Another CA smog thread

jeffnoel

Founding Member
Aug 31, 2002
1,638
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Clovis, CA
This may be a stupid question but here goes. If you have your car tuned will it pass smog? I mean if the smog computer sees that the factory tune has been tweek'd in anyway is that grounds for failure, or is it OK as long as the sniffer passes?
:shrug:
 
it doesnt check to see what code is in the computer. all the computer checks for is to see if there are any codes present, or if all the moniters have run. having your rear o2's turned off can cause a failed smog. however turning off the rear O2s generally implies that you have less than the stock number of cats which is illegal as well.
 
The manual of the predator says that its product is not legal for use on California pollution controlled motor vehicles. I wonder if the tune actually sends out more emissions as opposed to what it originally does when stock?
 
a tune generally adds more fuel and timing to get more hp. more fuel= more emissions.
more timing= more heat= more nox emissions (could be wrong on this)




what i'd like to know is how the hell is one of these emissions characters going to know the difference between an mrt catted h or the stock h? how do they know a stock gt has 4 cats as opposed to 2?

can someone explain what a california smog test consists of?
 
Superhereaux said:
a tune generally adds more fuel and timing to get more hp. more fuel= more emissions.
more timing= more heat= more nox emissions (could be wrong on this)




what i'd like to know is how the hell is one of these emissions characters going to know the difference between an mrt catted h or the stock h? how do they know a stock gt has 4 cats as opposed to 2?

can someone explain what a california smog test consists of?
there are emissions guide books that lists all the emissions components that are supposed to be on a vehicle, including how many cats are supposed to be there and what a stock pipe looke like. i know at my old job i had a big poster with all OEM cat pipes from beginning of cats to about 2000. we also had AllData and Mitchell onDemand that had pictures of cats, as well as vacuum diagrams and pictures of EGR valves and everythign else.

there are 2 different tests in CA depending on what county you are in.

the first is the TSI(2 speed idle) test. that is used in basic areas where the population is less. it consists of a full visual inspection, functional tests making sure the EGR valve work, timing is correct, and the gascap holds pressure. the test then has a OBD2 portion which scans for codes and scans for moniter readieness. then the test is done where you run the car for 2500rpm for 30 seconds, then at idle for 30 seconds. the amounts of HC and CO are measured as well as O2 and CO2. the limits are based on levels determined by the CARB for that model year of vehicle.

the second test is the ASM test. its the same as the TSI test, except that you are only allowed to have 2 codes present instead of 3. also you do not do the functional on the EGR. the actual test is done on a dyno where you run the car at 15mph at 50% load then at 25mph at 25% load. the same 4 gasses are measured as well as NOx (Nitrides of Oxygen).
 
you mustve missed the post i put up back in april. the Bureau of Automotive Repair was reaping my posts and got me fired. they apparently didnt like me giving out smog advice. i still plan on getting my license, but my current job i wont really have a need to use it.
 
They were reading your posts? Sheesh. Sounds like somebody probably narc'd on you. Ah well.. just re-affirms my hatred of emissions testing stations.
 
bdcardinal said:
you mustve missed the post i put up back in april. the Bureau of Automotive Repair was reaping my posts and got me fired. they apparently didnt like me giving out smog advice. i still plan on getting my license, but my current job i wont really have a need to use it.
All the more reason to use PMs for stuff like that :D
 
that's terrible that you got canned. you've probably done more to help clean up smog in this state than any of the people at the bureau have done. i think for most of the people that use this site, you're the number one source for reliable smog information.

it makes you wonder what they're really trying to do when they a) make the laws b) don't give us clear access to knowledge of the laws and then c) fire you for telling us what they are.