Denver Emissions Testing...

xTheChadx

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Jan 5, 2010
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Tulsa OK
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97 Jetta
Hello i am moving to Denver this sept, luckly my tags will be good untill Aug of 2012, but after that im worried about passing emissons with my TDI.. anyone from denver and had any problems? im lucky and KS has no emissions at all :D
 

TDI Stevestr

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Aurora (Denver Metro), CO
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Former 2011 Golf 4 Dr TDI DSG; Looking at the '17 Chevy Colorado
Colorado Diesel Emissions Testing

Hello i am moving to Denver this sept, luckly my tags will be good untill Aug of 2012, but after that im worried about passing emissons with my TDI.. anyone from denver and had any problems? im lucky and KS has no emissions at all :D
Honestly the "clean air" folks don't go into very much specifics for Diesels.

Also, just a heads up, you're supposed to get your license and tags within 90 days of becoming a "permanent" resident. I suppose if no one complains and you don't get stopped until Aug '12 you will be OK in that department.

Denver is in the "enhanced" inspection area.

Update: According to the Air Care site you have 15 days in which to register the vehicle and get the emissions test done. See http://aircarecolorado.com/consumer-information/new-residents/

http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/mobile.html#Diesel Emissions Control Program said:
Small fleets and privately-owned diesel vehicles take part in the Diesel Opacity Inspection Program. This program is for all light-duty diesel vehicles as well as heavy-duty diesel vehicles not subject to the large fleet self-certification program. The Diesel Opacity Inspection Program requires that eligible vehicles be inspected on an annual basis by private, state-licensed diesel inspection stations. New light-duty diesel vehicles are exempt from testing for four years. The program applies only to the Automobile Inspection and Readjustment Program area and utilizes a loaded mode dynamometer-based test.
From the use of "opacity" sounds like they are just gunning it and seeing what color the smoke is out the back.

The inspection is not cheap, since it is run like California and some other states, in which the inspections for Diesels are not covered by the state emissions test centers. You have to go to an approved shop and pay whatever they want to charge for the test.

Here's a list of the shops:
http://aircarecolorado.com/locations-and-maps/independent-test-centers/
Here's a list of the shops with the pricing that is updated frequently:
http://www.cdphe.state.co.us/ap/down/dieselstationrates.pdf
Hope that helps somewhat.
 
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xTheChadx

Veteran Member
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Jan 5, 2010
Location
Tulsa OK
TDI
97 Jetta
yeah that does, thanks alot, just wondering if anyone has had any problems with mods on there car...
 

Behemecoatyl

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Jul 31, 2011
Location
Denver, Co
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2007 Touareg V10 TDI
Denver tests ONLY for opacity. There is no inspection. Unless your engine smokes like a steam engine then you will have no trouble passing. Diesels Only on Alameda is the cheapest and the least likely to fail somebody for modifications.
 

DrFaustus

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Location
Denver
TDI
2006 Jetta TDI
I've used Diesel Testing Center on Havana. I had enough mods that I WAS smoking like a freight train. They worked with me while I got the emissions under control without any hassles at all.
 

Conan

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Joined
Dec 2, 2010
Location
Denver
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2003 GLS TDI
Denver tests ONLY for opacity. There is no inspection. Unless your engine smokes like a steam engine then you will have no trouble passing. Diesels Only on Alameda is the cheapest and the least likely to fail somebody for modifications.
In a bone stock '03 Jetta TDI that wasn't smoking visibly at all, I failed TWICE! (At fifty bucks a pop.) Opacity testing here is a complete joke. After my second failure, a guy with a similar car passed the test, smoking like a freight train. It's a racket. There is, however, a solution. PM sent.
 

Conan

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Dec 2, 2010
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Denver
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2003 GLS TDI
Register the car on the Western slope! ;)
I think that is getting harder to do. I don't remember the exact details, but I think the address on your driver's license, registration, and other DMV records have to match. Too many people were playing that game.
 

milehighassassin

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Mar 18, 2005
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Fort Collins, CO
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2005 Golf TDi PD, Reflex Silver
They don't have to match, I've done it. Just tell them it is your 2nd address. Usually the county you try and register in, does not want to lose out on the tax revenue so they don't even question it. Many communities on the Western slope do not have house postal delivery meaning you need a PO BOX. So you put down a physical address and also a mailing address. ;)
 

sdeck

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Northern Colorado Front Range
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2003 Jetta, 253K, 01M, DLC520s, VNT-17(sold); 2014 Passat SE 6M, 61,000 miles (Feb 16 buyback date)
I think that is getting harder to do. I don't remember the exact details, but I think the address on your driver's license, registration, and other DMV records have to match. Too many people were playing that game.
Won't work. Diesel emissions are state-wide. opacity limit is 35%. They put it on a dyno and gun the crap out of it (sometimes literally). Anderson Foreign Auto on West Colfax has been good working with me.
 

