So California law requires that any enigne mods, new exhausts, new hheadersm flashes, etc to be listed with the California Air Resources Board (CARB) as WELL AS pass emissions tests.

As I understand it, 'passing an emissions test'- in terms of tailpipe emissions- is not the same as 'street legal'. (The inspector is required to determine if there are mods, and if so he is required to list the CARB registration numbers for the items changed.)

Is there any vendor that offers CARB listed upgrades?

I keep hearing 'street legal, passes emissions'.... but can't find any CARB listings. What am I missing?

A

 

I doubt any of the mods that tuners sell in Cali are CARB legal. My understanding is that for a part to be CARB legal that part must pass a series of tests and that procedure is very expensive.

However, all the modded cars I've had in the past always pass with flying colors. Their computers can't tell if a car has been flashed anyway. You only need to go to an inspector if you have a major problem passing the test.

I put a '86 3.2 motor in my 78 SC and since the smog equipment was different, I was referred to an inspector. The inspector explained that as long as I had the 86 smog equipment I was ok. He didn't even bother to look under the car to check out my modified muffler.

 

The only one I'm aware of is the MSD CDI box....it comes with the CARB sticker which I have posted on inside of the rear engine lid. My Bosche unit died long ago.

 

Reason I ask was the recent clip posted of the GTR vs 'shark face' 996TT... at least one tuner was saying they were 'street legal, you can run them in LA'.... which are flat out lies.

IMHO of course.

A

PS Practically speaking it is pretty easy to get a pass, especially since most shops rarely get to smog turbos and don't know what to look for.

 

Bureaucrats suck.

 

many people run modded turbos in CA without any problems. When it comes to get your car smogged, the inspectors are prettly clueless about the mods. most cars past the smog test without any problem, although i have heard that some people have failed with exhausts that have 100 cell cats (stock are 400). I was told that anything 200 cell or higher should be fine in CA.

 

I say if it passes smog you are fine. A good 200 cel cat exhaust will do that. The rest of the mods do not really even matter. At least not till full throttle. You can get a GT700/800 to pass smog with a good exhaust.

One tip I have noticed is that the smog station has red/green thresh-holds and they are far more flexible than the dealers. Like a pass/no pass. The dealer will let you know if your car is not as green as a factory car and fail it or blame the mods even though you will pass at the local gas station.

 

Usually you are ok as long as the mods are not obvious.

If you get sent to a referee station you are probably in trouble.

How do you get sent to a referee. A loud exhaust or no kat ticket is probably a good start. In addition if the cop just isn't sure he can send you in just to be checked. Believe me, these guys know all the cars.

 

I have 100 cell cats and a GIAC tune - so I maybe marginal smog wise ?
Just trying to avoid any problems by not visiting a smog shop who has never seen a tuned turbo before.
Given the number of turbo's round here - there must be a preferred shop.

 

I know how to get an illegal mod to pass smog... I live in a pretty tough smog area and never have issues. Know your shop, have a relationship.... pretty easy if you live in a rural area, and a bunch of cars!


My issue is tuners and vendors who KNOW their stuff is 'illegal'- all throughout California- yet still tell buyers 'it will pass smog' and justify it by rationalize that "smog" is equivalent to a 'tailpipe sniff'.. when it isn't.

It doesn't sound like any vendor has a competitive advantage (unlike Dinan in the BMW world) which might be why none of them really dscuss it.

 

Good point Ard.... and I concur... it's always good to "have a smog guy"...

 

If your car is referred to a California Referee station, depending on the violation, there is no way your car will be licensed in California (SHORT OF REMOVING THAT PART). There are some things that are very hard for them to discover. Many things are very easy to identify.

A Referee Station is not a regular smog station. I have been there and lost. I believe sharkster has also. It doesn't really make any difference if you are friends with a smog station person. If that person knows you are going to a Referee Station, he will avoid you 100%. He has no choice, because he knows he will be fined and lose his smog license.

You can be smog clean and be turned down simply because they identify a non compliant part. That is what happened to me. In my case it wasn't even the engine, it was a transmission change.