I would love to see a sticky about California smog testing since mine is due in May. Lots of mods and California is about as **** as they come. I'm wondering how everyone is going to deal with this?

 

I think alot of us want to know!!!

 

There is a really great way to deal with this. Just register your vehicle in sunny AZ, or even NV. It is fairly easy enough to obtain a mailing address that, for a price, will forward your mail to you. Some government agencies know which private post boxes are post boxes and not apartments, but some are not so informed. Either way, to keep it sort of legal, you can honestly decide to move, then get a private post box to help in your move. Then if you just happen to decide against moving to that state after you get your plate then it really was not your fault that you just happened to renew at the same time as you were planning to move anyway. Plans fall through, but you can always re-register in CA again, if you decide not to move temporarliy.

Oh, and by the way, emissions here in AZ does not seem to be as strict as CA. I hated CA emmisions, but since oving to AZ, as long as I have my car anywhere near the decent running condition that it really should be anyway, then it is fine. Oh, and AZ drivers licenses expire when you are in your 60s. My drivers license expires sometime in the 2040s. The tags are only good for 1-2 years though, depending on what you choose to pay for, and if you are getting an emissions now, or if you already had one last year.

 

Well that's not going to happen. Any other ideas?

 

Uh... There's the Visual test, then the emissions test...

Not sure what info you're looking for?

You will need to have cats, (visual/emissions)
Your O2 sensors need to be ON...
Err... CARB legal intake, with a little CARB sticker..

But you can either pay the full "bail" amount to exempt you from SMOG for a couple years, or revert back to stock, then SMOG, then go back to modded lifestyle.

 

Well, I know that it is very inconvenient, but now having actually lived both places, I would do literally almost anything to avoid a CA emissions test. They are by far the worst I have ever seen. The only advice that really will help is to take some migraine medicine, cause you are going to be in for it. CA is not fun to take an emissions test in. That is why I suggested to take drastic measures in the first place. Granted, I always drove beaters, but they were always much smaller engines than the GT has, and their engines were in pretty good condition. It was still always a fight to get them past the test though.

 

I forgot all the mods you've done over the years, but shouldn't you be fine by returning the intake, exhaust, and tune back to stock?

 

Intake is fine if there's a CARB Exempt sticker...
Exhaust shouldn't matter as long as he has his catalytic converters in and functioning...
Tune you can leave alone, but to be on the safe side..... stock if you can.

As for the visual inspections... It really depends on who's smogging your car.

 

Well I think I will be OK. I have a OEM tune for the delete plates and the o2 sensors are on. I'll have to put the stock airbox back on and throw in this tune. I can get a pre-smog test and if for some reason it fails it doesn't get recorded with the DMV.

 

Yeah, usually they run the test, and if it fails, they'll do a free retest after you fix what's "wrong"

 

I knew CA smog tests were a PITA, but never had any problems with the ****ty cars I've driven. All except the F150 were smaller engines but they were in bad shape. Oh well only engine mods I plan on are the CAI and tune anyways, so not a big deal.