I highly doubt CA will get rid of the exhaust sniffer smog test. Maybe I'm wrong, but don't count on easier smog tests in CA. You just have to just deal with it and do what it takes to pass. Before I moved from CA to NM, I did a pre-test at a smog shop. I actually passed the CA sniffer test with the mods in my signature. I failed the visual test though.

Where I'm at in NM they don’t do sniffers, but there is talk about using them in the future. That’s why I doubt CA will change. If anything, states like NM will eventually get tougher smog laws while CA will stay the same. The current smog test in NM is a joke. All they do is the ODBII test and kick the tires and pass you. I talked to a local evo owner with a straight pipe and his car actually passed. Most of NM doesn't even do smog tests.

On the streets in NM you see loud cars and trucks blowing tons of black smoke out the exhaust and it’s perfectly fine out here. I've seen pickup trucks with aftermarket exhausts that stick straight up like a big rig. lol

 

Is it because of his UICP and intake,ya?

 

Its already law here. I have another post on here somewhere with the specifics CA code and the history of its creation. It went into effect Jan 1 2013. Its AB 2289 if you want to research. Basically any car 2000 or later does not need tailpipe inspection, but rather new OBDII inspections. Just research AB2289 to get details. Its the trend across the country and CA is just slower to adopt than many other states.

 

Wow!! Congratulations CA residents. This is great news. It seems that most of the Evos on the road are in CA. Now get some straight pips installed and pollute the environment like we do here in NM.

 

looks like i will have to deal with all of this soon. in the process of getting ready to move to CA. I am justing going to take everything off since i will have to register the car while i am there. till iget the inital emissions done. I pretty much just have the standard bolt-ons with a AMS stage 2 AP tune. hopefully its not too bad.

 

My car is a cammed on e85 with a bbk full only thing diff in my engine bay is the intake. All about stealth modding in ca.. I should pass np

 

Well, a year ago when I read up on this, I was excited too, but there is likely a hidden downside. The OBDII inspections are sophisticated and use tracking software to monitor realistic changes from one inspection to the other. If changes occur that are unrealistic you may be flagged for a more detailed inspection. This part I don't now anything about yet, and we don't have enough feedback from the community to know how this is shaping up. I have been following the MA experience in which many people are having difficulty passing inspections with Rom flags modified. So it could be the evil has just traded from tail pipe sniffer to software sniffer. Not to be a downer, but just to keep people's expectations realistic. Check for the rather thorough MA inspection thread on here. It explains how some folks are flagged based on changes and then they have to go elsewhere. I don't know if CA is structured like that, but there is something called STAR station ratings. We need feedback from the community that has gone through it before we really know anything.

 

I agree, it's very possible. CA is pretty damn sneaky I highly doubt they'll suddenly get very loose with smog requirements.

 

If you get a carb legal intake. Get a UICP with no decals, slap a decal that matches the CARB approved intake.

Injen sells their kit with the UICP that is part of their CARB kit.

 

Here is a direct link to the bill that you posted above, fireroasted:

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/...introduced.pdf

From another forum:

 

This is correct in my experience. Before I moved out of CA, I did a pre-test smog check in CA a few days before I left the state. The smog shop saw the AMS sticker on the UICP, then they actually searched google to confirm it was aftermarket. Then they saw my AMS high flow cat and complained about that.

They even claimed and complained that I re-routed the O2 sensor before the CAT. I don't even know if my O2 sensor was re-routed when my mods were installed, or whatever they *****ed about. All the pipes are aftermarket from the turbo back to the exhaust. After they spotted the high flow cat, they put my car on a lift for a closer look. I was surprised they didn't notice the AMS Widemouth downpipe. There was no comment about that huge downpipe.

The final problem they failed me on was the ODBII test. I cleared the check engine light before I went there. I learned that day is clearing a check engine light only turns off the light on the dash. You have to drive around for a day for it to be clear for the ODBII test.

The good part was...
My AEM intake is CARB legal, so that was all good. My aftermarket canister exhaust was no problem either. I even PASSED the tail pipe sniffer with the AMS high flow cat.

In the end I failed the pre-test, even though I passed the tail pipe sniffer.

The first thing I did when I got home was remove the AMS sticker from the UICP.

When I smog tested my car in NM, all they did was check the ODBII for error codes, kicked the tires and passed me. I'm happy I don't have to deal with CA smog tests anymore.

 

useful to know since i will soon have to deal with this once i get there. it’s all most depressing just thinking about it. thanks for the info.

 

fireroasted- where have you gone that they are actually doing it by the OBD-II only? im down in SD and none of the smog shops out here have started doing it the new way. i even went to the state ref and he told me it wont be happening till maybe mid year.

 

Thats correct. I heard it's not starting until midyear as well.

 

Well that is what I was getting at in an earlier post in that we don't know enough people yet that had to do it and provide feedback. I haven't done it or seen it. I just know it is the law now in CA. How shops could still be doing the test with a sniffer is beyond me. Nothing I have read discusses a overlap period.

Remember that one of the concepts is that the testing equipment become cheaper so that more shops can do it and make it cheaper for the consumer. All you need is a laptop and the CA software. No Dyno and no complex fume detection machines that need calibration.

I am really curious about people's experience and feedback. What does the DMV say? There may be nothing wrong with going to a traditional station for now but you don't have to. Maybe we need a thread for 'new' stations on here.