There seems to be some confusion about the state emissions testing these days in Fort Collins. We are getting calls wondering if we do emissions testing for gas powered cars and trucks because we are a State of Colorado Licensed Diesel Emissions Testing Station. The new gas vehicle testing program is different as it is a centralized testing program run by Air Care Colorado. They are the only place you can take your cars and trucks for testing. The Fort Collins facility is located at 835 S.E Frontage Road, which is just east of Interstate Highway 25 and south of East Mulberry. If you know where the McDonald’s restaurant and the OtterBox warehouse is located, it is on that same road, accross from OtterBox.  Hours are 8 to 5:30 M-F and 8 to 1 on Saturday. No appointments are taken and there are multiple lanes to meet the city’s needs. It is best not to go mid day or the first and last couple of days of the month. The cost is $25 and it takes only 20 minutes or so for an uncomplicated wait and/or test. My experience there was very positive and I got right in and out with no problem and passed with flying colors. When you go, if there is a line, make sure to keep your vehicle running so that it is warm/hot when it is tested for best results.

If you have low profile or very large tires there may be a problem testing your vehicle. It is a good idea to go out and get them checked before relying on the test as they will make you change the tires/wheels if they do not work on their dynamometers.

As for diesel emissions testing, not much has changed since we began the testing twenty years ago. New vehicles are exempt for the first four years and then are tested every other year until they are ten years old. The rest are tested annually. If you have a truck that is “chipped” make sure that you set it back to normal before having the test run to assure that you are getting tested properly and have your best chance of passing.

If you have any questions about emissions testing you can call us at 970-482-3971 or contact aircarecolorado.com or call them at 970-AIRTEST.

On Thursday I testified before the Colo House of Reps committee on Health and Environment on behalf of emissions testing along the north Front Range. In case you have never btdt, it is mostly a crock. They have a hearing where they pretend to care what you say, attack the people who they don’t agree with, and shuck and grin with those they do like. It is politics at its absolute worst. Their minds are made up in advance and deliberation is instantaneous. I learned something new, the chair of the Weld County Board of Commissioners stated that the ozone threatening the north Front Range is not created by us, oh no, it comes here FROM CHINA. OH YEAH. China. I guess that sort of thinking comes from inhaling all those sweet smelling feed lot fumes they get over there in Weld. You know the ones, Fort Collins: they come here on a southeasterly wind from time to time. So they proposed killing the emissions program that has been running for two months on July 1, 2011 and then maybe bringing them back in December if the air really is bad. Oh, and the jobs lost, so what. And the money spent by repair shops to deal with the program, so what. And the millions of $$$ to build testing stations, who cares. We all should have known better that if the program was killed we would be SOL and the Republicans doing the killing who support small business and job creation would be the killers. When you are in the brown cloud you cannot see it, folks. Get up to Horsetooth Rock some time and look down to see what is really going on. Oh, that’s right, Weld County is too far from Horsetooth, and their pollution as was stated in the meeting blows to the west. Maybe that’s got something to do with it. Well I CARE and I don’t want to breathe any more ozone or nitric acid or anything else that will damage my lungs. Can I spare $25 and a half hour of my time once every two years to get my car tested? Yes. Can you?

For nearly twenty years we have been engaged in testing light duty diesels for their emissions for the state. Being at altitude (5000 feet) we began testing before the advent of sensors to tell the computer what our altitude is. We test for the density of the smoke emitted from the tailpipe under a full load at 60, 50, and 40 miles per hour. These are the times a diesel will smoke its worst if it is going to smoke at all. With the return of gas emissions testing this year we are still doing the testing in private stations, not at the state contractor. So, yes we are still testing diesels and the Air Care Colorado does the gas testing. Please feel free to call us at 970-482-3971 if you have any questions about emissions testing and we will be happy to help.

So how are you doing with the new emissions program? Have you heard about it yet? Have you been to the testing stations? We are getting calls daily wanting to know if we do testing on gas powered cars and trucks. Answer: no, only light duty diesels, just as we have for the past 19+ years. Testing for the gas powered vehicles resumes in December 2010 and is being done by AirCare Colorado by contract with the State of Colorado. It is what is known as centralized testing and you need to go to Mulberry and I25 of out by the North Super Walmart in Loveland for the two closest testing stations. It’s best to go early, or mid month to avoid lines. Most cars pass as the pass levels are pretty high as they introduce the program and they plan to make it more aggressive as time passes. The pass levels in Denver are much more stringent than in the Front Range as they have the most cars and trucks and have been getting tested for years now. The worst of the worst are being removed from the roads and our air quality should stabilize and then improve. Those blue smoking vehicles you see from time to time will be fixed or booted for the benefit of the rest of us.  And don’t forget you can check out the Rapid Screen Vans and not have to report for testing if your car is running clean. Check out Air Care Colorado’s website for the most information. www.aircarecolorado.com