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Texas vehicle inspections

Scrambleater

Legacy Registered User
City
Powderly
State
Tx
Just fixed my windshield wiper switch. Kept falling apart. Needed that to get it inspected. Went to an inspection station near my house in Sugar Land, Ft.Bend County, Texas, and was told that I needed all original under hood equipment. As in air cleaner, etc. I don't have any of that. 258 I-6 with a Weber carb. Electronic ignition (not HEI). Simple module in the distributor. 8 is an '84 and the computer has been removed with a new wiring harness. I will be moving to the Paris, Texas area later this year or early next. Don't know what to do except tow it there and see if I can get it inspected in a non-emissions testing county.

Thanks for letting me rant. I am a little frustrated at the moment.

Dave
 
That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Where I am I don't have to do emmisions, but I know I need to still hat a catalytic converter to pass the safety inspection. Although I am not sure what it has to do with safety. I changed my distributor and took all of the emissions hosing and crap out of the engine bay. Hopefully that does not cause me any problems when I go to get inspected next week or so.
 
That sucks. Sorry to hear that. Where I am I don't have to do emmisions, but I know I need to still hat a catalytic converter to pass the safety inspection. Although I am not sure what it has to do with safety. I changed my distributor and took all of the emissions hosing and crap out of the engine bay. Hopefully that does not cause me any problems when I go to get inspected next week or so.

not everywhere will be so strict,but the law is if it came on the vehicle,it has to be on to pass state inspection,even if no emissions are required,good luck !!:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:
 
Well, it runs so much better now and solved my vacuum leak(s). ;)

I guess I should hope that they don't open the hood. I would hate to run antique plates because it is my DD.
 
Texas inspection is cheap- go somewhere else. The level of inspection also varies throughout Texas. In Dallas I believe they sniff the pipe, In San Antonio no underhood inspection is done. Spend another $14 or so and try somewhere else.
 
Take it somewhere else. Hardly any vehicles over 25 years old have all original equipment and most kids at the inspection stations wouldn't know it it was or wasn't. In Texas, emissions testing isn't required for vehicles over 25 years old. Just needs to pass the basics stuff.
 
stupid emmissions...

Maybe you could just add "stuff" under the hood and find one of those kids that also works at the local parts place and can never find what you need. Try putting a pasta strainer over the carb, maybe a double handful of wires and tubing all over the engine, and some dinasaur bones. maybe he won't know the difference and give you a go? :)
 
I liked the way Utah did inspections. They made note of the missing equipment, then sniffed the tailpipe. If the tailpipe was good, they gave you a pass.

California, on the other hand...they'll take a good running vehicle, make you replace all the junk, then fail you because it runs like cr@p after "fixing" it...

Oregon, at least where I'm at, there's no inspections. That was a prerequisite before picking a place to move to.
 
I liked the way Utah did inspections. They made note of the missing equipment, then sniffed the tailpipe. If the tailpipe was good, they gave you a pass.

California, on the other hand...they'll take a good running vehicle, make you replace all the junk, then fail you because it runs like cr@p after "fixing" it...

Oregon, at least where I'm at, there's no inspections. That was a prerequisite before picking a place to move to.

I hate the way this entire process is jacked up! One set of rules for one place and different ones for others. I fully agree with you that finding a non intrusive co is a mandatory pre-req for my property when I start looking! I'm shooting for Colorado but it is very hit or miss co to co. Stupid emissions. :(
 
In Ca. it seems the best way is to swap out to Howell FI. You can get rid of a lot of under hood stuff. As long as there is the things as noted on the CARB sticker then you should be OK.

Usually the CARB sticker will work for most states.

If the big issue is the Factory Air cleaner. Then there are was to fit one to the Webber. Then as long as you have a Cat on there you can pass most everything else on Visual.

I vote for trying another inspection station. Sounds like someone was having a bad day, or wanted to sell a lot of service. Just remember what they did next time it comes to have work done.

