First CO smoke test, failed big time!

[Powder Hound]

I have a niece who, just a few weeks ago, failed with a better than 60% reported by the test station. Strange, I thought, since you cannot detect any smoke on her car at all. The end solution turned out to be a different test station that reported less than 1% smoke. Couldn't get that first station to admit there might be a problem with their equipment, though. Our tax dollars at work. Yeah, right.

 

[Atjoer]

Apparently it's just a matter of finding the right place for your car and I did, the place is like a truck repair and they also perform emission tests on smaller vehicles, I asked if he could run the test in 3rd gear and sure, no problem.
What he did I don't know but it took him about two minutes to run the test and I passed with only 1% opacity.
When I asked him how he could do it so fast he just said he has a lot of experience and he knows when something is wrong. Hell, I don't care, I passed and am not going to worry about it for another year.

 

[jollyGreenGiant]

You should register a complaint/informational notice through the channels provided under the CO I/M program, website, hotline, etc.

If the analyzer software has a flaw then it needs to be known or if the operator is granted freedom in conducting the test causing wide variances in reported readings enough to influence that much of a change well...

Most of these meters are very accurate but the loaded mode testing allows much more potential for error above the J1667 snap opacity testing specifically in the operator department and what the software allows or disallows the operator to do, this is what the powers that be need to know, if you don't speak up then someone else will get bit by the same bad inspector or worse a system flaw may never get enough attention to get corrected. The folks who manage these programs usually really do care about making things right so let them know what your experience was and my guess is that they'll take appropriate action.

 

[dclark]

I
The engine is modded a bid and runs absolutely great with an average of 50 MPG, it's a 2001 ALH with 122000 miles on it, it has a Wetteraurer chip, Neuspeed P-Flo intake, open CCV, Dieselgeek RacePipe, Hartmann Bi-Sound exhaust, engine oil is Delvac-I.

My car is a bit similar to yours. I have a '03 5 sp wagon with wetterauer, 520 nozzles and live at 5000' alt.
The car had more smoke at home than when visiting friends in coastal CA because of the altitude. Higher altitude= more smoke. Adding the 520's increased the smoke a lot more. The smoke is greatly reduced now, ever since ULSD came out.
I also have had the egr disconnected since it had 2000 miles on it. No egr seemed to reduce smoke. More importantly, my intake is super squeeky clean. I think that is what is wrong with your car. I see that you have D Geek race pipe which I think removes the egr, but when was it installed and was the intake clean when it was put on?
Also, I wonder if that P-flo is making things worse- it will suck in warmer air than the stock filter box.The warmer the air, the more smoke. My car makes maximum smoke on hot days, least smoke on cold days. Just some things to consider...

 

[SaraBrian]

Sorry about the sucky test. We live in WY right near the border or CO and my husband always talks about CO not liking his truck when it smokes too much! In WY they don't seem to mind though! Did you put any mods on the vehicle? When DH put some mods on the truck that's when it started smoking like crazy.

-Sara

 

[Atjoer]

My car is a bit similar to yours. I have a '03 5 sp wagon with wetterauer, 520 nozzles and live at 5000' alt.
The car had more smoke at home than when visiting friends in coastal CA because of the altitude. Higher altitude= more smoke. Adding the 520's increased the smoke a lot more. The smoke is greatly reduced now, ever since ULSD came out.
I also have had the egr disconnected since it had 2000 miles on it. No egr seemed to reduce smoke. More importantly, my intake is super squeeky clean. I think that is what is wrong with your car. I see that you have D Geek race pipe which I think removes the egr, but when was it installed and was the intake clean when it was put on?
Also, I wonder if that P-flo is making things worse- it will suck in warmer air than the stock filter box.The warmer the air, the more smoke. My car makes maximum smoke on hot days, least smoke on cold days. Just some things to consider...

The intake is absolutely clean, both the polluters are gone (crankcase fumes and recycled exhaust gasses) so there's nothing that can clog that up and the open P-Flo cannot be the problem since there's no difference between cold or hot days.
The problem just started when moving from sea level New Jersey to Colorado at 8500 feet altitude, below 2000 RPM the car has no power and smokes like crazy, no problem for me after I changed my driving habits and just keep it over 2000 RPM but the stupid CO opacity test runs the car full throttle at 40 MPH in 4th gear which is about 1875 RPM and is causing 58% smoke (35% is the max), good thing I found a place that likes diesels and just signs whatever you want them to sign to get my car on the road.
It looks like the turbo isn't coming in at all under 2000 RPM, I know there is an altitude sensor (G96 I think) that's preventing overspin of the turbo at higher altitudes but it looks like that thing is just shutting of the turbo at all below 2000 RPM.
In Europe I had a special Wetterauer chip with a switch for smoke tests which would put your car back at about 70% of the max power, I might need one here again.

 

[Atjoer]

Sorry about the sucky test. We live in WY right near the border or CO and my husband always talks about CO not liking his truck when it smokes too much! In WY they don't seem to mind though! Did you put any mods on the vehicle? When DH put some mods on the truck that's when it started smoking like crazy.

-Sara

I don't think it's CO that has a real problem with diesels but more the Denver area because of the smog problems, it's only some counties that require the smoke test and I just happen to live 2 miles away from the "free" world so I still need the stupid "test", of course that whole "test" is just a matter of finding a place that just signs the papers without testing.
And yeah, of course I did some mods to my diesel, hell, that's most of the fun of having a turbo diesel.

