Gas Caps

[Doc_Rey]

Howdy,
Q: Has anyone had the experience of having to replace their gas cap every 2 yrs. to pass their smog inspection (CA)? It's happened to me the last three occasions. It's not a great amount of money, but I just can't help feeling nickel & dimed.
I recently replaced my 10 y.o. cap on my Dodge pick up to pass.
Oh well, just venting.
Thx.

[roundown8366]

Pure and simple, you are being ripped off. I have lived in Ca. for 40 years and have had smog tests on everything from a VW to class C v10 engine. Never, repeat, never have I had some smog tester try to push a gas cap on me.

BTW, I never do anything special to pass. Just drive the vehicle in and test, some of my vehicles (trucks, cars and class C) had over 100,000 miles, one had 300,000 miles.

It is a simple crooked way to extort $ from you.

Dean

[C-Leigh_Racing]

Simple, move to NC where your class A is classed as a truck cause most A class are over 20,000 lbs & dont have to do the tail pipe test.
Oh, and we also have plenty of water over here as well.
Neil

[JimFromJersey]

Doc Rey wrote:
...Oh well, just venting.Thx.

That's what your cap did, and that's why you failed. 🙂

To the unfamiliar, many states, esp. those with strict emission laws such as CA and NJ, test the gas cap for vacuum seal as part of the evaporative emission control systems. If the OBD II scan shows a leak anywhere along the system, you fail inspection and must get whatever it is repaired and then re-inspect. Gas caps are the easiest and in most ways, cheapest things to check and replace, compared to things like the evap canister and all the lines between the gas tank and the engine and back again.

A few years ago, NJ went from strict and fairly comprehensive emissions and safety inspections, to emissions only. They read the OBD port on your car, and if ANY engine/powertrain or emission codes come up, you fail. They also can tell if a code has just been reset in the history, so having a mechanic buddy 'turn off' the code with his scan tool won't work.

I have a car where the mufflers and tailpipe just came off and haven't been replaced yet, four nearly bald tires, and the drivers window doesn't work. But it's got a clean OBD. Passed right through.

[sikorge]

rk911 wrote:
5-6 years ago when I took our '00 Suncruiser/Ford F53 in for testing the tech put the detector wand into the tailpipe for the genny instead of the engine tailpipe. he was impressed with how clean the F53 was running. 🙂

Now that's funny! :B

[MagillaGorilla]

Doc Rey wrote:
Howdy,
Q: Has anyone had the experience of having to replace their gas cap every 2 yrs. to pass their smog inspection (CA)? It's happened to me the last three occasions. It's not a great amount of money, but I just can't help feeling nickel & dimed.
I recently replaced my 10 y.o. cap on my Dodge pick up to pass.
Oh well, just venting.
Thx.

Buy as new gas cap and put it on only when getting it inspected. Then put the old one back on until next year.

[rk911]

5-6 years ago when I took our '00 Suncruiser/Ford F53 in for testing the tech put the detector wand into the tailpipe for the genny instead of the engine tailpipe. he was impressed with how clean the F53 was running. 🙂

[ets1996]

Doe's your rig have an evaporator canister and tubing in your smog control system? we had a rig that coded replace cap. We did the cap cleared the code. A week later the cap code came back. After research found out canister tubing leakage also activates cap code. Found crack in numerous spots on the tubing. replaced tubing no problems since. Possibly your getting a new cap, code clears and you don't look for this code again until smog check time. Maybe be something to look at Good luck

[Effy]

Strange topic. I have never heard of having to replace a gas cap to pass an emissions test. Logically I don't follow. Is this for older vehicles? I can't say I've replaced a gas cap in my life - ever. And I've owned some old cars. Is it to ensure gas vapors don't escape? Don't engines have issues if there is no vacuum? All the new ones I've seen are plastic anyway. I don't get it. :h

[Viewfinder]

I think they may have learned that from New Jersey. Gas cap door is opened and sniffed; also tail pipe.. and OPDII looked at for codes. Don't bother with the new cap in the bag trick.. They need to see the reciept.

jim

[Trackrig]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
If you have a new cap and the old install the old and keep the new one in a zip lock bag in a cool dark dry place until the next time you need a smog check. Once you pass swap them back. Almost wonder if they have a failure quota just to prove they are being diligent.

Just as bad a failing a safety inspection for head light alignment and only 5K miles since last inspection.

X2, use the new one for the test only, then put it away until the next testing.

Bill

[Dale_Traveling]

If you have a new cap and the old install the old and keep the new one in a zip lock bag in a cool dark dry place until the next time you need a smog check. Once you pass swap them back. Almost wonder if they have a failure quota just to prove they are being diligent.

Just as bad a failing a safety inspection for head light alignment and only 5K miles since last inspection.

[Doc_Rey]

Thanks for the advise. I have a very well maintained '99 Winnebago Adventurer. 35K mi. I service it before the smog check. No symptoms of any kind. In reviewing the test read-out, it says the visual & functionality of the cap "passed". Now that I recall, the tech was holding an new, unopened gas cap & the test had been completed & the rig off the tester. I think I answered my own question. I think I'm done with this place!

[Dakota98]

downtheroad wrote:
Good grief. Does CA also have laws about what kind of toilet paper you have to use and when?

No, but they do stipulate how much you can use in one sitting & you must be carb compliant.

[MountainAir05]

Keep the o-ring lube and buy a high end cap.