California rules and restrictions

[Br0dnukka24]

Hello I'm from new york and I'm moving to Cali in January I just have a couple questions about there restriction with emissions and all that how do you guys keep your cars away from all that I just recently sold my 2012 mustang because I was going to Cali but honestly I really don't want to end up having to own a stock car for the rest of the time I'm there so how do you guys do it I just want to get more info cuz I really want to get back into my coyote possibly a 2016

 

[kingcobra323]

You could put all carb legal parts. Or you just chance it and possibly have someone fit emissions testing when the time comes. Also save ur stock cats and parts to replace them if need be.

 

[stangfreak03GT]

Its time consuming but you have to just save your stock cats and put them back on every 2 years. Or, find the right guy!!!

 

[dmark101]

Its time consuming but you have to just save your stock cats and put them back on every 2 years. Or, find the right guy!!!

it is, but the new testing for 2000+ cars is in place, so no more sniffer. as long as it passes visual and the OBD-II test, you're good.

 

[Br0dnukka24]

Thanks for the info sadly I had to sell my roush supercharged Stang but I'm thinking of jumping into the new ones so I'm all about modifing it just went to do it the right way and not have cops or other problems

 

[WhiteFaleen2001]

it is, but the new testing for 2000+ cars is in place, so no more sniffer. as long as it passes visual and the OBD-II test, you're good.

this right here....it is so much nicer

 

[BlueSnake01]

it is, but the new testing for 2000+ cars is in place, so no more sniffer. as long as it passes visual and the OBD-II test, you're good.

This! Sooooo much easier and better, In N Out under 10 min and no need to go back to a stock H-pipe for me.

Besides, if you have a new/ish car, no need to worry about smog for 4 years I believe?

 

[01yellercobra]

This! Sooooo much easier and better, In N Out under 10 min and no need to go back to a stock H-pipe for me.

Besides, if you have a new/ish car, no need to worry about smog for 4 years I believe?

It's 6 years. But they still charge a smog abatement fee with the registration.

 

[gimmie11s]

......but the new testing for 2000+ cars is in place, so no more sniffer. as long as it passes visual and the OBD-II test, you're good.

this right here....it is so much nicer

Someone please explain. I haven't smogged anything in years. What changed?

 

[WhiteFaleen2001]

Someone please explain. I haven't smogged anything in years. What changed?

It used to be that 2000 and older cars were allowed to have 2 readiness monitors as red or "not ready" as long as you passed the sniffer test. For 2001 and newer cars, they were allowed to have 1 readiness monitor as red or "not ready" as long as you passed the sniffer test.

Now 2000 and newer cars do not run the tail piper sniffer test (1999 and older are required to run the tail pipe test). They will hook up a scanner to your car's computer to make sure all of your readiness monitors are green or "ready" and do a visual inspection of your car. They do turn the car on and have it idle for a little bit with their scanner plugged in but I don't believe that they run the car at different speeds like they used to for tailpipe tests.

Another change is that now, for 2000 and newer cars, you have to have ALL* readiness monitors as green or "ready." *The exception is that you can have the EVAP monitor not ready.

The reason why this is nice, is that technically if you are running say hi-flow cats (or at least visually appear to be) or that your stock cats are running at a less efficient level, you will pass the test as long as your computer says you are good. So no need to swap back to stock midpipes for testing purposes.

You can see more here:
https://www.bar.ca.gov/Consumer/New_Smog_Check_Test.html
and
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_Requirements_by_Vehicle_Type.pdf
and
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_OBD_Reference_Guide.pdf

 

[Steve@TF]

This! Sooooo much easier and better, In N Out under 10 min and no need to go back to a stock H-pipe for me.

Besides, if you have a new/ish car, no need to worry about smog for 4 years I believe?

i just went through this hell. my MRT high flow cats were keeping me from passing. had lund make adjustments to the tune and still no bueno. i finally swapped back to the stock cats and the Cat monitor finally turned on, but not the egr :bored: had to put the stock tune and cai back on and it passed with flying colors. so next time im just going straight to the end game.

stock cats, cai and tune.

 

[Steve@TF]

or you can pay a shop that will "pass" it but those are getting harder and harder to find and the cost is always going up. plus, i have no idea if anything has changed with the new rules from this year.

