danglerb

I've been looking at heads and cams, and guessing the tricky part will be what can sneak through a Calif smog check idle tailpipe test. Anybody know what the test limits are?

Are they model specific?

is it rpm?

how much lope I can get away with?

Should I be worried about tailpipe emissions at all with a good cat?

Any good lines to use on the tech when you pull up in your lopey cammed car, like "I know it needs a tune up, but I think it should pass".

bczee

iTrader: (12)

What are you working with, it all depends on your car, year, motor and trans...! And emission at Idle isn't checked anymore. The standard is to use the wheel drive Dyno under load at both 15 and 25 mph and the emission are check there. It is no longer RPM related.

How much lope doesn't matter.. it is what the sniffer picks up as the engine is running under load at 15/25mph.

Yes you have to be worried even with a good Cat.

You can say anything you want.. it goes on deaf ears.. they put your car on the dyno, plug it in, pull the VIN and info ... and run in. if it passes.. your good.. if not your screwed. Pass or fail.. the information is transmitted to the Calif DMV... so they will have a record of you failing, what readings and what/why on the equipement that caused it.

If your in Calif.. check out the Calif / DMV / BAR site

Here is are a few good ones to check..

http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/ftp/pdfdocs/asm_ph43.pdf
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/stdPage....ck/default.htm
http://www.smogcheck.ca.gov/vehtests/pubtstqry.aspx

Do some research for CARB compliant CAM's and equipement (heads, intake, headers, etc). Most manufactor will have a web site listing what is CARB compliant and should pass the smog test.

'JustDreamin'

Yeah, vehicle information would be useful.

After all, if its in a pre '65 chassis, CA doesn't care.


'JustDreamin'

bczee

iTrader: (12)

Calif exempts anything older than 1974 from smog tests. (at lease for now... need to writen you congressman or Governator to not change for cars that are already exempt !)

danglerb

Not just one vehicle, but since I was asking here in the LS1tech hybrid converson forum, I was assuming LSx. I haven't made a final decision on the motor. I'm still at the what can I get away stage. Pre 75 is exempt from registration related smog inspection, but a cop can still give you a ticket that requires referee inspection if they smell no cats etc. Earliest motor I am thinking about is a 1995, newest maybe an 04, so both with and without OBDII.

I've been looking at the Calif smog rules for months, but more from the straight swap standpoint, getting the door jam sticker, not the mischief afterwards when I only need to pass a normal smog test, some details have slipped right past me.

I see from the last test I had that its 15/25 mph, but I think I remember some idle stuff going on, maybe related to the timing check. One of the fail reasons in the inspectors manual is "could not be tested" because the test machine didn't like some input like the idle speed. Operator can also fail a vehicle if they "suspect" tampering with any emissions related component, and I am guessing a lopey cam might fit that description.

*** What I am really after is how much cam can I get away with, and what is it that makes it fail, idle or emissions.

bczee

iTrader: (12)

I wouldn't worry about getting a ticket, I have never heard of anyone getting pulled over unless they were putting out a lot of smoke. I have never heard of anyone with a Pre-75 having to do a smog test or inspection. I have even seem a Blowen/Alk Hemi cars drive right pass the local cop and you could smell what he is on... LOL..

If it is a 75 or newer.. it will come down to what engine you put into it.. You will have to use all of the smog and related equipement of the newer engine. CA smog rules don't allow you to put a older engine that the body/classic.

So.. if you working on mulitple cars.. the rule is .. it depends on what year the car is and what year the engine is that you are referring to... be a little bit more specify in your questions.

so.. if your concern is *** What I am really after is how much cam can I get away with, and what is it that makes it fail, idle or emissions.

You will never get a answer until you put one in yourself, tune it and have it tested. As I stated, the CAM Manufactor have spec'd out CARB compliant Cam that should past if installed with the correct equipement (read "Should", but not always). Even if someone is able to pass with XYZ cam, you many not.
I have used a ZZ4 Cam in a ZZ4 Clone engine that is should pass if installed correctly (per GM).. but I have never been able to get it to pass. (Duration @ 0.050" Lift: 208/221 / Lift: .474"/.510" / Lobe Separation: 112, I gave up after years of doing other things and swapping it out for a Crane CARB Compliant cam).

So do your homework and hope you pass.. but if you want some feed back, ask to specify questions and equipement, and maybe some one that has done or used the same equipement will reply. Your geneal (everything in the world) question will never get a solid answer.

You many want to ask this question in the Internal Engine forum.. not the conversion/Hybrid which deals with more swapping issue.

danglerb

I put the question differently in some other forums,

Who has failed a Calif smog check due to the cam.

Some pretty radical stuff has made through, so I'm thinking now the cam may not be much of a limiting factor as long as the tune is right.