Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike@GTM
There is nothing deceitful about what I said. I stated some facts regarding what King and Snohomish counties in Washington state do in regards to emissions testing. Yes, facts. No where in that RCW did it state anything about requiring California Executive Order Numbers in order to install a part onto your car. Furthermore, WSP does not ask you to pop your hood to see if your car is modified. They might pop you for RCW 46.37.390 Section 3: modified exhaust, however...especially if you're rolling through Federal Way. lol
I think you are misinterpreting what that law is all about...not mention the fact that you didn't even read it. Here's an excerpt from the actual law: RCW 46.16A.060: Registration
(2) The following motor vehicles are exempt from emission test requirements:
(a) Motor vehicles that are less than five years old or more than twenty-five years old;
(b) Motor vehicles that are a 2009 model year or newer;
There is no provision that pertains to any kind of smog program like the one implemented in the State of California. That law only pertains to new vehicles sold in the state of Washington. In other words, rather than a car needing to meet Federal Emissions standards, new cars sold in Washington state need to have California Emissions standards. That's not the same thing as CARB and does not mean that aftermarket parts have to have a California Executive Order number to be installed on a Washington state car. While it is true that a lot of states are pushing automotive manufacturers to build and sell cars with lower emissions, that does not mean that they are implementing multi-billion dollar smog programs like the state of California has and their laws are no where near as draconian either. The California laws are expensive to enforce and the other 49 states aren't throwing away tax payer dollars like that.
You have to understand that people modifying their cars are a very small percentage of your driving population and if you go after the big fish (the major automotive manufactures), you'll capture the vast majority of the benefits of having more strict emissions standards. Doing what the State of California does with it's set of laws is on the diminishing side of the law of diminishing returns and it takes a lot more effort on the state's part to squeeze out every last bit of compliance to its emissions standards. I hope that makes sense and you get what I'm trying to say, because my point is that most of the other states don't go to the same extreme...Washington state included.
That all said, I don't have an ETA on when we'll have CARB approval on our Supercharger Kit. As Sam said, there have been some delays for that. |
I'll be the first to admit that I haven't read every law on the issue and that I may be reading/interpreting them incorrectly. Which is why I want to find out more information on the issue.
RCW 46.37.390
Mufflers required — Smoke and air contaminant standards — Definitions — Penalty, exception.
(3) No person shall modify the exhaust system of a motor vehicle in a manner which will amplify or increase the noise emitted by the engine of such vehicle above that emitted by the muffler originally installed on the vehicle, and it shall be unlawful for any person to operate a motor vehicle not equipped as required by this subsection, or which has been amplified as prohibited by this subsection. A court may dismiss an infraction notice for a violation of this subsection if there is reasonable grounds to believe that the vehicle was not operated in violation of this subsection.
This subsection (3) does not apply to vehicles twenty-five or more years old or to passenger vehicles being operated off the highways in an organized racing or competitive event conducted by a recognized sanctioning body.
Please correct me if I'm wrong but the way I read that law, any aftermarket exhaust which is louder than stock is technically illegal in the state of Washington. Realistically I know you're not going to get fined for installing an aftermarket cat back exhaust but I would like to know the intent of the law.
Also, back to your emission registration comment. While I understand that a 2009 or newer cars are exempt from actual emission testing but according to section 5 of RCW 46.16A.060 it's still required for all vehicles to meet CARB standards which includes our cars even if they are exempt from testing. Here's a copy of the law and please let me know what you think on section 5. The way I read that is in order to legally register any car in Washington (with the exemptions of older cares, blah blah) the car has to meet CARB standards. Or does this regard to something else? Any advise information or input on the these issues would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
RCW 46.16A.060
Registration — Emission control inspections required — Exemptions — Educational information — Rules.
(1) The department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director may not issue or renew a motor vehicle registration or change the registered owner of a registered vehicle for any motor vehicle required to be inspected under chapter 70.120 RCW, unless the application for issuance or renewal is: (a) Accompanied by a valid certificate of compliance or a valid certificate of acceptance issued as required under chapter 70.120 RCW; or (b) exempt, as described in subsection (2) of this section. The certificates must have a date of validation that is within twelve months of the assigned registration renewal date. Certificates for fleet or owner tested diesel vehicles may have a date of validation that is within twelve months of the assigned registration renewal date.
(2) The following motor vehicles are exempt from emission test requirements:
(a) Motor vehicles that are less than five years old or more than twenty-five years old;
(b) Motor vehicles that are a 2009 model year or newer;
(c) Motor vehicles powered exclusively by electricity, propane, compressed natural gas, or liquid petroleum gas;
(d) Motorcycles as defined in RCW 46.04.330 and motor-driven cycles as defined in RCW 46.04.332;
(e) Farm vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.181;
(f) Street rod vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.572 and custom vehicles as defined in RCW 46.04.161;
(g) Used vehicles that are offered for sale by a motor vehicle dealer licensed under chapter 46.70 RCW;
(h) Classes of motor vehicles exempted by the director of the department of ecology; and
(i) Hybrid motor vehicles that obtain a rating by the environmental protection agency of at least fifty miles per gallon of gas during city driving. For purposes of this section, a hybrid motor vehicle is one that uses propulsion units powered by both electricity and gas.
(3) The department of ecology shall provide information to motor vehicle owners:
(a) Regarding the boundaries of emission contributing areas and restrictions established under this section that apply to vehicles registered in such areas; and
(b) On the relationship between motor vehicles and air pollution and steps motor vehicle owners should take to reduce motor vehicle related air pollution.
(4) The department of licensing shall:
(a) Notify all registered motor vehicle owners affected by the emission testing program that they must have an emission test to renew their registration;
(b) Adopt rules implementing and enforcing this section, except for subsection (2)(e) of this section, as specified in chapter 34.05 RCW.
(5) A motor vehicle may not be registered, leased, rented, or sold for use in the state, starting with the model year as provided in RCW 70.120A.010, unless the vehicle:
(a) Has seven thousand five hundred miles or more; or
(b)(i) Is consistent with the vehicle emission standards and carbon dioxide equivalent emission standards adopted by the department of ecology; and
(ii) Has a California certification label for all emission standards, and carbon dioxide equivalent emission standards necessary to meet fleet average requirements.
(6) The department of licensing, in consultation with the department of ecology, may adopt rules necessary to implement this section and may provide for reasonable exemptions to these requirements. The department of ecology may exempt public safety vehicles from meeting the standards where the department finds that vehicles necessary to meet the needs of public safety agencies are not otherwise reasonably available.