California Smog Testing

[L6611983]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/news...?ocid=msedgntp

[SS 310H55A]

They’ve actually started doing this awhile ago but I don’t think it was wide spread and fully rolled out yet. It’s the main reason while my ‘65 mustang gets the engine mods while the Camaro gets suspension mods only. I am seriously considering ditching my ‘14 SS for a ‘67-69 Camaro.

[Aqua Blue RS/SS]

Wtf difference does it make if the car farts clean… ohhh good ole Kalifornia. Sad thing is the EPA has gotten equally full of shit as of late.

[SS 310H55A]

Originally Posted by Aqua Blue RS/SS

Wtf difference does it make if the car farts clean… ohhh good ole Kalifornia. Sad thing is the EPA has gotten equally full of shit as of late.

The smog station plugs into the obd2 port, checks to make sure readiness monitors are all set, check engine light is off, and as long as visual inspection passes too, you’re good to go.

The problem is, people are deleting readiness monitors and defeating the computer’s ability notify the smog check machine that there’s a problem with the car. The state now needs to check for modified software because so many people are cheating the smog system. It wasn’t that big a deal when only a few people were doing it. Now days you can pretty much expect everyone with a modified car has illegally modified software and mod parts that aren’t carb compliant.

People from here know how bad the smog is. Los Angeles is a giant basin and all the smog gets trapped in by the mountains that surround the city. On most days I can’t even tell there are mountains 30 minutes from my home.

[Aqua Blue RS/SS]

Gotcha, I guess that makes a little more sense. No emissions here; i figured they actually ran a sniffer test. We go to Disneyland yearly I’ve seen the smog. I don’t know how you live around that many people to begin with, I’m used to absolutely zero rush hour traffic lol.

I still don’t agree with the EPA imposing the clean air act on places that dont have air quality issues. The whole country doesn’t have the issues the big cities do.

[morepowerjoe]

Yeah I understand that you can't even breathe in California without it being a health issue. But I think that their going a little bit too far. I would think that if they did a sniff test and you were running clean then that would be enough. And I'm not sure why you guys all want to live that close together anyways. He'll the traffics bad enough here in Austin. I would never live there in the first place with all the traffic, earthquakes, and wild fires and all. I'm guessing California will be the first to go all EV. I would get out while you can.

[CamaroCracka]

Originally Posted by SS 310H55A

The smog station plugs into the obd2 port, checks to make sure readiness monitors are all set, check engine light is off, and as long as visual inspection passes too, you’re good to go.

The problem is, people are deleting readiness monitors and defeating the computer’s ability notify the smog check machine that there’s a problem with the car. The state now needs to check for modified software because so many people are cheating the smog system. It wasn’t that big a deal when only a few people were doing it. Now days you can pretty much expect everyone with a modified car has illegally modified software and mod parts that aren’t carb compliant.

People from here know how bad the smog is. Los Angeles is a giant basin and all the smog gets trapped in by the mountains that surround the city. On most days I can’t even tell there are mountains 30 minutes from my home.

So California needs EVs and solar farms and the rest of us can keep on rodding.

I was driving down 75 the other week and noticed a number farms that used to raise food were now solar farms. Wonder what we are going to eat when all the farms are producing electricity to meet demand.

Californians can do as they like, but smog levels are down like 80% since the 70s. In Florida, they found that the inspection process was not worth the effort and it just made people hate the government. Now we have other reasons to hate the government.

[wasthatacop?]

Originally Posted by SS 310H55A

They’ve actually started doing this awhile ago but I don’t think it was wide spread and fully rolled out yet. It’s the main reason while my ‘65 mustang gets the engine mods while the Camaro gets suspension mods only. I am seriously considering ditching my ‘14 SS for a ‘67-69 Camaro.

...same here.

[redrum_maro]

Originally Posted by SS 310H55A

The smog station plugs into the obd2 port, checks to make sure readiness monitors are all set, check engine light is off, and as long as visual inspection passes too, you’re good to go.

The problem is, people are deleting readiness monitors and defeating the computer’s ability notify the smog check machine that there’s a problem with the car. The state now needs to check for modified software because so many people are cheating the smog system. It wasn’t that big a deal when only a few people were doing it. Now days you can pretty much expect everyone with a modified car has illegally modified software and mod parts that aren’t carb compliant.

