Just purchased c6 z06! smog question...
11-30-2021, 05:59 PM
#1
Just purchased c6 z06! smog question...
Hi ya'll! It's my very first corvette and really enjoyed the drive home. Was wondering if you fellas can help me out. I still need to smog the car then transfer the ownership. It has a corsa exhaust and an x pipe, the headers still have the 2 catalytic converters, stock heads, stock cam, stock tune and i'm in the south bay, California around Torrance. Will the car pass smog or is it something to worry about? I checked the carfax and looks like it passed smog early this year and previous owner said he had the exhaust system for a while. Please let me know so I can smog the car and register it.
11-30-2021, 09:40 PM
#3
Le Mans Master
Man, this comes up a lot. Should have checked CA laws before you bought it. I don't see any way it will smog in CA. There are NO exhaust mods allowed, period. Not even non-stock muffs. I seriously doubt you have a stock tune since the headers would be throwing codes...and, no custom tunes allowed, either.
One idea is to go to a smog station and ask if they can do a visual inspection only, to see what they say. If they say it looks fine, then have them smog it.
I hope I am wrong about this, but do not think I am.
One idea is to go to a smog station and ask if they can do a visual inspection only, to see what they say. If they say it looks fine, then have them smog it.
I hope I am wrong about this, but do not think I am.
The following 3 users liked this post by buckmeister2:
11-30-2021, 09:44 PM
#5
Instructor
i got a borla exhaust on my car and it passed fine. but the tuning law just went into affect july 1st. so if it has been tuned before you might be in for a headache.
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C5 4me (12-04-2021)
12-01-2021, 07:10 PM
#9
Yep, and since sounds like it still have the OEM exhaust manifolds on the car (what he is calling headers if not long tube headers), may be as simple as just re-flashing the stock tune back in the car if no engine mods where done to require the motor to be re-tuned in the first place. Maybe, since depending on what year, may have to reinstall the oem X pipe back in the car if its a later year car that has the second set of cats required in the X pipe as well.
Bottom line, would put the smog required test back on the seller, and if car can not pass smog legally as is, then its up to the seller to either do the needed repairs to get it past smog at his cost, or refund your money instead.
Note, I said legally, since you need to smog the car yearly in CA, and if he just has it done back handed way this year get it pass this year, but it going to be problem next year to get it smog at a different shop, you still don't want anything to do with the car. So even if he does get it smog'd so you can plate it this year (back handed way), would still take it to another shop afterwards to double check it to make sure your not going to have a problem next year instead.
12-01-2021, 07:19 PM
#10
Supporting Vendor
Yep, and since sounds like it still have the OEM exhaust manifolds on the car (what he is calling headers if not long tube headers), may be as simple as just re-flashing the stock tune back in the car if no engine mods where done to require the motor to be re-tuned in the first place. Maybe, since depending on what year, may have to reinstall the oem X pipe back in the car if its a later year car that has the second set of cats required in the X pipe as well.
Bottom line, would put the smog required test back on the seller, and if car can not pass smog legally as is, then its up to the seller to either do the needed repairs to get it past smog at his cost, or refund your money instead.
Note, I said legally, since you need to smog the car yearly in CA, and if he just has it done back handed way this year get it pass this year, but it going to be problem next year to get it smog at a different shop, you still don't want anything to do with the car. So even if he does get it smog'd so you can plate it this year (back handed way), would still take it to another shop afterwards to double check it to make sure your not going to have a problem next year instead.
Bottom line, would put the smog required test back on the seller, and if car can not pass smog legally as is, then its up to the seller to either do the needed repairs to get it past smog at his cost, or refund your money instead.
Note, I said legally, since you need to smog the car yearly in CA, and if he just has it done back handed way this year get it pass this year, but it going to be problem next year to get it smog at a different shop, you still don't want anything to do with the car. So even if he does get it smog'd so you can plate it this year (back handed way), would still take it to another shop afterwards to double check it to make sure your not going to have a problem next year instead.
12-01-2021, 11:36 PM
#11
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12-01-2021, 11:41 PM
#12
I meant to say stock exhaust manifolds with the stock catalytic converters and stock tune.
i’m glad to hear someone passed smog with borla exhaust and I hope mine will not have a problem.
i’m glad to hear someone passed smog with borla exhaust and I hope mine will not have a problem.
12-02-2021, 02:44 PM
#13
Le Mans Master
Okay, now that we know the "headers" are not "headers", my response does not apply. It is likely the stock tune is still in place. So, there should be no problem, unless the person running the inspection flags the Corsa exhaust, which I doubt they will. Can anyone clarify if, following the letter of the law, CA does not allow any type of exhaust mod? That is the way I understood it to be, though aftermarket muffs might be a judgement call by the person doing the smog check.
Good luck with your car, him. Enjoy the ride!
Good luck with your car, him. Enjoy the ride!
12-02-2021, 03:35 PM
#14
Thanks for that valuable information. I’ll talk to the employees and see how they feel about the exhaust before testing.
one other question, for a 2009 model, do i go to test only, star, or regular smog?
one other question, for a 2009 model, do i go to test only, star, or regular smog?
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