cv67

hes going to need the 2 precats there is no exemption on that.

Everything has to be there in good working shape.
If it is it will pass, no worries.


Its not that big a deal, really.


As said above get a pretest first. If they tag it as a gross polluter they will call you in every damn yr to a state test only facility went through that already. If its compliant and passes then its every other yr. You may get to choose your own within (30 miles?? of your mailing adress) or randomly have to go to test only.

Either way...if it passes you know the thing is in good running order at least. Theres no special Ca. smog equiptment, just whatever comes normally on the C4s is what you need. It will burn cleaner with everything hooked up.

Yes smog laws suck but they arent really too terribly bad. Its just tougher to cheat lol.
We dont have those crazy vehicle inspections that other states have where they pretty much force you to spend money on every little thing they find wrong with it.

anciano

Not questioning this, but it's the first time I have heard someone say that you can pass with a non-CARB-approved part. Can you cite the part of the vehicle code that describes this? I may be facing this situation some day and want to be prepared.

I've already had one (successful!) dispute with DMV over interpretation of their own regulations.

cv67

It now has to have a certain CARB # stamped on it.

383vett

I didn't say replace the cat with a non carb approved part. What I meant was replace it with any cat that will work, meaning non oem. Since the smog associated parts on a car are warrantied for 5 years, that stuff must be replaced by oem stuff within the first 5 years. After 5 years, anything (carb approved) can be substituted. I was assuming that all the aftermarket converters out there are carb approved. Maybe I was wrong. I've never seen a smog guy crawl under the car to look for numbers.

hgh pwr

In 2005 I had to replace my cat on my t/a and had to buy a gm cat because no one in the country would sell me one because I lived in ca,state law said it had to be replaced by a factory piece and was told that was because it was obd2 car.

not sure if this is still the case but as long your car is 1990 you could buy any aftermarket cat and install it,but you still have to pass visual and the sniffer.

Narnian

So far, I'm not thrilled with the weather either!

Narnian

Mid America has a high performance cat (for about $350 I think) but their website specifically says " not for California. As it turns out, my original cat is missing. I have no idea where it is and I won't be able to get it to my friend to install it before the car gets to California, so I am looking at what's available.

Based on what everyone is saying, I could probably get away without changing a thing. I think the engine compartment will pass. Everything there is in good shape. I can probably drive the car to the inspection as it is and they'll do a cursory examination and ignore me so they can get to lunch.

However . . .

There is a reasonable chance my car will be "cavity searched". If the inspector has a slow day, or is a diligent inspector, or just happens to be aware that C4 Corvettes are supposed to have a center cat, they will fail the car. I'd rather deal with it ahead of time in another state where it will be cheaper to get the work done.

That said, I just can't imagine someone checking to see if the cat is a CA approved cat. I also can't imagine that a high performance cat would fail to scrub the exhaust enough for the sniffer. If my car passed the sniff test in Ohio with only the two precats installed, it should pass in CA with three in place. But is a high flow cat really worth it? A "stock" replacement cat from Midamerica is $169, vs the high flow for $349. If we talking about a ten horsepower gain then yeah, I'll pay the extra $200. If we're talking about 1/2 horsepower more, then why should I waste the money?

Opinions?

cv67

Check into carsound/magnaflow cats
High flow and very reasonable.

GKK

Any California muffler shop will have the correct Cat to be installed.

Why go through all the hassle of ordering a special California approved Cat and having someone else install it?

Also, it's just not about the sniffer test as you will soon find out. If the vehicle does not have ALL the stock smog equipment in the stock location, the vehicle will not pass.

Vehicles can pass the sniffer with flying colors but, if aftermarket parts, modified exhaust, missing or altered equipment is found, the vehicle will not pass.

The Referee's are also, Very Thorough in their inspections. Smog laws are taken very seriously in California.

JrRifleCoach

Best thing to do is make sure everything LOOKS STOCK! If you give the inspector a reason to question the car he'll look at every crack and crevasse.

IF it fails the visual test, you wont get to the sniffer/dyno.

Oh yeah, buy a new gas cap and keep the receipt. If you don't need it, take it back.


I'm a few hours south of Sac, but have a cousin in Sac that loves Vettes and to work on them. You could say we're all in the family.

mtwoolford

I'm in the sacramento area...the shop I go to gives a free retest if the car won't pass the first time around. this seems pretty standard in the area.

You can always "play dumb " and try to get the vehicle through "as is", but I would suggest having "plan B" in place...that is, have the missing cat in your possession, or have a new one tracked down.

In the long run, nothing ruins the resale value of a 1976 or newer car in California than to have the emissions control system missing or inoperative. So at some point I'd plan on installing that missing cat.

If its any consolation, the earlier cars, through 91 have a much wider selection of California compliant cats available. Try getting a California legal cat for a one year, first year, OBII, 96. (hint: bring money, lots and lots of money).

leesvet

heres the deal...

you have to pass a level II inspection at the DMV office just to get paper work and start the registration process bringing a car into the state.

Assuming that you pass that, check of numbers and basic safety, THEN you proceed to the smog...

That will be a visual 1st, and its STRICT. They will look for everything that was on the vehicle the yr it was mfg'd.

You've got yourself a OBD-I potential nightmare.....meaning they want to run in on their computer and dyno. All that means is its tougher. This past yr the state has raised the bar on older cars AND clamping down on diesels too. Nobody gets a pass anymore. They want to retro-fit older vehicles too...thats a huge grey area but the goal is to get them up to current standards or OFF the Ca streets.

They will look for the stock cats and if they see welds they will look closer to make sure they are not emptied. Some shops do that anyway. Some 'citizens' think they can pass with empty cat shells, somehow.

