95GT moving to California

solus · Oct 1, 2008

I have a 95GT that I want to bring from South Carolina (no emissions laws) to California. I've looked through several forums and I think I know what needs to be done to get it smog legal, but I wanted to run it by you guys to make sure.

-Smog pump and EGR in working order (duh). Need to find and install a smog pump, but the rest of the EGR hardware is still there.

-Do I need the *STOCK* h-pipe to pass?. i.e. the aftermarket h-pipes or x-pipes that have the two cats on them would not pass the visual b/c the stock h-pipe has 4 cats?

-Under the hood I have stock 5.0 motor, but aftermarket CAI, 75mm MAF, 75mm throttle-body - I'm not sure what brand (came with the car when i got it), 24# injectors, underdrive pullys, MSD blaster coil, cap/rotor, spark plug wires. Will any of these prevent me from passing? The coil came with a CARB sticker, so I guess thats OK.. but I didn't save it b/c I was in SC.

Am I hosed or can I make this work? Sorry, I'm a little paranoid b/c CA is a pain about smog!

Thanks!

SQUEEZE&STROKE · Oct 1, 2008

Where are you moving to?

Depending on the smog shop, they can fail you for a visual if you only have 2 cats...since it came with 4.

Same goes for all the others, unless there is an E/O # stamped into the parts, there is a good chance they will fail you.

solus · Oct 1, 2008

San Francisco. Is the E/O# the same as the CARB#?

mootang · Oct 1, 2008

I had to put the stock intake on because my bbk CAI didn't have a carb number. but i did pass with the bbk short tube headers which did have a carb number and the catted h-pipe that only had two cats. but i think i had to prove to them that it had a carb number. cant remember. you should be fine with the injectors and such because they won't notice them as long as you still pass on the sniffer. it all kind of depends on the station that you go to. worse case is you have to put the stock stuff back on or you can find someone that will take a bribe. maybe see if you can make freinds with a car guy in the area that has a hook up. If you need a smog pump i have one i could sell you that only has 10 or 20k on it at most. I also have a upr smog bypass pulley and most other smog stuff just taking up room in my shed.

solus · Oct 1, 2008

Thanks! Mootang, you have been PM'ed.

I don't have any of the stock parts - all of the stuff I mentioned had been done to my car before I bought it. Though, the intake/exhaust stuff is quite old - I wouldn't mind replacing everything from the filter to the throttle body if I can find parts that will meet CARB or pass emissions w/out headache - or something to swap in just for smog. I know the MSD coil is CARB legal, just need to get the number.

Though, w/ the 24# injectors, if I were to put back the stock intake track w/ the stock MAF, it seems this would throw my emissions out of whack b/c the stock MAF isn't calibrated for 24# injectors.

Is there a such thing as a CARB legal CAI kit, or MAF, throttle body?

Stock 95GT h-pipe is really hard to find!

Chythar · Oct 1, 2008

solus said:
San Francisco. Is the E/O# the same as the CARB#?

Yes, they're the same. CARB stands for California Air Resource Board.

Yet again, what you need depends on the shop. It's always safest to have the stock equipment on when getting smogged. That being said, I haven't had the stock H on my GT EVER and I've passed smog every time. Since you are moving into the state, you can claim that the stock H was not on the car when you bought it and you had to buy an aftermarket replacement. Legally, you are not supposed to remove a working catalytic converter from a car, but if the car was bought (or brought into the state) without cats then you are allowed to put on aftermarket parts.

I've never heard of an intake requiring a CARB number. You are not allowed to change anything that would increase emissions. Thus you cannot change the fuel flow (injectors, fuel pressure regulator, etc). But airflow is not regulated. You are legally allowed to modify a car from its stock configuration, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. Some parts need a CARB number to be legal, that's all.

Some people that work at smog stations are very militant about anything they see as "different", even though they know nothing about cars. I got into an argument with a guy over PAINTED STOCK PARTS, which he claimed were illegal, and he completely missed the very illegal adjustable fuel pressure regulator I had.

fordtech28 · Oct 1, 2008

Some people that work at smog stations are very militant about anything they see as "different", even though they know nothing about cars. I got into an argument with a guy over PAINTED STOCK PARTS, which he claimed were illegal, and he completely missed the very illegal adjustable fuel pressure regulator I had. [/QUOTE]

HAHAHA I had the same issue with a philipino guy he was a hardcore narc he looked at everything on my car he put my car on the lift and check the car from front to back for a long time and he failed me because of my two cat H pipe and my aftermarket fuel regulator.Heres the funny part I talked to the girl at the counter and asked her if theres another guy that works there and she say he would be there the next day.So I went the next day and passed with flying colors

solus · Oct 1, 2008

Ok so here's a gameplan based on what I've learned:

Get a 2-cat h-pipe or x-pipe, or a stock h-pipe if I can manage to find one (prefer the latter). Put smog pump back on, get all that working, get CARB# for MSD stuff, then cross my fingers w/ intake and throttle body stuff (possibly try to find CARB#'s) and see if it works. There seems to be some luck involved so I suppose its worth a shot.

