charge you for 30 days of storage. This cost
one person I know $1,000. The second time, the car is stored for 90 days.
The third time, the car is sold at auction and the state keeps the money.
Recently, I heard of two people in San Diego who were taken to a police
station and fingerprinted because they weren't carrying ID. One was on a
bicycle and the other on foot. I know you said not to advise you to leave
California, but...
Denise Thorpe, leaving California
denise.l.thorpe@cpqm.saic.com
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