Author Topic: Clean air test in Ontario Canada ? (Read 4227 times)

AndrewSE · « **on:** July 30, 2008, 10:18:12 am »

Hello everyone,

New to the forums and the world of diesel.

I bought a 91 Jetta a few weeks back and have been fixing it up to get it back up to snuff.

I have to get the clean air test done here in Ontario to be able to get my plate sticker and have a couple of questions.

1) how the heck do they do this test on a diesel. Does not diesel burn dirty to begin with ?

2) how should I prepair my car for this test so that I don't fail it ?

Thankz in advanced.

jtanguay · « **Reply #1 on:** July 30, 2008, 11:35:43 am »

is there any smoke coming out the back of your car at idle??? if not then take it right in, give them the cash, and 5 minutes later your done. make sure the car is up to running temp when you take it in.

AndrewSE · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2008, 12:01:35 pm »

no smoke when idleing !

Thankz for the info !

jtanguay · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2008, 01:27:33 pm »

they call it the visible smoke test. they let it idle for 5 mins and just do a visual inspection :wink:

AndrewSE · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2008, 01:36:49 pm »

your Sh#%ing me right

This is what I have to pay 35plus tax for ?!?!?

man...

ok well what can you do eh ? Thankz for the heads up !

suomistyler · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2008, 03:46:10 pm »

i had this done twice as well for the two years i lived in Ottawa for my 1988td jetta. Its a big cash grab on diesel vehicles. They literally open the hood and go, "yep, its a diesel" and close it and put their hand out for your cash. just be happy in the knowledge that your car will pass the air test...do you need to get it inspected as well?

The only nice thing is that if your car is 20 years or older, no test is required...i guess they figure that most vehicles don't last through 20 Ontario winters, god knows mine wouldn't. Its good to be back in BC, but now i have to get it inspected here as well again...aaargh!

madmedix · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2008, 04:47:10 pm »

Nothing short of a cash grab, absolutely. :evil: . Just pisses me off when I drive away and see some old mafia staff car blowing the blue cloud of death throughout his rev range.

jtanguay · « **Reply #7 on:** July 30, 2008, 05:00:06 pm »

the cash grab part of it sucks, but at least you can laugh at the gassers! i went in after this guy and left before... "your car is done already" he says... "yep its a diesel" and out i go :lol:

Patrick · « **Reply #8 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:26:35 am »

Get your appointment, drive the car in just at your appointment time. Sometimes old diesels will smoke a little at idle on startup, but not hot. Just be glad they're not using the equipment they use on big trucks! Big trucks have to passs a "snap test" which is a "How bad does it smoke when you nail it" test.

nokivasara · « **Reply #9 on:** July 31, 2008, 11:21:43 am »

That's what we have in Sweden, from idle to max revs :shock:
Some of the inspectors don´t have the heart to rev it that high so they do a visual test instead, they keep an eye on the level of black smoke during a test drive.
Normal amounts of smoke = pass, a black cloud trailing the car = back to step 1 for the real WOT test.

Black Smokin' Diesel · « **Reply #10 on:** July 31, 2008, 03:50:26 pm »

Quote from: "nokivasara"

That's what we have in Sweden, from idle to max revs :shock:
Some of the inspectors don´t have the heart to rev it that high so they do a visual test instead, they keep an eye on the level of black smoke during a test drive.
Normal amounts of smoke = pass, a black cloud trailing the car = back to step 1 for the real WOT test.

So you just turn down the max fuel screw before the test and everything's fine :lol: :lol:

burn_your_money · « **Reply #11 on:** July 31, 2008, 06:51:51 pm »

And put a governer back in :lol:

DCC · « **Reply #12 on:** August 01, 2008, 12:59:34 am »

Here they do a opacity test.

Basically, they attach a probe to the exhaust to measure how black your car smokes, then ask you to floor it. It's easy to pass if you're gentle on the throttle.

I've seen many modern diesels that won't pass this test. They are driven like if they were grannies, and when the time comes, they throw a cloud of soot... they even paint the floor black. :lol:

Oh, and we pay 35 euros (54 dollars) for that impressive and thorough test!

nokivasara · « **Reply #13 on:** August 01, 2008, 02:47:43 am »

Turn down the fuel screw until it barely hits 100kph and you can´t fail :lol:
I also have a Golf TDI and that was more exciting to drive to the opacity test, all you can do is drive it a bit harder before the test to clear the pipe from soot and hope for the best...

AndrewSE · « **Reply #14 on:** August 01, 2008, 07:42:08 am »

fun stuff !

no my saftey has been done and just have to get the clean air test completed.

Will be going in the next couple of weeks.

You are right about the cold start and quick puff of white smoke. But when she is hot and you start it, its fine !

No longer worried about it, thankz to you guys !

just have to get my fan fixed now....

Author Topic: Clean air test in Ontario Canada ? (Read 4227 times)

AndrewSE

AndrewSE

AndrewSE

AndrewSE