Having an old van in California

[citytravelfotos]

My 2000 Ford E-150 Conversion van (bought in 2013) can't pass smog because of a broken evap system, I paid $260 to the dealer for an inspection and they told me about the vent valve and the purge valve needing replacement.  The dealer was going to charge me $720 but I felt it was too high and I declined.  This was back in September of last year, when the registration was due (I paid the registration but they don't give you the sticker until you pass smog.)  I was going to a trip around the country and I used a different method to go around, leaving the Van in the apartment complex as I went on a one and a half month trip.  When I came back, I was trying to find a mechanic but I have a problem trusting anyone.  So I put it off, and finally until now the apartment manager is demanding me to get the sticker or take the car off the premises.  I found one independent mechanic but the amount of fixes that would need to be done on my van is unknown.  It could only be the valves, which I would be lucky, but it could be more, possibly costing me a whole lot more.   I've checked car storage areas around and they seem to want the car to be registered (and probably wouldn't recognize my van as registered), and if I leave it on a street the police might ticket me (especially with those license plate scanners that scans every license plate a police car comes across.)   So either I fix it or they would likely fine me, and within another two months (six months after the registration), they could tow it and take it away for good.  Due to complications with smog, this could be the last time I ever buy an old van, especially if I'm living in California.

 

[TMG51]

Register it in a state other than California!

 

[BigT]

Do any states not require a SMOG certificate?

 

[citytravelfotos]

Do any states not require a SMOG certificate?

A mechanic told me that California has the toughest requirements.  I don't know a whole lot about other states though.

 

[Trebor English]

Florida has no inspection.  The first tag if you don't have one from a previous vehicle is expensive.  As I recall it's about $400.  

There are many considerations to state of residence besides just vehicles.  For example, Florida has no state income tax.  

Where you actually are, your physical location, also matters.  Florida sales taxes vary by county from 6% to 7.5%.  If you are in Arizona or some other place local rates apply.  

Being a legal resident of one state and located in another has some challenges.  All are managable.  You need to be aware.   For example, if you get called for jury duty in Florida you have to appear.  You can usually postpone it for a couple of months (I don't have a clue about the limits) but eventually you have to appear.  To get a new driver license, every one to twelve years, requires you to appear for a new photo.  Florida does the real id and gold star on the license.  Florida participates in concealed carry reciprocity.  

So, changing states could save you from being hassled over a smog test.  Changing states won't fix your van.

 

[Riverman]

Here's a list of states that require inspection, and the one's that don't.

https://www.partsgeek.com/mmparts/car_inspection_requirements_by_state_a_compendium.html

 

[cyndi]

No inspection in Mohave County, AZ

 

[regis101]

I have a 98 E150. I too was getting the engine code that stated , small evap leak, and it turned out to be the purge valve.
Spending the money to get it fixed is/was cheaper than buying another van.

 

[Stanvan]

i don't know which motor you have, but I looked up a 4.6L V8 in Rock Auto, and each valve is about $50.00 And from the looks of things, they don't look too "submerged" in the motor. And, I'd bet there's a YouiTube on how to swap those out.

 

[regis101]

I concur with Stanvan's post.  Luckily you know what is wrong.  In my case I did not and the van was up for smog so off to the stealership I went.  They found one bad purge valve after doing the smoke test.  Next time I'll know.
Along those lines, pricing the R&R of spark plugs and wires is in the 7-8 hun range also.  Maybe 5 hun from an independent.  
YMMV

 

[Wanderer]

Do any states not require a SMOG certificate?

Most do HOWEVER some states (Like Oregon/Washington) don't have it for some counties, That's because the cost of building smog checks places is spendy and you have to staff them. and when you have a metro of 20K that's nothing like Vancouver (Has 2-3) with a metro of 150K or more.