People from here know how bad the smog is. Los Angeles is a giant basin and all the smog gets trapped in by the mountains that surround the city. On most days I can’t even tell there are mountains 30 minutes from my home.

There are plenty of images of Los Angeles when the pandemic first began and the stay at home orders were placed that show the increased visibility and bluer skies. It really is a bad issue in Los Angeles and that is considering that it has gotten better with the years. It seems like soon the entire USA will have to smog their car like it is done in California. So even if you move states or register your car elsewhere it is likely you'll have the same issue.

[67-LS1]

Originally Posted by SS 310H55A

The smog station plugs into the obd2 port, checks to make sure readiness monitors are all set, check engine light is off, and as long as visual inspection passes too, you’re good to go.

This is no longer true. As of July 19, when the smog station plugs into the OBD2 port it will look at the checksum and if the software has been modified that’s the end of the test. You’ve failed.
There is also a switch the OEM’s imbed in the software that gets flipped if the software has EVER been modified. This protects them against ECM mods that have been removed before a warranty claim. There is debate about weather California will fail you if this switch is flipped.
That said, I just went on summitracing.com and there are 2000+ items listed with CARB EO numbers. Camshafts, carburetors, headers, cats, cat back systems, superchargers, CAI kits, computer chips and modules. Jegs had more than 1300+.
All perfectly legal for street legal, emissions compliant vehicles in the California.
So you can modify your car/truck for better performance or fuel economy and still be emissions compliant.
Also note this rule about ECM’s is not new. It’s been the law in California and the other (I believe) 20 states that follow California’s emission rules since 2013. The change is they're just now starting to check for the ECM mods. It won’t be long before those other states follow.

[silversleeper]

I'm wondering how this will work in real world pass fail testing.
At least two of my cars for example have a Tech Service Bulletin to reflash the ecu. It is supposed to correct the too sensitive check engine light on a sensor that was functioning correctly. I didn't do the reflashes because on one one car it was reported that reflash gave you worse mpg. I think I also have a TSB request for transmission shifting improvement. Again ECU flashes that would have a flag it's been reflashed and a different checksum. I'm also not sure the standared OBDII equip the smog shops can go into all ECU's and see that. Even cheap handhelds can see "Ready" items but checking the tune for "enabled" might be going much beyond the "top page" viewed and streamed items? The sniffer test we had for many years to make sure each car simply wasn't polluting made too much sense.

[SS 310H55A]

Originally Posted by 67-LS1

This is no longer true. As of July 19, when the smog station plugs into the OBD2 port it will look at the checksum and if the software has been modified that’s the end of the test. You’ve failed.
There is also a switch the OEM’s imbed in the software that gets flipped if the software has EVER been modified. This protects them against ECM mods that have been removed before a warranty claim. There is debate about weather California will fail you if this switch is flipped.
That said, I just went on summitracing.com and there are 2000+ items listed with CARB EO numbers. Camshafts, carburetors, headers, cats, cat back systems, superchargers, CAI kits, computer chips and modules. Jegs had more than 1300+.
All perfectly legal for street legal, emissions compliant vehicles in the California.
So you can modify your car/truck for better performance or fuel economy and still be emissions compliant.
Also note this rule about ECM’s is not new. It’s been the law in California and the other (I believe) 20 states that follow California’s emission rules since 2013. The change is they're just now starting to check for the ECM mods. It won’t be long before those other states follow.

Correct, I was stating existing process prior to July 19th. See prior posts for full context.

My understanding is they compare your configuration against other other vehicles of the same make and year. If there’s a difference, you get flagged. This is the first I’ve heard of a switch that gets flipped. Wouldn’t be surprised by that. My smog tech buddy told me that the vin is written to the oem tune. When you modify your tune, your vin isn’t written to the new tune that gets flashed to your ecu, and that’s how they can tell. For GM owners at least, this is nothing a TDS subscription can’t solve though. Just reflash your stock tune back in.

[ADVMax]

Kalifornia never ceases to make me proud to be an Appalachian American living in Alabama.


The years that I've ridden open Superbike and endurance racing motorcycles around with a tag ty wrapped to the back somewhere.



We can register anything here.

[Aqua Blue RS/SS]

Originally Posted by ADVMax

Kalifornia never ceases to make me proud to be an Appalachian American living in Alabama.


The years that I've ridden open Superbike and endurance racing motorcycles around with a tag ty wrapped to the back somewhere.



We can register anything here.

Aint that the truth, Appalachian American in NM here.