edrach Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 My new Brat went to emissions today. The good news is that it passed, the bad news is that some WA state testers don't have a clue as to what they are doing. One of the things I hate about the new test company is that they insist on driving your car and having you sit off to the side. So anyway I take my seat and she gets in and starts off and stalls the car; I can live with that and I didn't think much of it since that could happen to anyone. She's having a heck of a time with keeping the speed at 25; so I'm watching the display on the monitor (too far away, but I can tell that she's holding the car at 19 or 20 mph). Finally she gets it to settle down at 25 after a short jump to 30. I'm watching the monitor and I see the tach display just to the left of the Speedo display and it's at full scale. Then I realize from the sound of the engine that she's STILL IN 1ST GEAR!! At this point I get up and I see the smoke COMING OUT OF THE FRONT WHEELS! SHE'S STILL GOT THE HANDBRAKE ON!!! Now I also understand why the car stalled. I get her to stop the test and shut down the engine and I call a supervisor over and tell him what's going on. The printout comes out of the machine and he tells me it passed. I'm glad but "what about the fact she's revved the tar out of the engine trying to run it in first gear?" "Oh, that display isn't accurate; doesn't mean a thing." I can tell there's no point in arguing with the man but I know what I saw, what I heard, and smelled from the brakepads. I take the paperwork into the office to talk to a supervisor, and it turns out it's the same guy as I talked to earlier. I tell him I'm letting the brakes cool down because they are definitely faded. I get him to initial the test that it was run with the handbrake on, but he refuses to acknowledge it was done in first gear. Just what I needed; now I need to check the pads, rotors, and heavens knows what over-revving the engine might have done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turbone Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 I might look at the fine print on your paperwork to see if theres a clause that they wont be responsible for damage to the car. If not, I would charge them for material and labor. A cost sheet from a ASE shop might help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 what a bunch of morons. i'd complain to someone at the state level. New pads, rotors, and maybe a fluid flush are all in order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GLCraig Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Oh hearing stories like that makes me glad that the testing in Oregon is ran by the State's DEQ and they were smart enough to exclude all Subarus from a at speed test. Speaking of emission tests, my GL is due again at the begining of the year. Let's see if it will pass for the 4th time in a row on the 1st try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 WA state used to have it's own testing people and shops. Then, last year, they sub-contracted it out to some company. First thing they did was close a few stations to save money resulting in longer lines and less convenient locations. Also, it's obvious that the people working there are the smartest around. I should have know this was a problem when the guy asked me if the car was rear wheel drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xoomer Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 WA state used to have it's own testing people and shops. Then, last year, they sub-contracted it out to some company. First thing they did was close a few stations to save money resulting in longer lines and less convenient locations. Also, it's obvious that the people working there are the smartest around. I should have know this was a problem when the guy asked me if the car was rear wheel drive. Thats why I register my cars out to some address outside of king county, My personal favorate is (I used to actually live there its a one horse town) I didn't even have mail delivery there. General Delivery McCleary WA 98557 Then when its time to sell the car I go and spend $8 on a Affidavit in leu of... That is what I do for any car that is questionable.. Xoomer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowmastered87GL Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Its nice here in portland... they say "oh another subaru, lane 1" Its the no dyno lane I ALWAYS tell em though..... 4WD with frontal e-brake just when I pull in to the guy at the booth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezapar Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 I ALWAYS tell em though..... 4WD with frontal e-brake just when I pull in to the guy at the booth. DITTO! They've never once asked me to get out of any of my ea81s. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baccaruda Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 i've never had a problem with the agency in spovegas but i always point out the e-brake as well.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PopsicleMud Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 It wouldn't be so bad if they were consistant. I went to the test station in Renton, and they didn't test it on the dyno. They just had me run it at idle and then at something like 2500 RPM with no load. