This month I decided to change gears from bikes to cars due to the great numbers of questions I have received about the new emission standards. At FireHouse Performance, we make a great effort to stay on top of the new emission laws to better serve you. When the state decided to test emissions in the late '80s, they only tested your car at idle which made it easy to make a car pass. Then, in the '90s they decided to run the car on a dyno and measure the amount of emissions produced by the mile which made it tougher to get a car to pass. Fortunately, most cars did pass and it made our air cleaner.

Then cam the year 2000 and the state decided to measure NOX. NOX is the latest cause of cars failing. They started testing NOX in May of 2001. Most people who drive a decent, late '80s or '90s car would pass the test as long as the "check engine" light was off. But now with NOX testing I would guess about 20% will fail, even if the car is running perfect. NOX is produced by excessive heat in the combustion chamber in most cases. The biggest causes are a faulty EGR system and improper ignition timing.

If your car fails the emission test you will have to repair your car to renew your plates. The best thing to do is take your vehicle to a good repair shop (FireHouse Performance) with a five gas analyzer and other diagnostic equipment. Don't listen to the people who tell you to drive at 120mph on the interstate or run jet fuel. It probably will not make you pass, and you will have to get your car fixed anyway. The thing to remember is that if your car fails emissions there is something wrong with the car. Chances are, if you repair it or have it repaired by a good repair shop (FireHouse Performance) you will save money in the long run by improving mileage and making you car last longer.

If you have any questions or if you fail an emission test, feel free to stop in or call me. At FireHouse Performance, we are here to help you!