 

[jonyjoe303]

My 1986 astrovan always has a tough time passing smog but I always get it to pass. You need to take it to different places till you can find someone who knows what they are doing to get it to pass. Thats why they always tell you it could be this or it could be that, the little mechanic shops are usually the best in diagnosing those problems. 
This past time, they told me I needed 800 dollars of work, I changed the catalytic converter (150) decarbonized it (90 dollars) change a temp sensor and idle air valve and took it to several places before I found someone that passed me. I change the parts myself and saved a lot of money.
The big mechanic places don't like to deal with smog problems, but the little mechanic shops specialized in that type of fixes. 
What the mechanics told you was wrong change those parts, maybe change the catalytic converter (if its never been changed (you can buy one on ebay for 100 dollars and a muffler shop will install it for 50 dollars). Make sure the idle is good, some places wont smog you if the idle is too high.
Before I've gone 5 months after the registration expired before I finally got it to pass, and I was driving it every day, its just bad luck if the police pull you over and I park it on the street too. 
Once I did get a ticket for expired registration, it was a fix it ticket and only cost me 25 dollars once I showed proof of updated registration.

 

[Ballenxj]

My 2000 Ford E-150 Conversion van (bought in 2013) can't pass smog because of a broken evap system, I paid $260 to the dealer for an inspection and they told me about the vent valve and the purge valve needing replacement.  The dealer was going to charge me $720 but I felt it was too high and I declined.  
<-------->
  Due to complications with smog, this could be the last time I ever buy an old van, especially if I'm living in California.

You might want to just look into replacing your evap canister, along with related parts and be done with it. Dealers are a rip off.
http://www.rockauto.com/en/catalog/...st+&+emission,vacuum+control+valve+(vcv),4980

 

[66788]

Do any states not require a SMOG certificate?

1.   Weaverville, CA in the Trinity area has no smog requirement period.

2.   Rural areas of Oregon don't have them either.

 

[jacqueg]

1.   Weaverville, CA in the Trinity area has no smog requirement period.

2.   Rural areas of Oregon don't have them either.

Neither do the rural areas of Washington.

 

[citytravelfotos]

I got the valves fixed, the mechanic also spotted a loose vacuum hose that the dealer service center didn't tell me, that could have been the cause on its own. I tried doing the drive test today but I couldn't get the evap monitor to complete the testing (but every other monitor finished testing.) However, the mechanic told me that I don't need the evap monitor to finish in order to pass inspection in CA, only if it puts out an error code. So I hope that I can have it pass smog by Monday.

 

[Ballenxj]

That would have been a $700. vacuum line at the dealer, and yeah, that could have caused the problem.
 Good Luck with it. I think it'll be fine now.

 

[highdesertranger]

I would agree to go somewhere were smog is not required. in CA any county with a population under 50k doesn't have smog testing. Mono, Alpine, and Modoc come to mind of the top of my head. also like Cyndi said Mohave county AZ doesn't require smog testing. also AZ does not care where you live to register a vehicle. highdesertranger

 

[breeze]

I got the valves fixed, the mechanic also spotted a loose vacuum hose that the dealer service center didn't tell me, that could have been the cause on its own.  I tried doing the drive test today but I couldn't get the evap monitor to complete the testing (but every other monitor finished testing.)  However, the mechanic told me that I don't need the evap monitor to finish in order to pass inspection in CA, only if it puts out an error code.  So I hope that I can have it pass smog by Monday.

CA DMV lets the mechanics rip van dwellers off ruthlessly. I had my hood closed over spark plugs hanging out after bringing it into a shop! They are all about the same give or take; and you have to get totally ripped off by high cost work to have decent work done in CA. You might as well buy a new car for what they will try to rip you off at the smog inspection stations every year in CA. They will leave you walking on your feet when they screw your transmission up: about the 6th visit to a shop after they start pulling parts off your engine and transmission (it's just a joke to mechanics there.)

The facts are I would not let them work on my bicycle, but when you drive over the State Line from the lower 48, you are not counting on rebuilding your vehicle from top to bottom. The only vehicle I'd own in CA would be a motorcycle, and then that is a little scary with all the young multi-taskers stuck in traffic all day.

Seriously, Good Luck! Every time you pull into a shop now, it's going to get worse and worse: instead of better and better like the other lower 48 States.