Smog help! (Solved)

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What do the smog nazis do that’s pretty outrageous?

 

Can't make any modifications to a vehicle's powertrain/exhaust (after the MAF sensor and before the O2 sensors) that aren't CARB approved, aka the manufacturer of said product has paid exorbitant fees to the state of CA for CARB certification.

The reason it's BS is for things like this - TRD used the Magnuson supercharger for 1st gen Tacomas, and the TRD branded one was CARB legal whereas the non-TRD branded Magnuson supercharger (same exact thing) was not CARB legal (until recently). One would pass smog and one would not, no difference between them except for the label. TRD paid for the CARB cert and Magnuson didn't.

It's just a money grab is what it is.

I agree with the premise that I like breathing clean air and I think some of the federal emissions regulations have been needed in the last 50 or so years, otherwise we'd have air quality like what China has. But when it comes to the lengths CA goes it's not about the environment...its about $.

 

it's worthwhile finding a smog joint that you like, some are more difficult than others. I go to the same place every 2 years because he knows me and my truck, I'm in & out in 5 or 10 minutes.

It's also better in CA to have a 2000+ model year vehicle because anything older has to get put on a dyno for the tailpipe test, which is another can of worms. You can have no trouble codes and still fail due to tailpipe emissions. 2000+ just gets an OBDII and visual inspection.

Unless it's old enough to be smog exempt entirely, I forget which year that is. 1975 maybe

there are also counties in CA that don't smog at all but they're the more rural ones (desert mostly I think). Some have less strict rules than others.

 

Yes I agree with this 100%. CALIFORNIA AIR RESOURCE BOARD (CARB) is just money hungry. They basically force brand name aftermarket manufacturers to pay for the emission testing in order to certify the product for smog purposes. That is unfair because some good up and coming companies don’t have that kind of money but they still make a quality product, it just won’t be smog legal.

There are some counties in California that don’t require biannual testing. All you need is a PO Box in that county/zip code, then change your registration address with the DMV online and that’s it. Setup a reminder when your registration is due and simply go to any DMV kiosk (probably local Ralph’s) and get your sticker on the spot. Don’t ask me how I know this. For legal reasons, my vehicles are smog legal. Know your ways around the rules and regulations.

 

I've been pretty lucky with the place I go to. He informed me once that the TRD headers the PO installed on my truck are only good for up 2003 1st gens and not 2004s (according to CARB). Which is really weird, same exact truck. But he told me he wouldn't make note of it, which I very much appreciated. I know a lot of shops wouldn't do that.

Does make me concerned if he closes up shop one day but I'll cross that bridge if it comes to it, maybe look into what you mentioned in that case.

 

You need to find a different smog guy if this guy is having this much of an issue doing a smog on a relatively stock truck.

 

I’ve had some bad experiences with smog but none like some of the horror stories I’ve heard.

What irks me is how we get to pay a special higher price for a special California smog legal car. If you own an older vehicle, every time they require a higher priced test, even though it passed no problem the time before, and before that, and all previous tests.

I think some of the people that work at those places get big headed. One place the guy was scolding me saying you can’t have these modifications, I replied they’re all smog legal, he says I’m supposed to have the carb numbers for every modification and walked away leaving me sweating thinking I’m going to have to either find all those numbers or swap it back to stock. Later he comes back and says ok you passed pay me. Another place, the guy finished with the person ahead of me, I walk up with my paperwork, he starts screaming at me that he didn’t say next and to get my ass back over there.

I remember once “someone I know” had a resonator in place where the cat goes, forgot to swap it, remembered while waiting for the smog place to finish testing expecting to hear them say it failed. All done, it passed.

Worst I’ve heard was in here, someone was failed because the decal under the hood was missing.