Carl
 
Well, I have marked them off my list for any repair work in the future. After a cooling off period, I will start doing some clean up work and get it ready to go. I have two TBI's that I got from Jjonesee before he moved to Canada. Still need the adapter plate and ECM to do the install and should be good to go.
Thanks for all the support. I appreciate you guys listening to my woes.
Dave
 
That place you took it is full of you know what. Any vehicle in Texas over 25-years old is ONLY required to have a basic safety inspection. That's it. No emmissions are required, no shoulder belts, etc). If it runs, has blinkers, brakes (including e-brake), wipers, headlights, tail lights and decent tires? It passes. No if's ands or buts. That guy at your first inspection place didn't know what he was talking about.
 
Thanks, Gary. I thought that was the case, but wasn't sure at the time. I will find another place and go for it. Sooner or later this CJ will be my daily driver. I will soon start a thread with pics for BW showing some of the custom things I have done. Such as a 3-1/2" schedule 80 pipe rear bumper. It matches the bumper and grill guard on the front. Fabricating my own side steps that mount differently than the OEM's. Also, working on some padded arm rests for the soft half doors that I got from Jjonesee.
 
I hate the way this entire process is jacked up! One set of rules for one place and different ones for others. I fully agree with you that finding a non intrusive co is a mandatory pre-req for my property when I start looking! I'm shooting for Colorado but it is very hit or miss co to co. Stupid emissions. :(

Don't move to City/County of Denver or anywhere near Boulder or even Golden then...we "supposedly" have just as strict if not more strict emissions controls than California does.

Some metro counties don't have as bad emission laws, but anywhere around Denver requires emission checks for any and all vehicles built after 1945!
 
In Ca. it seems the best way is to swap out to Howell FI. You can get rid of a lot of under hood stuff. As long as there is the things as noted on the CARB sticker then you should be OK.

Usually the CARB sticker will work for most states.

If the big issue is the Factory Air cleaner. Then there are was to fit one to the Webber. Then as long as you have a Cat on there you can pass most everything else on Visual.

I vote for trying another inspection station. Sounds like someone was having a bad day, or wanted to sell a lot of service. Just remember what they did next time it comes to have work done.

Carl

The Hesco/Mopar MPI comes with a Carb sticker, too:thumbsup:
 
no inspections whatsoever here in NM except for Bernalillo county (Albuquerque). In Colorado anywhere on the front range needs to have inspecitions as far as i know, western slope I dont think is so universal. Of course anyplace that has no inspection does tend to have some rather eccentric rides running down the road..... Used to have a VW Rabbit grafted onto a travel trailer to make a motorhome here in town.... got passed by the batmobile a couple months ago going to Albuquerque, goes on and on...

Good luck, I know it was always a PITA having to have Colorado safety inspections done when I would be home on leave while in the service, glad I dont have to do that anymore
 
I wouldn't put any more work into it without trying one or two other places. Posting on a local Jeep forum for a "friendly" shop might be a good move, I found a very reasonable place in NC that only cared about passing the sniffer.

Frankly, all of it is insane, I don't have an issue with keeping vehicles at reasonable pollution levels relative to their age, but put a level on it by year based on what it was like new plus some and do the sniffer, if it passes you're done, never open the hood. :shrug:
 
I can't even BEGIN to tell you all the C R A P we go through here in Kalifornia!:banghead: As long as these absolute IDIOTS keep getting voted in by more brain dead IDIOTS (seems to be a prerequisite for holding office out here) we'll still be shooting at a moving target when trying to address these smog laws. I know...maybe if these IDIOTS try to keep their mouths shut there would be a substantial reduction in smog.:angry: Maybe when I have more time I'll tell you how I really feel.:thumbsup:
 
All I can say is that is not the way it is in Lubbock TX. they do look at parking breaks horn and standard safety Inspection. My 85 Cj8 don't have any thing on it stock it past with not problems. I did just get a jeep from NM. I know I need to fix the horn and parking breaks before I try to get it inspected. I wood try a different place for sure. GOOD LUCK.:wave:
 
I just put antique plates on my jeep for somewhere around $34.00. There was no inspection required..... Is there a difference between sugarland and san antonio?
 
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