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Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - Jean Eichenlaub - 12-10-2008 12:55

I think private motorhomes are out. However, I'm sure the current version of proposed regs do not apply to a vehicle driven less than 7500 miles in CA even if it is commercial.
Since I live in CA with a 3208 it may be all trips are east first. Northing will be later.
Jean Eichenlaub
'87 35' FC


Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - Pete Masterson - 12-10-2008 14:44

When I purchased my coach, I drove from Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Nevada, and California without any license plates. (I had a "temporary" paper license from Texas that was on the dashboard but was not particularly visible from outside the coach.)
I was pulled over in Nevada -- by a patrolman who was an RVer and just wondered what the strange looking RV was. (The justification was no plate visible.) I showed him the temporary plate and we talked about Blue Birds, etc. and he sent me on my way.
I haven't been looked at twice by a patrol officer anywhere since.
Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
El Sobrante CA
"aeonix1@mac.com"
On Dec 10, 2008, at 4:15 PM, Don Bradner wrote:

On 12/10/2008 at 11:27 PM timvasqz wrote:
The independent tester I used has tested  motorhomes  pickup trucks and 
diesel cars several were class c duramax units clearing up smoke
fix-it-tickets.  ( Don call an independ tester 
question).  
Sorry, that's not going to cut it. Your tester is now going to add Wanderlodges to his list of vehicles worked on, for any who ask in the future. For him, the Private/Commercial aspect is immaterial.
I
know for a fact quoting ;statute ;law and ;code get you more issues and
a court date.   
If that's what it takes, then so be it. As a practical matter, instances of Class A coaches being pulled over for anything, including exceeding the 55mph towing limit in California, are exceedingly rare. The one California exception appears to be 45-footers pulling obviously longer than 20-foot toads or trailers.
I was, however, pulled over for my first time ever in a motor home a few days ago on I-10 in Florida. The lift-window on our Jeep liberty had popped open (happens with a wrong key press, just like a panic alarm), and the state trooper wanted to make sure we weren't losing anything. 
"Have a nice day and I will block traffic for you to get going" was the parting word.
Don Bradner
90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
Posting today by park WiFi from Las Cruces, NM


Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - timvasqz - 12-11-2008 03:55

Don, if you read my first post it says Motor homes are exempt from
the periodic smoke testing programs. Earlier this year I was asked
to show a smog cert to the CHP cop for the Wonderlodge during a
scheduled onsite terminal inspection (My terminal is our equipment
yard where the lodge is parked) I received several corrections on my
92 dumptruck and trailer but no formal correction for the smog cert
for the bus during that inspection. During inspections roadside and
scheduled review I always just answer the 300 questions best I
can. Cops are better versed on laws, plus they walk around with
guns. I rather argue with a Judge in a dress (they call it a
robe ,but come'on).

I called a mobile tester to get the bus smogged after that
inspection . It failed. Yesterday I took the bus and our fleet to
one other of the some 400 independent testers facility's. there I
learned the bus failed due to the engine tag being unreadable, they
call this unsmoggable. I asked and paid to have the opacity tested
anyway for my review.

Unlike the car smog test this Opacity test result is not recorded on
the state registration document for the vehicle and updated at every
smog review. It is only a certified record of a maintenance task. I
think smoke tickets must show up on my motor carrier permit for them
to raise the fine with subsequent tickets?????? $600. then $1,800.
then 'pull registration'

I posted the result to show the diff between the 92 four stroke
Cummins and 94 two stroke detroit.when I get the wanderlodge tag
affixed I will replace the air filter and re smoke test(I have never
changed a/f as the dash gauge never hit red but goes yellow when I
push it) .My '92Cummins dump was tested prior year and opacity was
over 13% this under one% makes me wonder if the new airfilter I
installed prior to the test is seated proper. less than one% seems
too good for a 'run hard put up wet/ 350,000 mile dumptruck'????

you don't have to convince me the old rigs should be allowed to
operate, I don't wear a dress to work.

