Feels good to get the D back... other than that whole failing smog thing...

[? ? ? ?]

Finally got my car back from DMC CA. They really are a great place, quality work and people, D is running much better now.


So I go to get her smogged so I could get my registration and plates from the DMV... and it failed. First time I've actually ever had a car fail smog, so that in itself was a new experience.


Passed everything except ignition timing. Apparently mine's currently at 0 as opposed to 13.


So it's back to DMC CA on Tuesday to get that adjusted, but thankfully they said they could just smog it for me when I bring it in so I can get that out of the way while I'm there.


On the plus side, I can at least finally enjoy the car some this weekend

[DMC5180]

Who timed the engine to 0? The engine will run, but power would be low. Why didn't they do the smog thing while it was in the shop if they had the capability to do so?

[Silverbullet]

Who timed the engine to 0? The engine will run, but power would be low. Why didn't they do the smog thing while it was in the shop if they had the capability to do so?

Well 1st you have to ask them to smog it for you, and they don't do it there, they have to send someone to drive it to the Smog Station...

Craig

[DMC5180]

We'll that makes since, but the first post implied dmcca could do it in their shop. FYI , I don't live in an area that requires emissions testing. Therefore, I'm not up on what is involved.

[TheDutchTexan]

That's why a lot of car enthusiasts hate Cali. Where I live you are smog exempt once your car hits 25 years. Not to say you can go ahead and get rid of the smog equipment mind you, but they are not going to fail your car for it if it does not work anymore. (And honestly, I have never heard of an old muscle-car owner getting fined for tampering with their emissions system, at this point they are pretty much all tampered with).

[? ? ? ?]

We'll that makes since, but the first post implied dmcca could do it in their shop.

Ya all they told me on the phone was that they could smog it for me, I just assumed that meant they would take it to a local place with Delorean experience. I didn't think to ask them to do it the first time I was there because I had never heard of a place taking your car to be smogged before.

And I have no idea how my timing came to be set so low. The car has sat for most of it's life.

That's why a lot of car enthusiasts hate Cali. Where I live you are smog exempt once your car hits 25 years. Not to say you can go ahead and get rid of the smog equipment mind you, but they are not going to fail your car for it if it does not work anymore. (And honestly, I have never heard of an old muscle-car owner getting fined for tampering with their emissions system, at this point they are pretty much all tampered with).

California used to be like that, but then they passed a law where the cut off date was 1975, and any model newer had to be tested every other year.

[jawn101]

There is also a distinction between Test-Only (exactly what the name implies) and STAR (Smog Test and Repair) stations who are also able to make repairs. They will tell you on your smog notice which type of station you must visit. They do a visual inspection as well as computerized and tailpipe checks. I have actually been turned away from shops who didn't know what my D "should" look like and thus were unwilling to certify that it hadn't been visually tampered with. Smog is a real PITA in CA. Fortunately our cars pass stunningly well when they are properly set up and you eventually find someone willing to test it.