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Passing California Smog tests just got much harder!!!!!!!! As of two months ago a new law requires that 10 out of 11 readiness monitor codes to be set in order to pass smog. Up until now Ca law required that you had to have 7 out 11 readiness monitiors set to pass smog. This is very bad news for us swap guys. In the past we could get away with four parts of our emmisions system not working proplerly. Today if you were to get a smog check they require all but one!!!!!!!!
Readiness Monitors
"An essential part of the obd II system are the readiness monitors. These are self test the obd II system runs to make sure everything is functioning normally. When a test runs and passes without any faults, the obd II system runs the next monitor and the next untill all 11 have been completed. This may take some time because some monitors require specific driving conditions before they will run. Also, if a fault is found during any test, it may prevent subsequent monitors from completing.
As a general rule, doing some stop and go driving around town at speeds up to 30 mph followed by 7 minutes of 55 mph highway speed driving will usally set most of the monitors (the converter and evap sytem readiness monitors are the hardest to set)"
I wish i had some good news to report, but now were all fukt here in california.
I couldn't find an offical goverment web site, but the first link talks about the definiton of readines monitors. At the end of the second link they talk about how it went from four readines codes allowable down to one.
I have a ls1/93 rx7. I originally passed the BAR in 2005 and have beeen smoging it at test only stations every two years. However, my smog is due now september 8th. So i went to a test only station and this is where i got the information.
This is what happens when liberals are in office. Trying to buy and own guns is even more difficult and thats a God given right enumerated by the second ammendment...
Nobody has figured out how to register all of our stuff in another state. I'm sure smarter guys than me can figure it out. Don't we just need a 'friendly' guy with an address that will forward all of the annual registration paperwork to us.
Hey, I know the only guarenteed things in this world are death and taxes, but doesn't it kind of burn you to think that you have to keep giving up your money just to use something that you own outright. Kind of like getting charged every morning by the state to use your toaster.
Actually... the 14th amendment is what prevents the state you live in from outlawing firearms. That's a bit more relevant in view that the discussion is about a state's new emissions law.
Actually... the 14th amendment is what prevents the state you live in from outlawing firearms. That's a bit more relevant in view that the discussion is about a state's new emissions law.
does this mean you can be catless, but you have to keep egr/air/etc?
You can probably go catless in Arizona and many other states, If all you have is the obd II testing in your state. I dont think you have to pass any kind of visual inspection. You can hollow out your cats or ditch them for down pipes. Then you would need to replace the second set of o2 sensors with o2 simulators. This may fool the ecu into thinking the catalitic efficiiancy readiness monitors are set. Even if your catalitic readiness monitors dont set your allowed one out of the 11, not to be set. The other 10 need to be in working order.
In California however, the technician walks around the car and finds ALL of the smog components and checks them off a long list. He will drive your vehicle onto a dyno, then probe your rear end. The dyno and probe test will give him a five gass read out at low and high speeds. Like i said were screwed here in California.
Last edited by Born-again 7; 08-20-2010 at 01:30 PM..
This is tha main reason I just bought a pre 75 vehicle. I bought a 74 camaro and I am dropping my LQ4 into it with a turbo 400. It will be Street/strip car. It will also be fuel injected but with no cats or smog equipment etc.
I was going to put my LQ4 into my 1988 mustang hatch (would have been a much lighter faster car). But I decided to go with the camaro cause I can drive in on the street too.
So the key in cali is bye a pre 75 vehicle and work with it. Sucks cause there are a lot of light nice (much cheaper to buy) 80's camaros, mustangs, etc. The newer cars are lighter with much better suspensions, rack & pinion steering etc. But oh well.
On the other hand there is a good nastalgia feeling driving a pre 75 muscle car. And the resale value will be much higher if you ever want to sell it.
I haven't heard of that law, nor did I see it in my BAR Newsletter that I just received in the mail. I'm not saying that it isn't true, but it doesn't say it in the Newsletter, I could've missed an ET Blast on the machine but I doubt it. Check with another station and see what they say, also ask them what Bar-97 machine they're using. I know that Worldwide Machines only requires I believe 3 non-continuous monitors to be completed. I could be wrong but that's my .02
One thing I don't understand is engine computers are completly flash programmable. What is to stop someone from using say HP tuners to reprogram the computer to always say the engine passes the tests?
One other small point, pre 75 vehicles don't have to be smogged checked on a regular basis, but they are still subject to smog laws and must have all the equipment for the year it was made. A road side spot check could ruin your day.
thats one thing i was wondering... I know we have it easy in AZ, but i still throw no codes, etc.. Only reason id fail emissions here is if my gas cap was bad (which it was, apparently, last time.. haha)
One thing I don't understand is engine computers are completly flash programmable. What is to stop someone from using say HP tuners to reprogram the computer to always say the engine passes the tests?
One other small point, pre 75 vehicles don't have to be smogged checked on a regular basis, but they are still subject to smog laws and must have all the equipment for the year it was made. A road side spot check could ruin your day.
you can use tuners to turn off check engine lights and codes but you cant make them pass readiness tests which is what they check for.
New CA smog law. Bad news! 
