Subject: [Healeys] Emissions Compliance in New Jersey

From: "Atkinson, Robert" <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 18:32:56 -0400

The State of New Jersey has changed it's regulations so that cars older than
25 years are no longer eligible for "Collector Vehicle" status, a status which
requires no emissions compliance but limits usage to no more than 3,000 miles
per year (which is not a problem for me).  As a result, the Motor Vehicle
Commission has refused to renew my Collector inspection sticker for my 1966
BJ8.  My status choice now is: 1) "Antique" status, which has no emissions
inspection but requires the infamous "QQQ" plates and theoretically limits
usage to parades and club events, or 2) regular license plates and satisfying
emissions standards.

So, as soon as the DVM refused the renewal, I decided to see if my 1966 BJ8
(with electronic ignition) could pass the emissions inspection (theoretically
against some 1966 standard), fully expecting it to fail, which it did.  My
questions:

1.  Is it at all possible that an Austin Healey can pass an emissions test in
New Jersey?

2.  The "failure" was in the "idle" test with the following results:

 *   Hydrocarbons parts per million: tested 1476 versus standard of 1400
(seems pretty close)
 *   Carbon monoxide (CO) percent: tested at 10.15% versus standard of 8.5%
(not sure if that is close)

I'd appreciate some suggestions on how to reduce both "hydrocarbons" (which I
presume is largely unburned fuel) and CO.

My first (only) thoughts:

 *   Increase idle speed
 *   Adjust carbs to leanest possible mix

Any other thoughts?

It doesn't cost me anything to retake the emissions test (other than time), so
I'd like to be able to go through inspection, make some screw driver
adjustments in the inspection station parking lot and go through again and
again until I "pass."

Thanks

Bob Atkinson
_______________________________________________
Archive: http://www.team.net/archive

[email-masked]
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys

---

From: Steve Feld <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 29 Jul 2013 22:44:55 -0400

Similar to Gmari2 I have NJ historic plates on my '59 BT7 and have never
been stopped by police in New Jersey during my pleasure drives (30-60
minutes) once or twice a week.  I drive about 1500 miles/year from March to
early December on many of the same roads and go by many local police who
seem to appreciate the Healey.  I have never heard of a member of our North
Jersey chapter of The Austin Healey Sports & Touring Club being ticketed for
being on a pleasure drive rather than going to a club meeting or event.  

NJ Historic "QQ" plates are available for a car more than 25 years old and
"owned as a collector's item and used solely for exhibition and educational
purposes by the owner".  "educational" purposes is not otherwise defined and
there is no specific annual mileage limit.  My pleasure drives are "road
tests" and are entirely "educational" by me, the owner, in that I just had
tuned the carbs or installed a new thermostat or readjusted the overdrive or
whatever would come to mind if stopped.  As long as you are not using the
Healey to commute or to run frequent errands past the same police, IMO
Historic plates are the way to go.   Is there a risk?  Yes, but for me the
joy of driving my Healey outweighs the risk of an anal retentive policeman
stopping me for violating the restrictions on Historic plate cars.  Besides,
I take some comfort that given my car and my age he would probably first
giving me a warning before ticketing me.   

Good luck with whichever way you decide to do.

Steve

Morristown, NJ

[email-masked]