Captainnapalm Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Hey all. I just relocated from Kentucky to Portland, Oregon. Or rather, Beaverton. But it's still in the Portland area, and as such, I'll need to do a smog check as part of my vehicle registration. My car is a 1980 ZX, a California model. So, it has none of the smog handling equipment that the Federal model had. I just rebuilt the head about a year ago, but didn't touch the block or pistons, as my local Z guy said the amount of wear he could see didn't look like it warranted such. My question is, should I have any issues with passing the DEQ smog test? One issue that bugs me is that the cat is, near as I can tell, original equipment. I don't know if I'll have to replace that or not. Additionally, are there any nice Z shops I can go to that will be able to tune the engine if I fail? I know that a few members are from the Portland area, and I want to go to a shop that won't ruin my engine out of ignorance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArchetypeDatsun Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 (edited) Welcome to Oregon, I don't know about getting a car smogged from one state to the other but here in Oregon my car never had to get smogged ever. I believe if your car is 25 years or older it don't need smog done or inspection, only if the car were a abandoned vehicle then inspection is needed. I would check anyway don't wanna mislead you I'm just telling my experience. Edited September 11, 2010 by 280zx@541 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jgkurz Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 You will have to go through DEQ if the car is registered in Beaverton. All vehicles 1975 or newer and in the metro area will need to pass emissions testing. http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/DMV/vehicle/emissions.shtml -John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphur280 Posted September 11, 2010 Share Posted September 11, 2010 Theres a shop in clackamas, Oregon city area, run by a guy named jott or Jauc, I would avoid him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainnapalm Posted September 12, 2010 Author Share Posted September 12, 2010 Yeah, I know about the fact that cars '75 and newer have to be smogged in the Portland Metro Area. I haven't moved in completely blind and half cocked. I've done research on what's done; basically a CO2, Hydrocarbon and NOX test. Having seen 280ZX's living in Beaverton, I know the car can pass. But what I don't know is if a 30 year old cat would be able to pass the emissions test. Furthermore, if we list what shops to avoidwe'd never get finished. I would like to know what shops are reputable and do good work. If I recall, Braap owns a shop around the PDX metro area? I'm probably wrong though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators RTz Posted September 12, 2010 Administrators Share Posted September 12, 2010 One of my customers lives in Beaverton, has NO cat, and passes easily. He does have an aftermarket EFI system, however. I believe he's familiar with various testing stations in the area. Member name datsun79z. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MONGO510 Posted September 13, 2010 Share Posted September 13, 2010 It doesn't cost anything to have the car tested, so why not just run it thru DEQ? If it passes, pay for the certificate and get your registration changed. mongo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodoldjam Posted September 16, 2010 Share Posted September 16, 2010 They look for visible smoke, they don't even use a dyno to test anymore. Something about awd cars jumping off. They test at idle and then hold it at a certain rpm. I haven't heard of to many cars failing, unless you have visible smoke. I think they still inspect the exhaust system for holes and for a what looks like a cat at least. If your converter is bad it's not that expensive to replace. I do believe like Mongo said it's free the first test but not if you fail the next, something like that. You'll need to bring the car to DMV to get a Vin inspection or maybe they can do it at DEQ. I go to the one on 33rd off Columbia, so I can't for sure say that none of them use a dyno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughdogz Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 I go to the one in Sherwood. Now we only have to pass HC's and either COx or NOx, I can't remember which. They sometimes do a visual inspection of the cat using a mirror on a stick. The sniff the exhaust at idle and @ ~2500 RPM's. Mongo is right, it doesn't hurt to try it and it doesn't cost anything no matter how many times you try until you pass. My buddie Bryan works at a shop with a gas analyzer. Hopefully at worst you'll need a new cat. A universal one is $50-60. You can also try to lean it out by adjusting the airflow meter to bring down the HC's but I beleive it may bring up the other readings since you're burning fuel more than once or just hotter, something like that so it's kind of a balancing act... Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leon Posted September 18, 2010 Share Posted September 18, 2010 Now we only have to pass HC's and either COx or NOx, I can't remember which. Hope it's the latter and not the former! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goodoldjam Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 (edited) Hope I didn't make it sound like it was just visible smoke. You have to pass sniffer for everything you normally do but the test seems to be much easier after the dyno went away. Had a car that failed HC at idle and Passed the HC test at 2500rpm but that was still considered passing. Probably easier than most places besides the other cities that still use the 20year rule or the people outside the city who don't have to test. Edited September 19, 2010 by goodoldjam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hughdogz Posted September 19, 2010 Share Posted September 19, 2010 Hope it's the latter and not the former! It's the former (COx). I found a link to all the gory details pdf here It even has locations and hours. Cornelius Pass (Hillsboro) is the closet to Beaverton. There are even online cameras so you know how crowded it is before you even leave: As I mentioned, my friend is a mechanic that lives and works in Beaverton...you might have seen him drifting around in one of his three '83 ZX's ;^) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canammx1 Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Smog check in Oregon? I live in Prineville, welcome to Oregon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators BRAAP Posted January 1, 2011 Administrators Share Posted January 1, 2011 Smog check in Oregon? I live in Prineville, welcome to Oregon. Yes, but only certain locations. Greater Portland area and the Greater Medford area. All other areas are currently exempt from testing, though for how much longer no one really knows. We've been hearing rumors since the late '80' DEQ was going statewide, 20+ years later it hasn't happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canammx1 Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 Too many rednecks with hacked off exhausts and so forth, no way that could happen, and if it did, more then half my town wouldn't pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skib Posted September 3, 2011 Share Posted September 3, 2011 lol Iv never done smog in life. +1 for rural OR Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted September 4, 2011 Share Posted September 4, 2011 "My car is a 1980 ZX, a California model. So, it has none of the smog handling equipment that the Federal model had." That's a first for me: Seeing someone say the California model had LESS Garbage than 49 state cars! What it sounds like is you guys up there are doing the old Bar 90 style Idle and 2500 Static Test. It should not be an issue, and like BRAAP mentions, this test should pass an EFI ZX running properly WITHOUT a catalyst! Seriously, if you car can't pass idle and 2500, you really shouldn't be driving it till you get it fixed---you got to be REALLY out there to fail that test. It isn't very strenuous! My 66 Corvair passed without AIR on it, and my 73 with SU's would pass to 83 Specs in that same test with a malfunctioning AIR pump pushing air (kinda) into ONE primary of the HEADER on the car at the time. I wouldn't sweat it, like the one guy said: if it doesn't cost anything and there are no ramifications from going in to test for free...test it and if it passes pay for the cert and don't look back! Most smog-phobia is wrought by those who never have done it, and fear it for some reason. If your car is running well, or even reasonably well, there usually is no reason to fear a test. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82-810 L28et Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Since I see there are some fellow Oregonians asking DEQ questions. I have one I need some advice on. I have an 82 810, with a l28eT swap. Went thru DEQ without cat and failed (High CO's), then put a cat on it. It failed again(still high CO's, not as bad tho). I recently had a "tune up" done by Jok at "Bill's Datsun" in Clackamas and am wondering if I'm now worse off... Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NewZed Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Call Jok and ask him if tuned it to pass DEQ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
82-810 L28et Posted May 15, 2012 Share Posted May 15, 2012 Ive been trying him all morning. Is there anything I can do myself that may help this? Clean AFM? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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