FAQ

Here at Diesel Air, we are happy to fulfill all of your diesel fleet’s needs and we know that part of those needs have to do with questions you may have about your fleet’s smoke testing requirements, the ARB or general inquiries.  In this section, we answer the most common questions, in the hope that it clarifies your situation so that you may make informed decisions in the future.

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Q: How do I know if my fleet needs to be tested?
A: The ARB requires all California based trucks and bus fleets with two or more heavy duty diesel vehicles (GVRW 6,000lbs or greater) to conduct annual smoke opacity and tampering self-inspections for all of their vehicles.  In order to ensure compliance the ARB audits maintenance and inspection records and may test a representative sample of your vehicles.

Q: I have a diesel vehicle that meets all the above requirements, BUT it never leaves the lot. Does this vehicle need to be smoke tested?
A: No, if your diesel vehicle never leaves the yard nor is it required to be registered with the DMV, then it is not included in the program and, therefore, does not have to be smoke tested.

Q: How can I determine the year of my engine?
A: The ECL will have the year your engine was manufactured, the manufacturer and the horsepower your engine puts out.

Q: What is an ECL?
A: ECL stands for Emission Control label

Q: Must all my trucks have and ECL?
A: Yes, the ARB can/will fine you for not having one.

Q: Where is my ECL located?
A: The most common areas to find then would be on the valve cover, timming chane cover, oil cooler or on one side of the engine block. It varies from one engine manufacturer to another; refer to your owners manual or contact your engine manufacturer for an exact location.

Q: I was audited and they found that I was missing my ECL. What are the fines/penalties and can I correct the issue without having to pay?
A: Short answer: $300/$500 per infraction and yes. Long answer: Please see the advs364 on our ARB page. It gives the types of infractions and the amount of time you have to fix any given infraction OR Click on this link to be taken directly to the advs364:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/enf/advs/advs364.pdf

Q: What does GVRW mean?
A: GVRW stands for Gross Vehicle Rated Weight.  It can also be written as GVWR, which means the same thing.  It’s just the weight rating of your vehicle.

Q: Where can I find the GVRW?
A: Typically, it can be found on the door jam of the drivers side door, printed on a sticker that is attached to the body of the vehicle.  If it is not there, review your owners manual or contact your truck manufacturer.

Q: So I have multiple diesel trucks, that are 5 years old AND at least 14,000lbs. Now what?
A: Contact us at Diesel Air (visit our Contact Us page) for smoke testing and make an appointment. Leave the rest to us.

Q: My truck failed the first time, but only by a little bit. It was retested that day, but still did not pass.  What went wrong?
A: While it is difficult to tell why a truck does not pass by small margins, there are ways to prepare for a testing so everything runs smoothly.  First, change the oil and clean out all of the air filters.  These are inexpensive and common maintenance tasks and will generally close up small margins of failure.

Q: How do I know if my truck has a DPF filter?
A: Contact the shop that performs the maintenance on your vehicles.

Q: Where are my air filters? How many do I have?
A: Contact the shop that performs the maintenance on your vehicles or refer to your owners manual.

Q: My truck failed the first time, by a lot.
A: This is usually a sign of a larger problem and you should take your vehicle to a shop before using/testing it again.

Q: Okay, so I tested my vehicle and it passed. What do I get that signifies this?
A: Upon your vehicle passing the test, we print and sign a receipt as proof.  You have to keep this record for at least two years.

Q: I got smoke tested by Diesel Air almost two years ago, and my records were destroyed/lost. What is my recourse?
A: Diesel Air keeps all of your records for 5 years, so if you lose your records, we can fax/email you a copy as soon as you need it.  If you would prefer the original, then we can mail that to you, as well.