 

[BlueSnake01]

i just went through this hell. my MRT high flow cats were keeping me from passing. had lund make adjustments to the tune and still no bueno. i finally swapped back to the stock cats and the Cat monitor finally turned on, but not the egr :bored: had to put the stock tune and cai back on and it passed with flying colors. so next time im just going straight to the end game.

stock cats, cai and tune.

That blows. I had no issues, hell the VIN# is different from the engine than the body. Don’t have a CAI but have a big K&N Filter, and well the high flow cats. I am running the original computer as well with the tune. No issues whatsoever. I also thought I would need to go back to the stock tune but wasn’t needed.

 

[Steve@TF]

That blows. I had no issues, hell the VIN# is different from the engine than the body. Don’t have a CAI but have a big K&N Filter, and well the high flow cats. I am running the original computer as well with the tune. No issues whatsoever. I also thought I would need to go back to the stock tune but wasn’t needed.

do what i did. get yourself one of these. you can make sure your monitors are all on before you go in. before i would just assume that no CEL and youre good to go. not the case any more :bored:

and have a smog guy that is mod friendly and wont bust your balls about any mods. i took my truck to the smog guy and it has a K&N CAI on it. he asked if i have a carb sticker for it. i said no. he said its supposed to have one in order to pass the visual. luckily i was referred to him so he was cool about it. my buddy didnt have luck with his mostly stock vette. he had to take his cai off and go home and put his stock one back on.

 

[P49Y-CY]

the other problem is even if you are able to pass the bi-annual smog test either by de-modding it or whatever, there is the risk of local police looking under your hood, not liking what he sees, and sending you to a state bar referee. if that happens there is absolutely no lee-way whatsoever - the car can't even be over 90 decibels. ask me how I know lol

of course, an officer needs probably cause to pull you over, but that could be just about anything. tough being a hot-rodder in kali!

 

[Steve@TF]

the other problem is even if you are able to pass the bi-annual smog test either by de-modding it or whatever, there is the risk of local police looking under your hood, not liking what he sees, and sending you to a state bar referee. if that happens there is absolutely no lee-way whatsoever - the car can't even be over 90 decibels. ask me how I know lol

of course, an officer needs probably cause to pull you over, but that could be just about anything. tough being a hot-rodder in kali!

true. i got pulled over in front of my house a couple of months ago and they asked me to pop the hood. they were asking me about my cai and my pulley and if i race it. the officer was on the street racing task force and knew a bit about mods. a neighbor down the street is a street racer so they assumed maybe i was a part of that. i was cool with them and and complied and answered all their questions. last thing i need is to argue with them and they impound my car for no front plate and tinted windows and who knows what else. at that particular time i had really loud exhaust on the car as well which caught their attention.

my plates were expired too lol. i was going through my bs hassles of getting my car to pass smog. i paid the reg fee but still needed smog to get my sticker.

if youre cool and mature with the cops they wont **** you. many are car guys themselves. they will **** with people who street race and drive like assholes on the street though. owning a mustang we easily get lumped into that category unfortunately.

it used to only be the ricers who constantly got hassled but that guy that crashed into the crowd and killed those two people has officially ****ed mustang owners now. :nonono:

 

[BlueSnake01]

do what i did. get yourself one of these. you can make sure your monitors are all on before you go in. before i would just assume that no CEL and youre good to go. not the case any more :bored:

and have a smog guy that is mod friendly and wont bust your balls about any mods. i took my truck to the smog guy and it has a K&N CAI on it. he asked if i have a carb sticker for it. i said no. he said its supposed to have one in order to pass the visual. luckily i was referred to him so he was cool about it. my buddy didnt have luck with his mostly stock vette. he had to take his cai off and go home and put his stock one back on.

I have a bluetooth OBD-II that connects to my phone. Both of my cars had passed, did the same crap with my BMW, but on that one I had to turn off the tune otherwise it wouldnt pass at all. Yeah guy was cool, he didnt care about the filters on either of my cars.

the other problem is even if you are able to pass the bi-annual smog test either by de-modding it or whatever, there is the risk of local police looking under your hood, not liking what he sees, and sending you to a state bar referee. if that happens there is absolutely no lee-way whatsoever - the car can't even be over 90 decibels. ask me how I know lol

of course, an officer needs probably cause to pull you over, but that could be just about anything. tough being a hot-rodder in kali!

That is very true. My Cobra isnt that loud when driving normal but can be on WOT lol Knock on wood but I have yet to encounter "that" cop. The worse i've gotten is no front license plate while driving.