Re[2]: CA smog exemption

[Ed Lutz <edlutz@domain.elided>]

Stacy,
The law doesn't say that no changes can be made to the vehicle or that
it must remain stock. There are performance parts available that are
legal. To be legal a part (or modification) must be tested and shown
to not cause the emissions levels to exceed legal limits. Testing is
expensive and a lot of companies don't bother but plenty do and thus
those performance shops still have many options available. The nice
thing about modern computer controlled ignition and injection systems
is that they can do a lot to keep a car clean that the older analog
systems couldn't. Check the performance catalogs and you should find
some parts listed as CARB approved. Those items are legal in
California.

Ed
Loveland, CO.
1974 Spider with a 1750 under the hood

Wednesday, December 18, 2002, 7:15:14 PM, you wrote:

SF> This is what I understand the law to be also, but I have one important question 
SF> (with emphasis on 'import'):  I see a gizillion tricked-out japanese cars around 
SF> southern cal on a regular basis.  Some of them obviously turbocharged, ect.
SF> How the heck do they get past inspection?  Especially the ones with custom
SF> work?  There are still a good number of custom race shops around here, and if
SF> you drive by, they all have regular street cars being worked on....
SF> According to the law, it doesn't matter if you can pass emissions or not---if the
SF> car is not stock, then you fail automatically.  As far as I know, turbocharging and
SF> supercharging are both illegal here, unless the individual setup is CARB approved
SF> (an undoubtably lengthy process that is only around to pad some politicians pocketbook).
SF> Not to mention any kind of hot cam, intake mod, ECU mod, ect.  
SF> I can't believe that every modded japanese car I see out there has had all of it's
SF> components CARB approved....there must be some inspection stations around that 
SF> bend the rules a bit...
SF> (please let's not start the japanese car thing again...it's just an example I choose to 
SF> use because you see so many of them and they are generally MY 1990-2002 vehicles,
SF> and thus subject to fairly stringent emissions standards).



>>currently 1973 model year and earlier vehicles are exempted from smog tests
>>when transferring titles or upon registration renewal
>>
>>starting January 1, 2003 (or about 2 weeks from now) 1974 model year vehicles
>>will be added to the exemption
>>
>>Sorry, but your 1974 Alfetta has to wait yet another year (Jan, 1, 2004)
>>until it becomes exempt.
>>
>>It should be noted that the exemption does not give us free reign to modify
>>our vehicles (according to the law). We are still "required" to keep our
>>vehicles in stock condition and not modify or remove anything; it is simply
>>that he required "tests" to confirm this are no longer necessary, but...
>>
>>if you get caught at a mobile "sniffer" (the type they occasionally set up by
>>the side of the freeway) for excess emissions and they find your car has been
>>modified or emission stuff removed you will then be required to return it to
>>"stock" condition and get it checked yet again. So the absence of tests for
>>older vehicles is not a "carte blanc" to do as we wish (at least as the law
>>is written).
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