Auslndr

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Florissant, CO
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2012 Golf TDI, 2009 Golf Variant TDI
I do not believe the testing is statewide. I live in Teller County and we are exempt (for now). According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, "The full counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, and Douglas, and the partial counties of Adams and Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld, and El Paso" have required emission testing.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1186648384011

Now, I will say this. I've purchased a Golf TDI from the Denver area and a Ford F250 from south of Parker, and both titles indicated they were "gas" engines. I suspect the previous owner(s) somehow had the title changed so they could bypass emission testing. I don't know how, but I found it suspicious nonetheless.
 

sdeck

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Aug 25, 2006
Location
Northern Colorado Front Range
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2003 Jetta, 253K, 01M, DLC520s, VNT-17(sold); 2014 Passat SE 6M, 61,000 miles (Feb 16 buyback date)
You are correct. I am in Larimer and we got rid of mandatory testing a few years ago EXCEPT for diesels. I was told diesels were statewide. Of course mandatory testing of gas engines is back now in the northern front range because revenues are down.
 

UFO

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Jul 31, 2007
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A mile high
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2001 Beetle
Progressive Diesel in Englewood is pretty good, and is less than $60 for the test. Never had any issues passing the opacity.
 

TDI Stevestr

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Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Location
Aurora (Denver Metro), CO
TDI
Former 2011 Golf 4 Dr TDI DSG; Looking at the '17 Chevy Colorado
I do not believe the testing is statewide. I live in Teller County and we are exempt (for now). According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, "The full counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, and Douglas, and the partial counties of Adams and Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld, and El Paso" have required emission testing.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1186648384011

Now, I will say this. I've purchased a Golf TDI from the Denver area and a Ford F250 from south of Parker, and both titles indicated they were "gas" engines. I suspect the previous owner(s) somehow had the title changed so they could bypass emission testing. I don't know how, but I found it suspicious nonetheless.
I live in Adams and I think the DMV is just used to registering gas vehicles. My first copy said Gas and I had it changed to diesel. Gas cost slightly more to register here and I have a feeling it may cause trouble with Air Car Colorado later on down the road that will be a bigger headache. But judging the number of smoking diesels I have come across around here the testing requirements must only be for certain areas of Colorado as you said.
 

TDI Stevestr

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 28, 2009
Location
Aurora (Denver Metro), CO
TDI
Former 2011 Golf 4 Dr TDI DSG; Looking at the '17 Chevy Colorado
I do not believe the testing is statewide. I live in Teller County and we are exempt (for now). According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, "The full counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, and Douglas, and the partial counties of Adams and Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld, and El Paso" have required emission testing.

http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite/Revenue-MV/RMV/1186648384011

Now, I will say this. I've purchased a Golf TDI from the Denver area and a Ford F250 from south of Parker, and both titles indicated they were "gas" engines. I suspect the previous owner(s) somehow had the title changed so they could bypass emission testing. I don't know how, but I found it suspicious nonetheless.
Pretty good find there. Thanks for the link. The testing schedule for gas vs diesel is about the same for new vehicles - exempt for 4 then every 2. The only thing is that diesels are not tested via the mobile stations parked along the freeway entrance ramps so there is no chance to pass there and skip a test.
 

Conan

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Dec 2, 2010
Location
Denver
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2003 GLS TDI
From the DMV site:

[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]Diesel Emissions Program Area[/FONT]
[FONT=Arial, Helvetica]The full counties of Boulder, Jefferson, Broomfield, Denver, and Douglas, and the partial counties of Adams and Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld, and El Paso.[/FONT]

Edit to add: the parts of Adams, Arapahoe, Larimer, Weld, and El Paso counties that are outside the testing area are described in C.R.S. 42-4-306. For instance, the part of Arapahoe county east of Kiowa Creek is exempt. Might be easier to get an address or PO box there (BFE) than the mountains or western slope.
 
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elovely

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Denver
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2000 VW Jetta TDI
Update: According to the Air Care site you have 15 days in which to register the vehicle and get the emissions test done. See http://aircarecolorado.com/consumer-information/new-residents/
Actually it's 90 days now in 2014 in case anyone is using this as a reference.
Denver tests ONLY for opacity. There is no inspection. Unless your engine smokes like a steam engine then you will have no trouble passing. Diesels Only on Alameda is the cheapest and the least likely to fail somebody for modifications.
Just went there. $60 for inspection and $10 for VIN verification.
My 2000 Jetta TDI passed just fine with B20 in the tank.
 

DrFaustus

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 17, 2008
Location
Denver
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2006 Jetta TDI
I was at Diesels Only today and only paid $50.

I used to go to Diesel Testing Center on Havana, but he shut his doors recently. It's too bad. I could show up on a slow day and he'd run my car on his rig and give me dyno readings for $10. That's how I found out my Spitfire puts down a mighty 62 HP at the wheels.
 
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