Then the snif test....
it gets tough. If the car has a few miles on it, there will be trouble passing. Your NOX will be high OR the CO and/or HC. High hydrocarbons usually mean low NOX & vice versa. They want a balance. That often means a new cat, and a good tune. Don;t think that leaning the fuel helps,. that gets high NOX and thats a FAIL. Low NOX & high HC is a FAIL...even the gas cap...and there are tons of rules about who and how repairs are done.

To answer your later question, Cats these days don't do much of anything to hurt a semi-stock street motor.Auto-Zone or MadVet.....not that much difference. They are all compliant with the DOT and the CARB policies.
I do not know why the old school mentality still dictates that people rip the cats off asap....it don;t matter all that much. If you;re a serious racer in his DD, get a test pipe fitted and drive legal in Ca....Re-install the cat to drive home. 3 bolts in a flange going IN and the same going out. BFD.

BTW...you will smog test every 2 yrs, OR whenever there is title transfer, OR a random.
If you get labeled a "gross polluter" you get special attention.....(seriously not good).

In Ca they have mobile testing that can SEE your exhaust as you accellerate getting on the freeway ON-Ramp...they use an infra-red beam (or laser of some sort) to read the exhaust..and send you a notice to come visit the DMV.
They also impound, and sell or destroy vehicles there. They don;t screw around with air pollution. The SCAQB has more authority than the CHIPs do...(soCal air quality police basically).

So, be proactive and get the car in shape BEFORE doing the smog test. Its not worth it to "try" knowing that its not 100% because they do hold attempts against you. I've wasted 2 full days in a row trying to get past a simple stinking smog test in Orange county.
From what I read it going to get worse too.

Its not totally a bad thing though. The first time I saw SoCal back in 1978 you could literally see the air...when flying 'in' you decended thru a dark brown layer that you could smell in the plane. the smog hung in some valleys so thick that it was hard to breath. On hot days, it caused health alerts for older folks and those that has other respiritory issues.
Its better now, MUCH better but the population is growing and the politics are currently liberal after
the Gubenator ( I'll be bach??) left office. The tree huggers are currently getting even and will have their way....

\Good luck, its not hopeless, its just not worth screwing around and causing yourself more trouble. They will win either way.

JrRifleCoach

LeesVet, That is, by far, the best description written on the subject.

It should warrant "sticky" status for sure.

Up in the hills we are still CARB1 and only get checked when titles are transferred.
We still leave the cats alone as traveling through the flatlands and silly-cities could warrant a smog ticket.

cv67

You serious Jr only when titles are transferred?

Wow.

Got nailed every yr on both C4s test only.

I admit the 89 failed the first few times (cat, then bad injectors) but the 90 never failed.

I have heard some of it depends on the population of your area and yet cannot smog outside of a 30 mi radius of your home zip?

Sure do miss the days of flipping someone a bill and doing whatever you want. Days are long gone.

JrRifleCoach

Just use 95310.

Closest population center is 35 miles away.

Yet they still find their way up here and tell us how to live.

Can you say sierraclubtrash ?

Narnian

I brought my 95 Jeep Grand Cherokee to Cali last Christmas from Florida. The Exhaust was literally falling off when I drove it here, so I had someone in Louisiana stick an Autozone-quality Cat on it with a brand new pipe and no labels for 50 state. The place that looked over the car did a very cursory examination. If they reviewed my Corvette the same way they did my Jeep, I think I could get by without any changes. But I'm willing to bet they will look at my Jeep and my Vette very differently.

After all of this, I got to thinking. My 1990 with it's stock 250HP motor can't compete with any modern sports car. I have almost no modifications other than the exhaust and I can't see very many mods that are legal here in California, so either I go with a stock setup or buy a newer car.
Worrying about a three or four horsepower gain from the exhaust is a little silly. I'll find a regular Catalytic, install it, and leave it in there.

I miss Florida! I was thinking about dropping a 350HP crate motor in this thing when the current motor gave out. I don't think you can get away with any worthwhile upgrades here in Cali.

cv67

Youd be suprised.

The sniffer cant pick up cubic inches. IE big stroker
Caboboy has a smog legal 421 in his 87 Vert
Superrams are legal, believe there are superchargers also with EO#?
Came very close to doing a mild 406 for an 89 I had..then found a Z and sold it.
Would have passed no problem

You can still make a C4 haul azz and be compliant.
Good heads, cam it around 220ish@.050 or less minimize overlap, intake youre making power legally. Its not all that bad.

Bitch is no long tube headers for the C4 in ca doesnt mean you cant toss on a set of nice LT1 shorties with an EO# (grey area but usually works. Check Dougs headers) and play too.

slickfx3

sheesh, we can breath here now since the 70's and haul butt with all the smog gear on,I don't think here much you can't do here, sure no long tubes, but shorties are cool too, that smog stuff is really nothing

jeffp1167

Seeing new exhaust parts makes it mandatory for a smog place to check for the numbers on the cats.

I bought my california approved front Y-pipe with precats and main cat for like 425.00

leesvet

Absolutely. . . . .
The rules are all about a populated area and the location in a valley or not. LA basin is tough, while Fresno or mid-Ca flatlands are easy. Mountain top cities are pretty easy compared to the dense city populations. In LA county you have to register ANY motor you have at a shop, even the electric motor on the presure washer so it can get a SCAQB rating.

While we complain about the CARB rules, places like Japan that pioneered smog control have standards 10 times tougher. Over there, at 30K miles you REPLACE the engine, not tune it up. Thats where all these low miles Japanese engines come from that are sold here and pass our smog test everyday.