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nug Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Burn the shop down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subyrally Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 thats why im glad its ever other year hear and gladly, my impreza gets plugged in and in less than 3 minutes im in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 WA state does it every other year also; but it's required again if you purchase a new vehicle and the last emissions test done is more than a year old. thats why im glad its ever other year hear and gladly, my impreza gets plugged in and in less than 3 minutes im in and out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Subarutex Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Ed, what station did this occur at? Hopefully not the Lynnwood one. I'm going to take my new Brat through soon, and thats the closest one to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Sorry to hear that Ed. The person who did the test has no business being in that job position and it sounds like others are trouble also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 It WAS the Lynnwood one; watch out for Sharon the operator that did this. I've finally realized why she had the handbrake on; i didn't see her put the wheel chock under the rear wheel and she probably pulled up the handbrake thinking the brakes were on the back wheels since it was FWD. Trust me the Supervisor will remember and you can insist on talking to him to insure they do it right. Listen for the rpm and make sure they shift into second and watch the tach display on their monitor. Good luck. Ed, what station did this occur at? Hopefully not the Lynnwood one. I'm going to take my new Brat through soon, and thats the closest one to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 I will be sending a complaint to the state on this; also, I will expect them to pay for a brake inspection by Smart Service and whatever parts might be needed. The annoying thing here is that I can do this all myself but they wouldn't pay for the parts if needed unless I take it to a shop. I'll still check it out myself before I decide what to do. Sorry to hear that Ed. The person who did the test has no business being in that job position and it sounds like others are trouble also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oddcomp Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 if i had it here i am certain i could "detune" to pass it knowing what has happened i would urger people to never go alone to the sniffer stations so you have a witness as to what occured . also since i really doubt there is any rules against it make the 2nd person the offcial video camera guy during the test Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northguy Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 Ed, send her some flowers and apologize to her for making her feel bad. After all, she probably rides the short bus to work every day and she's doing the best she can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fishums Posted January 24, 2006 Share Posted January 24, 2006 Wow, just plan WOW. That is absolute horse **** man, I would have layed some smack down if they did something like that to my car. Redlined with Brakes on in gear? Could smoke Clutch, Brakes, Vavles, Transmission, CV's, and loads of things in the engine..... that's like putting 30K miles and a few years of wear on your subaru in 5 minutes. To bad the dyno didn't catch and throw the car through a wall or something, seeing as their was no rear E brake on. Then make them pay for a new subaru :-p When the manager says "oh I don't see what's wrong there" ask to take his car for a ride and do the same thing. You'll have to hold his brake pedal down manually seeing as he doesn't understand the concept of front ebrake he most likely doesn't own one. Harsh man harsh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James2003W Posted January 25, 2006 Share Posted January 25, 2006 I went to the lynnwood emission with my wagon... it passed on dyno's... with the ecs light on... heres the paper saying it passed... http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/JamesWiswell/Temp/Emissionstest.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edrach Posted January 25, 2006 Author Share Posted January 25, 2006 I went to the lynnwood emission with my wagon... it passed on dyno's... with the ecs light on... heres the paper saying it passed... http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b396/JamesWiswell/Temp/Emissionstest.jpg I guesss they're not paid to check the ECS light. During the test where they smoked my brakes, the operator aborted the test by shutting off the engine. However, the protocol was still running and it printed out a test passed form with the idle speed at 0! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fredsub Posted January 28, 2006 Share Posted January 28, 2006 just out of interest, how is the gas cap test performed? so they test emission thru the entire rev range and under load do they? so turbos on boost too:-\ hope to hell we never get such stupid nazi gov regs.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SakoTGrimes Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 Burn the shop down. I second that. Those rejects don't need to be in business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leadfootracin Posted January 29, 2006 Share Posted January 29, 2006 the gas cap test is to make sure you have one, on the filler neck. one of the old tests washington had was to measure the diameter of the filler neck to make sure that you hadent enlarged it to accept a leaded fuel nozzle. I repair cars for a living in wa for the past 20 yrs and ed is right, after the state hired subcontracters for emission testing it whent downhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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