Ontario 'announcement’ on Drive Clean

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
I'm kinda ambivalent on this. Sure it's a PITA to get the testing done but what the data doesn't show is that the reason the majority don't fail is because they get it fixed before the test because they know it will fail with the CEL on.

No testing means it won't prevent those who choose to remove their cats rather than replace them or not repair a poorly running engine, burning more fuel and causing more pollution.
 
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Redbeard

Member
Jan 26, 2013
3,466
They did away with the testing in Florida about 25 years ago. Most of the huffers and puffers have stayed off the road.
 

Mektek

Member
May 2, 2017
656
FL
My neighbor's 2 stroke boat engine puts out more pollution while he's working on it and flushing the engine than several days of cars driving by. Very rarely do I see cars with obvious engine problems - even the old beaters still seem to be running reasonably well.
Well, I'll have to step up for my early production TB - high mileage but still driving clean and purrs like a kitten:love0001:
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Well, it's been announced, testing is done on April 1st. And all of mine are due in Feb. :mad:

I need only look at my own son who's Sierra runs like absolute crap with misfires and codes too many to list and catless (heck, he's running straight pipe). He's burning gas like the apocalypse but says he doesn't have the time to fix it. They currently don't have testing in northern Ontario.
 
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cornchip

Original poster
Member
Jan 6, 2013
637
Having never failed, even on the pipe test with a hot rodded small block.....I'm glad to see this gone. My only concern is buying a used vehicle without a full certification that used to included emissions. Going to need to bring along a good scan tool when buying used. The vulnerable car shopper might get scammed without one.
 
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Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
Emissions testing is such a damn joke. Pollution in general is already way beyond slowing down vastly anymore to help alleviate any damage that is already being, and has been done to the ozone layer and the environment. It's just an excuse to make the people and/or public figures who initiate these kind of things; to look good for the press and to get further money from the public, by paying for emission testing.
 
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Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
Having never failed, even on the pipe test with a hot rodded small block.....I'm glad to see this gone. My only concern is buying a used vehicle without a full certification that used to included emissions. Going to need to bring along a good scan tool when buying used. The vulnerable car shopper might get scammed without one.

Was listening to a radio show talking about that and a master technician who owns his own shop (yeah, I know, that don't mean much to us) says that with the new safety check, it will fail even with the CEL on. There can't be any lights on although I fail to see what a CEL has to do with safety.

Hell, even the environmentalist Green Party are also saying it's run its course and it's time for it to go. Thinking about it, vehicles nowadays don't start having problems until the time it's reached high mileage and getting close to retirement.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/can...ive-clean-emissions-test-target-heavy-duty-2/
Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner said that while he can accept that the program is no longer as relevant as it once was, scrapping it is part of a pattern for this government.

And in that same article, it says Ontario is the last province to scrap testing.
 

Capote

Supporting Donor
Member
Jul 14, 2014
24,227
Atlanta, GA
That's another thing that I find so ridiculous with emissions testing. The state and/or county is testing your EMISSIONS. So with that being said, the fact that you can fail with any CEL Powertrain code, when it's not a full on inspection/emissions test (like in NY and it's surrounding states for example) is absurd. Lets say your code is ABS related. You'll still fail that test even though that Powertrain code has nothing to do with any emissions related aspect of your vehicle. You can pass with a pending Chassis code like C0055 "Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Circuit Malfunction", so why not with anything not related to your vehicle's emissions testing? When it's strictly just an emissions test without a full-on vehicle inspection. In those cases, that state and/or county is making sure your vehicle is safe for you and your fellow motorists. That's my :twocents: on this.
 

Mooseman

Moderator
Dec 4, 2011
25,257
Ottawa, ON
That's just it for us. The e-test didn't care at all about safety and the only time we need a safety inspection is when you sell the vehicle. Admittedly, we don't see the same number of clapped out rust buckets as we used to.
 

Bow_Tied

Member
Dec 21, 2014
453
London, ON
That's just it for us. The e-test didn't care at all about safety and the only time we need a safety inspection is when you sell the vehicle. Admittedly, we don't see the same number of clapped out rust buckets as we used to.

Especially in this climate, it simply is so expensive for the average person to maintain a 20 year old vehicle now vs. 20+ years ago. When I was young, no big deal to replace parts, $20 and 20 minutes to replace the fuel pump DIY for example. Now it's in tank most cannot DIY and so starts with a $100 diagnostic, $450 pump, $200 install, etc. Cars are getting more and more complex with sensors everywhere. If I had time I would buy and older vehicle from the 70s and refurb it for daily use.
 

BrianF

Member
Jul 24, 2013
1,192
West central Sask.
Just like the lower mainland in BC. Their clean air act or what ever its called was scrapped. For the results it garnered, it was not sustainable.
 

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