California emissions questions

[sw20kosh]

Originally Posted by Tim_Asphalt_FRS

For FI: I'm not sure, because if you swapped everything back to stock except the injectors wouldn't it run too rich?


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Sorry I should have clarified:

Take major FI bits off.
Bolt on stock headers and intake and emissions equip.
Leave the bigger injectors in there.
Flash an NA tune for the bigger injectors (so you don't run super rich)

Would this work?

[jeebus]

I'll break this down simply:

California does visual inspection, OBD scanning, and tail pipe (sniffer) testing.

- For visual inspection, you cannot modify anything in the intake tract unless it has a CARB exemption. Intakes sold with CARB exemption will be labeled as such and have a sticker on them that the smog tech can read. You cannot touch anything in the exhaust from the header, up to and including the second cat unless those parts have a CARB exemption as well. In a decade or so, you will find some aftermarket cats with CARB approval, but up until the 8 year emissions period, no aftermarket cat will be legal to use. A turbo kit with a CARB exemption will retain all emissions equipment...and I have yet to see a kit out that does that. It might happen..don't hold your breath. You can do whatever you want after the second cat. Even a straight pipe...totally legal as far as smog goes. However, if it's over 95db you can get a ticket from the police for it.

- For the OBD scan your car must be done with all its readiness monitors (this means you can't just reset the ECU right before going in for a smog...generally it takes 25-200 miles of driving). Your car cannot have any emissions related codes either. If you have a tune, the OBD scan will not detect it. If your tune disables codes for cat efficiency, etc; the OBD scan will not detect it.

- The sniffer is pretty self explanatory.

Can you cheat these tests? The answer is yes. But it's getting harder and harder. Some techs don't know exactly what they are looking for so you might be able to sneak past the visual. I have done this with a car running a JDM header that had a heatshield that looked OEM. As I mentioned above, you can sneak past the OBD portion with the right tune in place. You will not be able to sneak past the sniffer though. So if you are running non CARB parts and a custom tune, you better hope the car still farts nice and clean.

[Tim_Asphalt_FRS]

Originally Posted by jeebus

I'll break this down simply:

California does visual inspection, OBD scanning, and tail pipe (sniffer) testing.

- For visual inspection, you cannot modify anything in the intake tract unless it has a CARB exemption. Intakes sold with CARB exemption will be labeled as such and have a sticker on them that the smog tech can read. You cannot touch anything in the exhaust from the header, up to and including the second cat unless those parts have a CARB exemption as well. In a decade or so, you will find some aftermarket cats with CARB approval, but up until the 8 year emissions period, no aftermarket cat will be legal to use. A turbo kit with a CARB exemption will retain all emissions equipment...and I have yet to see a kit out that does that. It might happen..don't hold your breath. You can do whatever you want after the second cat. Even a straight pipe...totally legal as far as smog goes. However, if it's over 95db you can get a ticket from the police for it.

- For the OBD scan your car must be done with all its readiness monitors (this means you can't just reset the ECU right before going in for a smog...generally it takes 25-200 miles of driving). Your car cannot have any emissions related codes either. If you have a tune, the OBD scan will not detect it. If your tune disables codes for cat efficiency, etc; the OBD scan will not detect it.

- The sniffer is pretty self explanatory.

Can you cheat these tests? The answer is yes. But it's getting harder and harder. Some techs don't know exactly what they are looking for so you might be able to sneak past the visual. I have done this with a car running a JDM header that had a heatshield that looked OEM. As I mentioned above, you can sneak past the OBD portion with the right tune in place. You will not be able to sneak past the sniffer though. So if you are running non CARB parts and a custom tune, you better hope the car still farts nice and clean.

My 350Z passed with non-CARB exempt Stillen headers because you couldn't tell it had headers since that engine is stuffed under that hood pretty tightly. It also had a Unichip. The sniffer was a little dirtier than normal for the HC reading, but just under the limit. I needed to replace spark plugs though they were pretty old. It does depend if the tech knows what they're looking for or if they even care. With this car a header mod is really easy to notice when you pop the hood. A lot harder to fool them.


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[Timmy_Jones]

Cali is brutal. Time to move or overthrow your local government.

[Gen]

California no longer does sniffer on new cars, btw.

Visual and plug-in only. It's a money grab imo. The only thing they should be doing is sniffer.

[arghx7]

On new cars, the OBD system is better at judging an emissions problem than the simplistic steady-state tailpipe tests anyway. From the perspective of CARB, it makes sense. It saves the shops time and doesn't hurt CARB's agenda.

[jeebus]

Originally Posted by Gen

California no longer does sniffer on new cars, btw.

Visual and plug-in only. It's a money grab imo. The only thing they should be doing is sniffer.

Maybe it depends on the county? Because I had to smog my BRZ since it was purchased in Arizona. Brand-new car with a few hundred miles on it, got the visual, OBD, and had to run on a dyno with the sniffer in the pipes.

[Gen]

Originally Posted by jeebus

Maybe it depends on the county? Because I had to smog my BRZ since it was purchased in Arizona. Brand-new car with a few hundred miles on it, got the visual, OBD, and had to run on a dyno with the sniffer in the pipes.

Did you get it done before the start of the year?


http://www.smogtips.com/new-smog-law-AB-2289.cfm

"Set to begin January 01, 2013; Model year 2000 and newer vehicles will no longer require the tailpipe emissions test portion of the smog check process. AB 2289 will require late model vehicles be administered the smog check's visual and functional tests only."

[Clipdat]

I'm not sure places are actually following this. I got my 2007 Scion tC smogged in March and they still put a sniffer in the pipe.

[Squishy86]

If we were to run aftermarket headers and got pulled over, is that a ticket for messing with the cats or a simple fix it?

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[Noob4Life]

Originally Posted by sabSquishy

If we were to run aftermarket headers and got pulled over, is that a ticket for messing with the cats or a simple fix it?

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That would be like a 10k fine for every missing cat, from what ive heard.

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[Gen]

Originally Posted by sabSquishy

If we were to run aftermarket headers and got pulled over, is that a ticket for messing with the cats or a simple fix it?

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To be honest, I don't think a cop would be able to tell. There is still a cat underneath the car. It's a fine, but I believe significantly less than if you were to remove BOTH cats.

[jeebus]

Originally Posted by Gen

Did you get it done before the start of the year?


http://www.smogtips.com/new-smog-law-AB-2289.cfm

"Set to begin January 01, 2013; Model year 2000 and newer vehicles will no longer require the tailpipe emissions test portion of the smog check process. AB 2289 will require late model vehicles be administered the smog check's visual and functional tests only."

yeah, mine was done before the start of the year. Good to know.

Originally Posted by sabSquishy

If we were to run aftermarket headers and got pulled over, is that a ticket for messing with the cats or a simple fix it?

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$2500 fine. Only certain cops have the certifications that qualify them to ticket you for it, however if they are suspicious they can call someone out that has those certs.

[bdanisi]

2500 bucks. Lol. I'll wait for some catted headers. How about a high flow catted front pipe? Would I be ok if I bought catted headers and a high flow catted front pipe, would that set up get me into trouble?