GregoryO'Connor ofTim&Greg
94pt RomolandCa

--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Don Bradner"
wrote:
>
>
> Sorry, that's not going to cut it. Your tester is now going to add
Wanderlodges to his list of vehicles worked on, for any who ask in
the future. For him, the Private/Commercial aspect is immaterial.
>
> Don Bradner
> 90 PT40 "Blue Thunder"
> Posting today by park WiFi from Las Cruces, NM
> My location: http://www.bbirdmaps.com/user2.cfm?user=1
>

Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - Jean Eichenlaub - 12-11-2008 09:12

I think the actual vehicle is getting confused with ownership of the vehicle. Any fleet vehicle, regards of design and fleet size, is subject to the new regulations. With some exceptions of course.
If a business owns the vehicle it is subject. If an individual owns for recreational use it is exempt, to the best of my knowledge.
Jean Eichenlaub
'87 35'FC


Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - erniecarpet@... - 12-14-2008 01:50



I have experimented with letting the turbo spool up a bit before I hit the accelerator hard. I noticed that my black smoke is somewhat less when I do that. Of course, to the consternation of vehicles behind me, my slow forward progress is not what they were looking for.
Ernie Ekberg
83PT40 Wanderlodge
Weatherford, Texas
75 degrees





Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - timvasqz - 12-14-2008 06:40

I spoke with a Diesel electronics tech about clearing up the
acceleration smog puff on my bus.
The stack puffs smoke untill the turbo speed winds up fast enough
to pump sufficient air to burn all the fuel that is being dumped at
the piston. the fix is regulating the electronic injectors to not
release more fuel than can be burned at a given time. To back off
the accelerator is not a solution because:
To add more air ;you need to push the fuel in ;to fuel the fires
hotter ;to blow and build more exhaust pressure past the turbo ;to
turn the turbo blade faster ;to pump the more air in.

I recalled DavidBrady wrote about a turboSpeedSensor code from his
ddec. That sensor is not part of the older DDec input prompts. the
computer must recognize turbo speed in the resulted release of fuel
the computer allows the injector to piss at the piston. Mass air
flow and turbo speed are more variables in regulating the fuel
released as per a given ability to burn. You begin to realize the
value of these and even engine temp as factors to efficient
acceleration, fuel economy and permission to operate.

I noticed a page on the CARB site about reprogramming updates for
ddec computers and older electronic Cats for comercial vehicles. I
dont know if it is just an allowable flash update or a required
update.

My interest is not compliance to a law many have pointed out only
apply to commercial vehicles. My interest is to not attract
attention with a puff of smoke at acceleration.
GregoryO'Connor ofTim&Greg 94ptCa

Federal smog laws GregO'Connor - Pete Masterson - 12-14-2008 07:00

Would a waste gate turbocharger help reduce the smoking? A previous owner installed one on my coach -- and I've noticed very little, if any, smoking from my S-60. I presume that the waste gate turbo is set to spin up faster, then the waste gate opens to stop any over-boost (maximum I ever see on the gauge is 25 psi) as it achieves maximum speed. While certainly not cheap, it might be a solution to consider, especially since it probably gives a horsepower boost at lower RPM as well as cleaner burning (possibly offering a slight MPG improvement). However, I have no experience without the waste gate turbo so I don't know what effect it may have had.
The only time I see serious smoking from my S-60 is when starting with the engine very cold (but using the engine pre-heat solves that, as well). Indeed, now I run the engine pre-heat for 30 to 120 minutes whenever the ambient temperatures drop below 50 degrees during the night (for a morning start). The colder it gets, the longer I run the pre-heat. 
I note that I get very significant smoking from the generator whenever the air filter needs replacement -- but a clean filter eliminates the smoking.
Pete Masterson
'95 Blue Bird Wanderlodge WBDA 42
El Sobrante CA
"aeonix1@mac.com"
On Dec 14, 2008, at 10:50 AM, "erniecarpet@aol.com" wrote:

I have experimented with letting the turbo spool up a bit before I hit the accelerator hard. I noticed that my black smoke is somewhat less when I do that. Of course, to the consternation of vehicles behind me, my slow forward progress is not what they were looking for.
 
Ernie Ekberg
83PT40 Wanderlodge
Weatherford, Texas
75 degrees