MA state inspection questions

I have a non-TDI question for those of you living in the great state of Massachusetts. I'm in the process of buying a winter beater--a 1987 Volvo 245. It has some body rust, but the frame is solid. Problems are worn brakes and blown power steering seals in the rack. I will fix the brakes, but was planning to disconnect the power steering entirely by removing the belt, rather than fixing it. Will that cause it to fail inspection? Also, how much and what kind of rust is allowable?

Anyone have a shop they know of in the greater Boston area (preferably Medford/Somerville/Arlington/Cambridge) that might help me out by letting me slide on a couple small things?

Here's what we're talking about: http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/car/232669992.html

I'm not in MA, but with respect to your power steering woes, I know of Mustang guys who pull the power steering rack off the car for racing and replace it with a bolt-in manual steering rack.

Its more involved than merely pulling the belt off. AFAIK, here in MD your method would probably fail the visual inspection if the pump etc were still in place and they caught it. It would certainly raise eyebrows when the guy takes it for a spin and realizes he needs a gorilla to turn the wheel - at that point he would lift the hood and take a peek.

I remember my old '89 740 wagon having steering issues, but it was mostly because the PS pump was self destructing and the fluid was always "silvery". I used to flush it often....

Dunno about rust holes.

It used to be that when I lived in MA it was incumbent upon the selling party that the vehicle had to pass state inspection or the seller would have to remedy the situation....

rixtory, you're right, but...

When you get a car inspected in MA typically you get to drive the car into the bay, they will probably jack up the front end and check for tie rod and other play, but they won't check the power steering. The big concerns about rust will be body integrity and the ability of exhaust to get into the cabin. If you're OK on those measures you should be all right.

You should come out and meet me at Chill's and we'll strategize on this. He knows a lot more about this than me, even though I've lived here longer than he has (only by virtue of being older). He may also let you do some work there.

rixtory said:

It used to be that when I lived in MA it was incumbent upon the selling party that the vehicle had to pass state inspection or the seller would have to remedy the situation....

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Given that I'd be paying $100 for this car, I think if I told him he had to fix all the problems before selling it to me, he would just haul it to the junkyard and be done with it. I think I'll have to be in charge of making it pass inspection.

Peter, that would be great...I sent Chill a PM asking if he does inspections himself. If not, maybe he knows of someone who'll go easy on me, since this car will be leaving New England for the West Coast in a matter of months anyway.

The car actually felt really good driving, smooth and solid, and the frame is fine. It's actually a much nicer car than my Rabbit (duh). The rust holes are at the rockers, but sealed off with duct tape so I don't think exhaust entry will be an issue (exhaust is solid, too). Interior is practically mint, and paint is good. Steering was tight and smooth, even though it was dumping P/S fluid everywhere, so I think balljoints etc will be fine. He did say the struts/shocks are not great, but they can't fail me on that, right?

I have until Tuesday to claim it...if I don't, he junks it; if I do, I have to take it by the end of the week. In order to do that I'll have to obtain insurance and then plates, and then I'll have 7 days to get it inspected, so I'm gonna try to be as sure as I can that it will pass inspection (with fixed brakes but disconnected power steering) before I go through all that. This is a pretty nice car and I'd hate to see it crushed, so hopefully I/we'll be able to save it...if so, I'll bring it to the CT GTG in December.

Thanks for the help--

What bondo cant fix... bondo hair can!

Chris doesn't do inspections, but he knows someone. I also have a prettty good garage that doesn't seem too anal about it if you want to travel to the So. Shore. And if it has a sticker on it that's not expired don't worry, you won't get stopped. I haven't inspected my Passat yet and it's been three weeks. But it has no sticker, except the one from Lousiana. And no front plate. I can't bring myself to drill holes in the bumper.

Rocker panel rust is pretty common, I wouldn't worry. And Chris may be able to find you a steering rack from a junkyard if you want on.

I love old Volvos. Just keep adding fluids and drive.

Regarding the rust:

Rust failure is determined by "sharp edged" in MA, if a child were to run a hand across it and be cut then it should fail.

