The Stovebolt Site Forums The Side Lot BC Bolters Aircare

Since I can't get collector plates yet, I will need to go through Aircare for the first time.
Stock 235 in my 54 1/2 ton, has anyone had to go through? How would a 60 year old truck expect to do? Any hints or secrets?

All help appreciated, John.

1/2 tank of fresh premium gas and 500ml of methyl hydrate.When the inspector asks the milage,say 200 thousand or so

I got my '47 1/2 ton through, then the next year I had fooled around with the carb and it failed. I went to a mechanic and had them set it up and it passed. The next time I didn't touch a thing and it passed. Make sure it is warmed up. I drove around for about 1/2 hour before going through.

Give it a FULL tune up, plugs, points, cond, oil and filter change, if you have a oil filled air filter put in new oil to the line or replace the paper filter and adjust the valves. Take it for a long drive at higher speed then to air care and see what numbers come up.If you pass, good, if not you will know its weak spot. On my truck it failed the idle test (hydro carbons off scale) all other tests were very good. I tried some different settings 3 times but no good so I gave up and took it to a shop in Maple Ridge for set up and it passed (in 2007) and it has passed every year since then. My truck is a 1/2ton 1949 chev with a 216 L6 stock bore and 135,000 miles on it.

I'd just go raise the GVW on insurance to 5001 and then you don't need aircare

My 72 blazer with 350 and straight exhaust passed I'm sure your truck will.

While we are on the subject of air care. I thought they were going to toss it. If you have a car with an OB2 in it, they plug in the OB2 reader and check for codes. Then you give them $45. It takes like 10 minutes at the most. What a rip.
Couldn't I be sitting in my truck with my reader and clear any codes just before I drove in and the codes would be gone?

I'm with Boyd on this one... when I brought my '37 in to be aircared I was sure it was going to fail, especially after hearing how Dave's truck was doing so time after time... his engine was rebuilt and newish while mine was ancient and a bit tired...

I drove to Aircare , got $20 worth of the best premium gas I could find along the way, and on the street outside their parking lot added a bottle of methyl hydrate...

Not only did the '37 pass but it passed with flying colors... Best, best and best in all 3 categories... gotta love it!

I had trouble getting mine thru....ended up parking on the street just out of sight of Aircare, and leaning out the carb as much as possible. It barely ran, but was enuf to pass test. Drove it out and re-adjusted carb.

Collector Plates only need the low and high idle test, not the driving test.
I I have a 235 and rebuilt my single barrel rochester ($15) and turned the mixture down (leaned out) till it just stopped backfiring. I also had a sticky throttle assembly on my carb so it was idling high. If you gave it a quick kick, it would slow down. Aircare staff are not allowed to touch anything for the slow idle, so if something is sticking and causing it to rev higher than you want, too bad. Added a bit of extra tension to the spring and it passed Aircare at a ridiculously low level. New fuel and nice and warm is also a big help (just like the others have suggested.
They take into account the age of the vehicle so it doesn't have to meet todays emissions levels.

Best thing about collector or modified collector plates is that you only need to pass 1 time !

For the record, I went with dubds10's suggestion and bumped the GVW to 5001.
John

*S*.....will come in handy when you get pulled over with all those gold bars in back !