Roland,

You wrote:� The Van-Cafe cat for only $135.00 is not California legal.

Hmm-mm....I bought a Van Cafe catalytic converter (item 025.131.701A) for $145 in November 2008.� Had it installed by a local shop, along with a new muffler ($109, item 025.251.053E).� Now, these are for a 1.9 engine.� Also installed a new oxygen sensor at the same time.� Anyway, a couple days later, went for my bi-annual smog inspection at the local Test Only station, and passed with flying colors, well below the requirements, and better than the results 2 years earlier when I still had the original  factory cat.

So just a point of reference for you.

Rich
85 GL Vanagon
San Diego

--- On Wed, 8/5/09, Roland <syncronicity1@GMAIL.COM> wrote:

From: Roland <syncronicity1@GMAIL.COM>
Subject: Re: Smog test failed - here is my plan
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Date: Wednesday, August 5, 2009, 8:30 AM

Ok,

The saga continues ('89 2.1).� I had the shop try to tune it up so it would
pass smog, but not yet.� They put in a new oxygen sensor, cap/rotor, and did
some tune up things like the adjust the timing and AFM meter adjustment (I
guess).� They have a pretest capability, but then bring it down the road to
a certified smog test station and then that failed.� So the next recommended
step is a new catalytic converter.���So I am for about $450.00 already for
all the various things and still no pass.

I admit I don't fully understand all the new California CARB issues after
reading through the archives for the last year or so.� But there are
"special" cats that are needed for California.� The shop stated around
$400.00 for a new cat, with about an hour to install.� This makes sense.� I
found at least one California legal cat here:
http://www.car-sound.com/02product/shopdisplayproducts.asp (after you select
some drop down lists) with an MSRP of $390.00.� The Van-Cafe cat for only
$135.00 is not California legal.

A couple of weeks ago I applied for the California CAP program and the the
qualification letter came through -- yes looks like our vanagons qualify.
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov.� It means that I pay the first $100.00 of
repairs, and then the state pays the next $500.00 of repairs.� So I am going
to bring it to a "CAP certified" test/repair place and try to cut my
losses.� It is always a difficult choice:� when the Vanagon needs this kind
of thing, do I bring it to the VW expert or to the smog expert?� So I
started with the VW expert, and now will move it to the smog expert, clearly
because I want to use the state help $ to get this done now.

We'll see how it goes, I've learned to do more and more repairs on my own,
but when it comes to smog testing I just can't see how to do it in the
backyard.� Thanks for all your previous suggestions and comments.

Roland

On Wed, Jul 22, 2009 at 12:02 PM, Roland <syncronicity1@gmail.com> wrote:

> Yes, one of our favorite subjects:� good old CA smog test, '89 2.1.� It has
> passed twice before without needing help, but not this time.
>
> It has high hydrocarbons at idle, which means it is running rich.
>
> So, I plan to change cap, rotor, plugs which is the advice I gathered from
> the archives.� Also will use a bottle of injector cleaner for the next few
> days.
>
> Actually, I am going to let the shop do it, since they have a pre-test
> capability and work with the local official smog check station to get it
> passed.� VW Paradise (http://www.vwparadise.com), north San Diego County,
> have had some work done there before, seem like pretty good guys.� Seems
> there are always 4- 6 vanagons there in various state of repairs.
>
> I would do those "tune-up" items myself, but by the time I get it done, and
> maybe adjust the AFM (which I've never done), I'd be guessing, and then go
> back to get it checked again, and if it fails, then guess again, and go
> back.� The process stinks, given all the governmental stuff in CA, I am
> getting sick of this state anyway (sorry for the editorial).� Recent reports
> show the smog test system as useless:� now there are so many newer cars on
> the road which don't go bad, that this whole smog test junk is just a tax on
> older car owners.
>
> Things I learned from the Smog Test station (who is a really good guy):
> - don't use premium fuel - it will increases the probability of failure.
> - don't ever buy ARCO gas, he was adamant about this!
> - California has a CAP program which my Van qualfies.� I have to mail in an
> application, then if approved I go to a CAP qualified repair facility, and I
> pay the first $100.00 of smog repairs, then the state pays the next
> $500.00.� But many of these "certified" CAP stations refuse to touch
> vanagons.� Takes about 2 weeks to hear back from the state after you send
> the application.
>
> Any comments appreciated.
>
> Roland
>
>