Thread: MD Emissions

How screwed am I?

About 1yr ago I failed emissions in my 98 SER for the 3rd time due to a CEL.

I was really hoping to get the car through emissions one last time before installing a turbo setup.

I decided to move forward with the turbo project thinking I could finish in plenty of time and just keep retesting to keep the state of MD happy. Well, like all projects things went wrong, more parts needed ordered, things I broke along the way needed fixed, fall turned to winter, etc. I forgot about the emissions stuff until I get a notice in the mail that my registration will expire in Jan if I didn't pass emissions. The car doesn't run. I look into filing for an extension. I can't because the car failed 3 times already. The registration expires.

Flash forward to today. Now I'm looking into putting the car back on the road. I have some hefty penalty fees to pay for lapsing on the emissions and registration stuff. But, the car has not been driven. Maybe 300miles since the last failed emission test over a year ago.

My question is: is there any mileage loophole that would lessen or eliminate the penalty fees? Anything else that might help me get the car back on the road legally without breaking the bank?

Thanks for reading. Any advice is appreciated.
-jeff

I do know that the car being down for mechanical repairs is a valid excuse. I used it and got a year extension, but ofcourse i haven't had my emissions expire like you did, but u could still try that excuse and see what happens.

knowing the dmv, they dont care. why? ccause you really should have gone and explained before you were due. then they could help you, but now its kinda late. once penalties are in the system, its not easy for them to delete (write them off).

youd have to show proof that you informed them.

^^^He's right, I think you be screwed.

I didn't know that there was an accrual of fines for an expired registration. Isn't there just an initial fine. Thought the accrual only applied to a lapse in insurance. Now if you didn't have the (expired) registered vehicle insured the whole time too, then yeah, you're ****ed.

Hell, I actually drove around with expired registration and tags for a full year and still only had to pay the renewal fee.

And FYI, the banks already be broke, so you're screwed there too! Sorry man.

i know ppl in this forum who have not been to emissions for years and they drive around with expired regirstrations .. **** the cops will only know if they pull you over.. im pretty muched screwd to since i cant seem to fuc king past neither

I don't think there are penalties for the registration. Emissions tag on a $14 penalty for every 28days you go over. At last check I think I'm in the $300 neighborhood. Sweet.

The cops will only know if they pull you over. Great advice there. I live near BWI and have been pulled over once by the MTA cops for not having a front license plate, and my girlfriend has been pulled over twice for the same thing (all three times involved her black Camaro). The time I was pulled over, the MTA cop did a bat turn and followed me to 7-11, waited until I went inside, came out and drove away. ****ing MTA cops have nothing better to do. If Osama ever drives to BWI in a car with no front tag, the MTA cops will nab his dumb ass!

(I wish I had a camera the time I saw an MTA cop sleeping in his car with the engine running in a MARC parking lot.)

You can get a waiver if you've spent $450 in repairs, however if you've done those repairs yourself, they will knock off $150 from that total. So you only need $300 in parts to pass. I did this a few years ago for my old Firebird. New cats and a few other odds and ends, still failed, and got a waiver.

Probably the only real work around other than just slizzzzzammmming your suspension to the ground so they can't get the car on the rollers.

FWIW, my SE-R failed just this morning for a re-test. I have a JDM engine with no EGR. Passed everything except for hydrocarbon (HC). Limit is 1.00, mine was 1.17. CO and Nox were both well below the maximum. Set my timing to 10 degrees and limped to the testing station. Didn't really do anything else since the first test except verify the idle speed, and I had to change one of the coolant sensors in the intake manifold. All three readings were still lower than my initial test.

I still have a USDM intake manifold with EGR and most of the other crap laying around. Still would rather have a "quick fix" rather than hassle with swapping that stuff in.

Pat

A friend suggested the lowering the car trick. My car is ODB2. All they do is plug the computer in and check vac on the gas cap. No rollers required.

I'm in full sensor fooling mode now. If I make any great discoveries, I'll be sure to post.

what codes are you throwing? I'm turbo p11 and passed obdII tests twice so far. This is in CT though. Not sure how different your test is.

i never told him to do that ^^^^^ i was just saying what other people do...the slamming trick is not going to work in some places because they are making special rollers for slamed vehicles.. also they do not do the roller test for me.. i wonder why