 

[Dogsled]

CO newbie

Apparently it's just a matter of finding the right place for your car and I did, the place is like a truck repair and they also perform emission tests on smaller vehicles...

Well here I thought there was no test for diesels as the environazis in CO do not test diesels - apparently there are special places for that. I am new to the TDI world, just got a 2003 Jetta wagon 5sp. Could you say where this testing place is exactly? I have found surprisingly little info on this!
FWIW my Jetta does smoke especially on cold start, but after warm seems pretty clean even at WOT - there is a bit of light grey smoke. I put my first 3/4 tank of B20 in, mileage on the first tank was about 45mpg.
Bone stock, 50K, all new filters.

 

[Smog]

This is just great, I recently moved to Colorado and an annual opacity test for diesels is required in my area, well how bad can that be so I took it over to a test station, the test is performed at 40, 50 and 60 MPH under a load and the mechanic fires it up to 60 MPH in 4th gear, no problem 8%, 50 MPH no problem 11%, 40 MPH (in 4th gear still) BIG problem 58% (limit is 35%).
Of course this shouldn't be a surprise because you're not supposed to do 40 in 4th gear with full throttle but the mechanic said that's the way they do it, end of discussion.
Are there any other CO TDI drivers with manual transmissions here and how the hell do you guys pass this impossible test?

dump a pint of kerosene in the fuel tank, it will stop the smoke for sure.

or pump up the IQ setting.

 

[wny_pat]

dump a pint of kerosene in the fuel tank, it will stop the smoke for sure.

or pump up the IQ setting.

Thats what the metro buses in Buffalo, NY basically do. They run #1 diesel fuel and retune the engines. Less smoke and smell. Smog might just have your answer.

 

[SaraBrian]

I don't think it's CO that has a real problem with diesels but more the Denver area because of the smog problems, it's only some counties that require the smoke test and I just happen to live 2 miles away from the "free" world so I still need the stupid "test", of course that whole "test" is just a matter of finding a place that just signs the papers without testing.
And yeah, of course I did some mods to my diesel, hell, that's most of the fun of having a turbo diesel.

haha... My husband HAD to put the mods on too!

-Sara

 

[aw]

Previously, I didn't think the CO opacity test was a big deal. My 03 barely registered when it was stock, and last year with RC2 & Sprint 520s was still very low on the charts. Not this time, it failed miserably. No changes since last year. Quite a bit of black smoke It was billowing out from under the drivers door too. Almost makes me wonder if the other end of outlet for the opacity test was blocked. I'm using the same garage I have in the past that seems to run the test legit, and haven't previously had problems.

The car runs great, but it doesn't get a whole lot of miles. I can get a bit of black smoke off the line, and a little bit of haze under WOT, but not the kind of black smoke it was pumping out during the test (think upgraded diesel pickup black smoke). I put some fresh fuel in, and plan to change oil/filter and replace the air filter this weekend. I'm already running B20 (I'd go higher if I could find any nearby). Anybody near Fort Collins with a VAG-COM want to check my IQ and timing?

 

[chromeBuddha]

I may have missed it, since I only read page 1...but what is the smog test procedure for the automatic? I know you can force the auto into a lower gear...but if it is lugging and you step on the gas, it will downshift automatically...

I think you may have found a mechanic that has found a way to make diesels fail the smog test by lugging and then flooring it. He should be able to show you the specific test procedures. Also, try checking with another testing station. Ask their tech what the procedure is.

 

[MalcolmBurke]

Reading this thread makes me happy I live in a state that doesn't test emissions.

 

[weedeater]

I may have missed it, since I only read page 1...but what is the smog test procedure for the automatic? I know you can force the auto into a lower gear...but if it is lugging and you step on the gas, it will downshift automatically...

He stated that the automatics are allowed to downshift.

 

[jollyGreenGiant]

aw,

If the car can be provoked to make that kind of smoke RC2 and 520's then it probably does have an issue like a restricted intake or something similar, yes the tester probably didn't provide ideal conditions but if there was smoke to that level and the RPM was above 2000 RPM then I would say you need to do some work on the car.

Just my opinion, I couldn't be proud of my daily driving TDI if it could make that much smoke even when provoked under any conditions...

This is a loaded mode test, correct? If so, it sounds like the vehicle loading was very high off idle which made it difficult for the vehicle to pull out of the 1900 RPM range and get onto boost ( at least enough to kill that smoke and pull up and into a higher RPM range )

 

[aw]

I'm definitely not happy that my car can make that kind of smoke. As I mentioned, I plan to get up to date on oil/filter and air filter. I'll see if I can peak into the intake as well, but at 4yrs and less than 30k (1.5yrs chipped), I'm hoping it doesn't need to be cleaned. The car doesn't get the long hwy miles it should, but when I drive it, it gets the drive it like it's stolen treatment. The black smoke off the line has been starting to annoy me, but I don't really drive at WOT too much to notice the other end of the spectrum. I took it out on the hwy this morning and I can consistently get haze as WOT in 5th, but otherwise I really don't notice any. Hopefully I can find someone nearby with a VAG-COM to fine tune it once I get the scheduled maintenance items out of the way.