And also:

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/inspect/540cmr4/sec404b.htm

(11) Bumpers, Fenders, External Sheet Metal and Fuel Tank A Certificate of Rejection shall be issued if any of the following conditions are evident:Regarding the steering: ( Since the regs don't require power steering to be functional, you must comply with the remaining issues, ball joints, tie rod ends, overall lash, etc. )

http://www.mass.gov/rmv/inspect/540cmr4/sec404b.htm

(6) Steering and Suspension.

We have an old minivan that passed with a bad wiper motor. The wipers work fine but they stop in the up position. Tech said "as long as they work", put a sticker on and sent me on my way.

I think if you have steering, but not power steering you should be fine.

Regarding rust; I had a friend who had "soft" floorboards, but no holes. The tech smashed a hammer through the floorboards and gave him a failed sticker.

Much depend on the inspector. Some are reasonable, some feel it is thier duty to failthe entire populace. When I worked at a Ford Dealer, We didnt do inspections. We took them up the street. The guys were ok till they hired a new kid. That kid failed BRAND NEW VEHICLES. For nothing. He'd cite faulty ball joints when there were none, worn out tires, streaking wiper blades..anything! What a nudge! Anyway, I have gone to others who looked at the car from 5 feet, walked around it and put on a sticker. Depends on the inspector.

Well...the seller went online and read about Lemon Aid Laws and got spooked about liability issues, so he's refusing to sell after all. It's getting junked.

Oh well...this stuff is all really good to know anyway--thanks for the help. I'm sure it'll come in handy when I find the right winter salt-eater.

I'm a Mass inspector. Things to consider: the car will be driven in by the inspector, no PS will fail, if the brakes "feel" funny will fail, rust holes will fail. Not to mention being a new reg will have to go through emissions, she's 19 years old, pass??

And if it failed, why spend time and money on a $100 junk?

In MA the car must sell for $750 or more for lemon law cases.

Check Craigslist.org or thewantad.com for a beater. 2 years ago I bought a 92 Civic that needed a head gasket for $500. Still driving it today! (soon to be replaced by a TDI).

Thats good info to know. Where in western Ma are ya? Im from Chicopee. Whats the age cut off for emissions testing, isnt it like 84 and before?

Can you recommend any shops for motorcycle inspection?

Using the term motorcycle loosely.

94x said:

I'm a Mass inspector. Things to consider: the car will be driven in by the inspector, no PS will fail, if the brakes "feel" funny will fail, rust holes will fail. Not to mention being a new reg will have to go through emissions, she's 19 years old, pass??

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Not all are this thorough. I had an inspector in Lancaster that insisted that he drive my Sonett into the garage. He gave up when he couldn't figure out the 4 speed column shift pattern. He got back out and asked me to drive it in.
He then couldn't find the horn (stalk on the left of the column), high beams or directionals (stalk on the right), windshield washer (twist the wiper motor knob) and other such. He finally gave up and had me get back in the car again to operate the items as requested. We switched yet again until he couldn't find reverse whereupon I got back in.
Since then he remembers the car, has me drive it and operate it while checks off the items.
btw, It has neither power steering nor power brakes. The lack of power assist is not cause for failure. How much assist is required for you personally to accept that there is assist? Is there a calibrated pass/fail assist test (brakes and/or steering)?

IBW, rofl. And you should rig up a plate holder on the front which mounts without drilling holes. I only had the plate on my last car for inspections and otherwise removed it.

My garage lets me drive in and then the guy hollers from the computer screen: "Horn, wipers, emergency brake, Engine lights?" never actually looking at the car. But I think they know me by now.

He does check all the lights and checks the ball joints on the Ford Exploder but otherwise he takes my word for it.

I use rolled up duct tape to hold the plate on for inspection. But then again I haven't had it inspected yet: I am waiting until I get the dampers in as I think they might fail it for some errant part in the front end. But it tracks and drives well, although a bit like an aging Buick. But it's smoooth.

david_594 said:

Thats good info to know. Where in western Ma are ya? Im from Chicopee. Whats the age cut off for emissions testing, isnt it like 84 and before?

Can you recommend any shops for motorcycle inspection?