PLUS (correct me if I'm wrong), the car is currently registered out-of-state under my dad's name. If the car comes here, but official ownership *does not change*, I can probably buy myself a little extra time to get everything legit so I can transfer ownership and register in CA (as long as my actual intent is to get it smoggable and registered in CA soon, I can't see how this could really get me in trouble). Though I don't understand CA rules fully just yet - only problem is if CA considers possession to be more meaning.

Thanks! And let me know if you have a stock h-pipe from a 95gt for sale!

Chythar · Oct 1, 2008

You must get a smog test if the car is registered in CA. If it's registered out-of-state you don't need emissions testing. Of course, you may have to return the car to SC to renew registration. If you Dad can renew the car's registration without an inspection, you're fine.

Agreed on the "luck" part. I have a smog place literally half a block from me that has staff with REAL knowledge about cars. While I can't fool them easily with aftermarket parts, at least I don't have to fight over the legality of a Goodyear blue silicone hose kit.

Heh, I almost did have that discussion at this same place the first time I went there. The guy mentioned the hoses, and I cut him off saying "hoses aren't covered by CARB, they don't affect emissions...". He replied, "Yes I know, I want to get a set for my Toyota.". That was embarrassing...

solus · Oct 1, 2008

Is there anything forcing me (outside of being a moral citizen) to change official ownership to me and thus forcing me to register the car in CA? I might be able to avoid this whole thing all together! (the car is registered in SC, they did away with emissions loooong ago).

Though, I would *eventually* register in CA. But if I'm not forced to do it in 10 days or 3 months or whatever that rule is, it would be fantastic. Don't want it looming.

You guys are so much help! Thanks!

Chythar · Oct 1, 2008

If you get pulled over for a ticket an officer will probably give you a hard time about it but there's nothing forcing you to as far as I know.

chaos254 · Oct 1, 2008

The DMV will give you a sticker that is a temp reg which allows you 60 days to get smogged. I've also noticed that some of the smog places around here don't even have lifts. So even if they use a mirror, I doubt they will spot that it only has 2 cats(aftermarket). I have a magnaflow catted x-pipe that I will be be putting on soon. So I'll let you know if I run into any problems.

And yes you can get a ticket for not registering your car in CA. Like cythar said, its not likely but if you get pulled over or a live in a small town. They will probably say something about it.

95strokerPSU · Oct 1, 2008

If you need to get it "passed" there are ways. I just moved out to Cali and when I get around to registering the car out here I have a place that will pass me. At least what this guy I work with is telling me. He gets his passed and he said he could hook me up.

EPIK · Oct 1, 2008

95strokerPSU said:
If you need to get it "passed" there are ways. I just moved out to Cali and when I get around to registering the car out here I have a place that will pass me. At least what this guy I work with is telling me. He gets his passed and he said he could hook me up.

Hey... I see you moved to sacramento??? Thats where I live. Have you cruised the stang at all since you have been out here? We have a pretty large Mustang scene out here in sac & northern cali. PM me if you ever want to attend a meet....

To the OP.... It is pretty strict out here, but there are always ways around it if you have the cash. BTW, I passed the sniffer with a 2 cat Bassani X pipe on my old 96 GT. Most of these places wont notice the mods on your car if they dont stand out as being aftermarket. Go to a hole in the wall smog place that doesnt have a lift & you should be fine with an aftermarket midpipe...

Welcome to CALI!!!

solus · Oct 1, 2008

Misunderstood. Sorry. Deleted.

solus · Oct 1, 2008

chaos254 said:
And yes you can get a ticket for not registering your car in CA. Like cythar said, its not likely but if you get pulled over or a live in a small town. They will probably say something about it.

I understand, if the car was registered to me, or owned by me, this would be an issue. In fact, I know that a Cali resident registering a car they are the legal owner of out-of-state to avoid CA taxes/emissions is illegal. But if I am not the owner of the car...?

mootang · Oct 2, 2008

just make stuff look stock if you have too! you could paint the msd coil if you can't find the carb #. as far as the CAI goes i'm pretty sure it is illegal because if i recall you cannot put anything aftermarket on the engine that doesn't have the carb #. even if it makes the car run cleaner. If you ask me its all about the $$$. I think i have the stock H-pipe and a BBK h-pipe with cats at my dads house in SoCal but i don't really have a way to mail it out until next year when i PCS back to the states. I did PM you back about the other stuff though.

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