crazystylin

Specific topic, but I want headers and a tune but wonder if shops won’t care as long as it passes the sniff test. Any one w experience on this. Appreciate it.

asian-winkie

I've owned smog shops in the past and I can say that they will find your new shiny headers. Because BAR sends out bait car with hidden cameras, the techs will be very diligent on searching for mods. I use to check extra hard on high performance vehicle because most of the time there was mods.

Having said, you don't have to deal with smog for first 4 years so I would go for it

Ltrain925

Are you in NorCal

HPT

No, it will not pass.

Regardless, why would any C7Z bought in CA need to be smogged yet? CA smog laws are ideal, at least for me...because they don't apply. Over the last 15 years and 50ish cars, half of them catless/tuned at some point...not once have I had to smog a car or have it inspected in any way.

Rookieracer

crazystylin

Really?

Has anyone else been required to smog their car in CA every two years? Or does CA DMV random select people to do it skipping others? If I don't have to do it for a three or more years maybe I will pull the trigger.

TCorzett

New cars sold in California are exempt for 6 years (and pay a $20 smog abatement fee)... after 6 years you have smog inspections every other year. (source)

Yes (not on my C7), every 2 years like clockwork... the notice is part of the vehicle registration renewal. The random nature is if you must use a "STAR Station" or just any smog station. The past few years they no longer use a "sniffer", rather plug into the OBD2 port (looks for CELs and specific "checks" to be performed, so don't disconnect your battery just before the testing). The visual inspection is the same as it has been, and as others have said... long tubes (or any engine/intake/exhaust mods without a CARB sticker) will result in failure.

MTPZ06

^ This...no more sniffer test. Visual inspection and OBDII scan. Your car will fail the visual with LT's and having moved the cats from their original location.

2009CSR #45

Do a little research into which areas, zip codes require enhanced smog. If your car was registered in El Centro for example it wouldn't be required to be smogged until you transfer ownership. Living in a bigger metropolis, well yeah we're pretty hosed when it comes to it. It's a losing crap shoot to find a smog shop that will overlook headers, the risk for them is far greater than anything you may be able to offer them.

ZFIDDY1

I’ve nver had a smog fail one of my cars on a visual. It’s not difficult to find a shop that will ignore mods visually....

pkincy

And you will run the risk of having a police officer on a bad day or on a day he is mad at you take a look under the hood and impound your car for illegal mods.

You are asking a question akin to "Can I rob a Bank in California and get away with it?"

SocalC5Z

Most shops have a mirror or stainless plate they slip under cars like Corvettes and and other low vehicles to look at the exhaust system, although with headers it won't take more than a quick look under the hood to fail the visual. Every shop I've dealt with in SoCal treats each smog like a BAR smog sting IMHO. Nothing intentionally slips through.

oAllElseFailo

I've ran into a cop on a very bad day who was chewing me out when my car was parked but claimed he heard me before i pulled into the parking lot. Never once looked under the hood but i guess that's just going to vary from cop to cop, but i've never heard of them actually inspecting the engine.

I'd do what someone else mentioned above, find a shop that will overlook the visual inspection. They usually charge you a bit more for that but it's worth it to me.

emf

This is a very, very, very, very true statement.

I've had Motor officers give me the thumbs up while driving my catless, H/C, non-dot tread C5, have seen others with the extendo-mirror looking for obvious aftermarket stuff, and have had others go all the way down to why a paper-plate car didn't have a front license plate frame.
This also will carry to SMOG shops -- some of which are willing to overlook just about anything, those who don't care as long as it passes the OBD2 scan, and thos that are **** retentive enough to question the non-oe screws that you may have used for an aesthetic mod. Heck, I've had some shops question the extra cables I have running to the batteries on my tow vehicle for solar/float charging (not kidding ... added an extra 30 minutes of discussion to why he shouldn't just fail my diesel smog).

Simply put, LT's are hard unless you know someone already, since the ARB is known to be out and looking for enforcement opportunities. Depending on how low-key you are on a day-to-day basis, LEO may overlook or may be VERY interested in what's under the hood. The LEO interest goes beyond the ARB's rules of 4 / 6 years and region.


To your point OP, yes -- there are some shops who are less interested in the visual than others. Unfortunately can't help beyond that, but be aware that there may be interest over and above the annual registration requirement.

Vet Interested

It's a crap shoot that is not worth the crap!

PLRX

dagon138

1. Most likely No-one here is going to tell you #### in any detail about this. Too risky.
2. There are plenty of shady mechanics, make friends or learn how to swap quickly.

Hot Rod Roy

I've had one smog shop that ran my '84 up on a ramp so they could crawl under to check the p/n on my cat, to be sure it was a CA certified cat! Went over my engine with a "fine tooth comb"! The tech looked disappointed that he couldn't find anything. (All my mods are internal.) I passed.