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I'm in Westhampton, Ma. For now 84-95 are tested on the dyno or 2 speed idle. In 2008 (HOPEFULLY) no more dyno!!! 1996+ gassers will be obd tested and 97+ diesels will have opacity tests. Motorcycles? Idontknow.

Since then he remembers the car, has me drive it and operate it while checks off the items.
btw, It has neither power steering nor power brakes. The lack of power assist is not cause for failure. How much assist is required for you personally to accept that there is assist? Is there a calibrated pass/fail assist test (brakes and/or steering)?

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Yes, there are a few "regulars"... that's all I'll say. There's no calibrated pass/fail for power items, but you can tell when something's broken. If you need 3 arms to steer or 2 feet to stop, it fails. My 68 Camaro did not have ps, but it did have a ps box, but was easy to steer.? It had manual drum brakes and... needed power disks.

I have accidentally failed cars that passed. One that comes to mind was an early 80's LTD? with the horn switch, stock on the directional handle. No biggie, retested and passed. But when we (inspectors) miss a failure, repeatedly, we run the risk of fines, having our inspectors licence AND DRIVER'S LICENCE, revoked. The repair shop does not not take the fall anymore, the inspector does.

94x said:

But when we (inspectors) miss a failure, repeatedly, we run the risk of fines, having our inspectors licence AND DRIVER'S LICENCE, revoked. The repair shop does not not take the fall anymore, the inspector does.

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Easy solution: Be tough on everyone else, no marginal judgement calls, no "good enough" for now, no "get it fixed soon" allowances for them. Tip-Top, 100% perfection only.
But cut me, only me, some slack with my cars. Deal?

Hey Lugnut... I see you are from Sterling. I used to live ust off Redstone hill Road in S-S-S-Sterling!!!!! I miss that nice little town!!!
Rick

It had to be something Hill Road!
Meetinghouse Hill Rd., Rowley Hill Rd., Justice Hill Rd., Justice Hill Road Cutoff, Pike's Hill Rd., Dana Hill Rd., Chase Hill Rd., Swett Hill Rd., Kendall Hill Rd., Legate Hill Rd., Flanagan Hill Rd., and your Redstone Hill Rd. <deleted duplicated listing>
Back on topic...
I had the GLX cum TDI inspected on Monday. I pulled in. "Lights! Horn! Brakes! Reverse! Registration and $29!" No wiper, no washers, no park brake, no service brake, no suspension, no steering, no exhaust check. It was just as quick and as brief I had hoped. And no issues with the OBD II gasoline to OBD-D diesel conversion getting tripped up by the v.i.n. check.

Was the GLX TDI registered on the RMV-1 form as a diesel? If so, then yes it will be a diesel exempt test.

RMV personnel make a lot of mistakes as they typically fill this form out for you and they just assume that since it's a LD passenger vehicle it's gas, this is why we have a lot of LD diesels being asked for transient or two-speed idle tests, inspectors may see that it's asking for the wrong type of test and then will unplug the analyzer and perform the test offline to the RMV ALARS system and force the emissions test selection based on their inputs alone.

Lug_Nut said:

It had to be something Hill Road!
Meetinghouse Hill Rd., Rowley Hill Rd., Justice Hill Rd., Justice Hill Road Cutoff, Rowley Hill Rd., Pike's Hill Rd., Dana Hill Rd., Chase Hill Rd., Swett Hill Rd., Kendall Hill Rd., Legate Hill Rd., Flanagan Hill Rd., and your Redstone Hill Rd.
Back on topic...

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LOL I don't miss riding my bike up those hills,

jollyGreenGiant said:

Was the GLX TDI registered on the RMV-1 form as a diesel? If so, then yes it will be a diesel exempt test.

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I waited until the conversion was completed before making the title application. It was a one owner, out-of-state car so no prior MA title existed as gasoline power. The RMV clerk asked "Diesel?" when she saw the fuel type. That's when I began to pay more attention to her information transcription from the insurance binder to the RMV computer system. "Yes, and it's four cylinder, not six in that check box"
"Why?"
"I don't think the car could handle the power of a six cylinder diesel."
"No, Why diesel?"
That was my que. Blah, blah, blah. Someone shut me up!

Haha... I guess if you yapp her ear off maybe she wont notice the discrepencies.