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Old May 11, 2011 | 07:41 AM
  #1  
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Default car got Refed ...

just like the title says...

i allways drive my car around town like a saint ! most all the cops around town and i kind of have this mutual agreement , i dont do anything wrong , they dont pull me over ... simple right ?
so i let my brother drive my car to the store , seeing as how he dosent have a car , i just told him be really careful, he calles me no more then 3 min after leaving my house saying he got pulled over, greeeeeeaaat...
he then called me 10 min later and told me what happend, the cop decided that my car is illegal and needs to go to a ref station.

so not i have to tear down my pride and joy . im definitly not looking forward to this

has anyone had any REF experence ? what can i expect and does anyone have any advice ?

btw , can has ...or had , prc springs , port 241 heads , ms4 cam , bbk LT ,bbk ORY , slp LM1 ,few other goodies that i dont think ill have to change...

will i pass a smog check if i keep the springs and heads the way they are and just put the stocker cam back in ?
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Old May 11, 2011 | 10:00 AM
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That sucks. I'd start looking for tricks to pass the smog check. Maybe there's something that will help, without you having to remove parts.

Last edited by sleepy_z; May 11, 2011 at 10:11 AM.
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Old May 11, 2011 | 10:56 AM
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Excuse my ignorance, but what does REF mean? Either way, does the car pass your state's smog test now? If so, I would just try to quiet it down a bit by changing up the exhaust so they don't mess with you anymore. That's just me though.
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Old May 11, 2011 | 02:59 PM
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Why did they pull him over....noisy exhaust? Or just because they wanted to look at the car?

I hope your brother told them to suck dick if they asked to pop the hood or get into the car. I hope neither of you admitted the car had mods.

Call a speed shop near you and ask them what to do, considering the very light mods you have. And I don't see why springs would matter. Also, ported 241 heads are basically stock heads, so I see no reason that would have any affect on smog tests.

.
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Old May 11, 2011 | 04:16 PM
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where is your car now?
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Old May 11, 2011 | 11:58 PM
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sry for taking so long on response.
im in CA , so the smog laws here SUCK ! im positive i cant pass with the MS4 cam ... good thing i kept the stocker.
and a REF , is CA state referee center , which is basicly a more strict Test only place... they check vins , make sure they match the propper year , make of the car , visually inspect under the car as well as engine bay , and look for anything that is not saposed to be there...

i have no idea what my brother told the cop ... ive been pulled over twice and asked to pop my hood , and i simply say do you have a warrent ? and thats the end of that... but seeing as how my brothers not too smart with illegal cars ... i have no idea.

good news is i found a guy not far from me who is selling stock headers and y with cats as well as all the emission parts with it for only 100, so i have to now start the long process of tearing out the cam , and exuast and putting emissions back on.
i just hope my stock cam will work with the PRC springs , i dont see why not right ?
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Old May 12, 2011 | 12:08 AM
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that really sucks man..
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Old May 12, 2011 | 12:12 AM
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those springs will be fine with the stock cam
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Old May 12, 2011 | 03:11 AM
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Sorry to hear that man. It sucks here with all the smog laws and whatnot. Another local guy from norcal just got a ref ticket too, he had to put all of his stock equipment back on. You should be fine with the LM1 catback, heads, springs etc. But to pass your going to need your stock emissions equipment, stock manifolds and cats like you said, and it wouldn't hurt getting a stock lid too.

I had to get my car smogged recently and had to pull my exhaust for the stock stuff too. Kinda sucks to have to reverse mods, but sometimes you gotta pay to play. Hope everything turns out ok, keep us posted.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 11:23 AM
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It never ceases to amaze me how this can happen in the birth place of drag racing and radical car customization...

There are a few loopholes:
- If you replace the engine with a pre-1976 block, you could get it Ref'd to be exempt from smog checks.

Or you could figure out how to register an out-of-state car:
"There are a few exemptions included in the law. As a California resident you may be able to register a 49-State vehicle if it was:
  • Obtained as part of a divorce, inheritance, or a legal separation settlement
  • Purchased it to replace your California registered vehicle stolen while you were using it out of state.
  • Purchased it to replace your California registered vehicle that was destroyed or made inoperative beyond reasonable repair while you were using it out of state.
  • An emergency vehicle, pursuant to California Vehicle Code § 27156.2 and 27156.3.
  • Registered by you in the state of your last active military service outside California."
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Old May 12, 2011 | 01:15 PM
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Wouldn't giving yourself a vacuum leak help pass the smog test? Isn't that what our air pumps at start-up are for from the factory?

.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 05:35 PM
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CAL. sucks *** for performance cars. good luck.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 06:17 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
Wouldn't giving yourself a vacuum leak help pass the smog test? Isn't that what our air pumps at start-up are for from the factory?

.
Hell no, the AIR system put air into the exhaust to test the 02 sensors and warm up the cats.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 06:44 PM
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Originally Posted by O2Form
Hell no, the AIR system put air into the exhaust to test the 02 sensors and warm up the cats.
I understood that our STOCK hyperqutectic (spelling??) pistons allow too much combustion gases to pass through the exhaust pipes...and the air pump introduces extra air at start-up so the engine can meet emmissions standards.....
Then when the pistons heat up and expand that combustion gas doesn't pass so much and an emmissions test can be passed.

NO???????

.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 06:45 PM
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I have a buddy who is a smog guy. He says the ref will check all the parts on your engine, on the outside to make sure they are correct year and make for your car. So, if a 98 EX manifold has a different PN from an 02, you can't use it on an 02, ect. They will nit pick all the way down to the air lid. Good news is, if you have any carb approved parts with the documentation, he will clear these parts so your car will smog with them every time. I believe there is a set of shorty BBK headers that are smog legal or carb approved for example.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 06:50 PM
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I would effing move from that state....Jeez...I thought VA was bad....good luck
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Old May 12, 2011 | 06:58 PM
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Originally Posted by LS6427
I understood that our STOCK hyperqutectic (spelling??) pistons allow too much combustion gases to pass through the exhaust pipes...and the air pump introduces extra air at start-up so the engine can meet emmissions standards.....
Then when the pistons heat up and expand that combustion gas doesn't pass so much and an emmissions test can be passed.

NO???????

.
It does many many things, get a factory manual and read up on it if you really want to know. But it aint a vacuum leak.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 07:01 PM
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what happens if you dont show for this thing?
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Old May 12, 2011 | 07:11 PM
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i know right ? i need to move out of CA

i am still waiting to hear back on this guy whos selling the headers , cats , and all the smog stuff , if he pulls through it would make this process alot easier for me

damnnnnn it , i dident even think about the lid ! lol ... ill have to find a friend with a camaro around here who i can swap lids with for the day hopefully..

after i get through with all this **** .... i think ill keep cats on my car , and use a smaller cam ... and run a muffler haha. i dont think i could stand having a stock camaro again.
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Old May 12, 2011 | 10:03 PM
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Dude that really sucks.
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