What will I need to do to pass CA smog?

[quikslipper]

You need to be stock for anything before the catalytic converter such as intake, downpipe, charge pipe, manifold, etc. You will fail the visual inspection and they will not test you. The tech is supposed to be diligent with this as the BAR often sends undercover agents to audit Smog shops.

For a STAR test:
No CEL. You should get an OBD2 scanner and check the I/M readiness, if there are are flags you will not pass.

Make some friends in the car scene in the area, there's still a few friendly smog shops out there. Trust me, I know.

"Make some friends in the car scene in the area, there's still a few friendly smog shops out there. Trust me, I know."

Probably one of the truest comments in the industry.

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[Burn Rubber 3.0]

i have stock airbox and cat with 2200 miles,
$700 you pay to ship,
paypal.

 

[Burn Rubber 3.0]

i have the stock charge pipe also $50, can put in box with airbox if needed.

 

[Tlminh]

Where in Cali are you moving to? I think a lot of people there may have their stock DP laying around in case they get state reffed. Maybe you can borrow or rent their downpipe?

 

[SupraAndMotorcycleGuy]

i have stock airbox and cat with 2200 miles,
$700 you pay to ship,
paypal.

I might take you up on your offer closer to when i move sometime in spring/summer (moving to Sacramento).

Would anyone know if the CAL and CVN I’m getting with the OBD reader is stock or is my ECU tuned? Been trying to google this info with no luck

 

[Burn Rubber 3.0]

Hey, SupraAndMotorcycleGuy
Sure, i probably will still have it, parts are boxed up and sitting in closet.
Later.

 

[tharris4995]

I’m super confused. Lived in ca my whole life. Had to many cars with mods to count. When did ca make intakes fails smog? Also if your downpipe has a cat it’s likely to pass smog. A tune should never throw cels. Also unless your car is an earlier model the likelihood of it being tuned is very low. California also would make it next to impossible to sell an unsmoggable car private party and any dealer would likely bend you over unbearably trading it in. It’s so cheap to get a car smogged. I’d just go to a shop, feel it out and ask him questions. If you need a guy in so cal let me know.

 

[swrdply400mrelay]

I’m super confused. Lived in ca my whole life. Had to many cars with mods to count. When did ca make intakes fails smog? Also if your downpipe has a cat it’s likely to pass smog. A tune should never throw cels. Also unless your car is an earlier model the likelihood of it being tuned is very low. California also would make it next to impossible to sell an unsmoggable car private party and any dealer would likely bend you over unbearably trading it in. It’s so cheap to get a car smogged. I’d just go to a shop, feel it out and ask him questions. If you need a guy in so cal let me know.

When was the last time you smog’d?

A few years ago they implemented checking the ECUs for a tune

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a37022836/california-ecu-tune-during-smog-checks/

 

[tharris4995]

When was the last time you smog’d?

A few years ago they implemented checking the ECUs for a tune

https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a37022836/california-ecu-tune-during-smog-checks/

July of last year. My cars been tuned and it passed. I wonder how they would even know. It seems like piggy backs would be easy to read but following each car and each possible tune seems like a lot of work on the states end, and they are lazy and useless af. Man California is so wild. Can’t have anything shiny anymore.

 

[razorlab]

July of last year. My cars been tuned and it passed. I wonder how they would even know. It seems like piggy backs would be easy to read but following each car and each possible tune seems like a lot of work on the states end, and they are lazy and useless af. Man California is so wild. Can’t have anything shiny anymore.

“tuned” as in JB4 piggyback? Try it again with an actual tuned DME

 

[tharris4995]

“tuned” as in JB4 piggyback? Try it again with an actual tuned DME

My ecu is unlocked and fully tuned. (MHD interface with bootmod software if that helps)

 

[Eastwood]

I’m super confused. Lived in ca my whole life. Had to many cars with mods to count. When did ca make intakes fails smog? Also if your downpipe has a cat it’s likely to pass smog. A tune should never throw cels. Also unless your car is an earlier model the likelihood of it being tuned is very low. California also would make it next to impossible to sell an unsmoggable car private party and any dealer would likely bend you over unbearably trading it in. It’s so cheap to get a car smogged. I’d just go to a shop, feel it out and ask him questions. If you need a guy in so cal let me know.

Since at least 2002 when I started mod'ing my DC5.

Intakes were never smog approved unless they had an EO number. Even if an aftermarket downpipe has an EPA approved cat, it will still fail the visual inspection. California requires BAR approved aftermarket cats that have a registered serial number etched into the cat, this is a different classification than the EPA. It can still possibly pass smog if they actually continue with the test but they're likely not going to.

If you fail the visual inspection, then you fail the smog.

Evo and STI guys in years past have been passing smogs with tunes and a different CID/CVN but in the last few years, people with tunes that passed smog have been getting a notice to report to a state referee for inspection because the CID/CVN did not match. This comes after they've already passed their bi-annual inspection.

And no, the stock flash on an unlocked ECU will not match up with the registered CID/CVN with CARB.

 

[Eastwood]

July of last year. My cars been tuned and it passed. I wonder how they would even know. It seems like piggy backs would be easy to read but following each car and each possible tune seems like a lot of work on the states end, and they are lazy and useless af. Man California is so wild. Can’t have anything shiny anymore.

It's not a lot of work...car manufacturers submitted OEM CID/CVN and what not. BAR adds it to their database. Car gets smog'd and if it doesn't match, then it doesn't match. Pretty simple.

 

[razorlab]

My ecu is unlocked and fully tuned. (MHD interface with bootmod software if that helps)

Got it. Probably keeps CVN intact. If not, you might also get reffed in the mail. I've had friends that have had that happen to months after a "passing" smog test.

 

[Eastwood]

Got it. Probably keeps CVN intact. If not, you might also get reffed in the mail. I've had friends that have had that happen to months after a "passing" smog test.

There’s another thread where someone had an unlocked DME and flashed back to stock but the numbers didn’t match up.

From what I’ve seen the non matching ECU CVNs doesn’t always get flagged for a state ref. I don’t know what the criteria they’re going off of but some people get away with it and some don’t.

When I found out this was happening a few years ago, I’ve been flashing my Evo back to stock for every STAR test and luckily my guy is chill so I haven’t had any issues with anything.

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