smog laws nationwide to duplicate california's laws ?

[Moridin]

Do you really want to get into that discusssion?

 

I'm not trying to get into about that. Its just my viewpoint. The big thing I'm trying to say is that tailpipe emissions should be the focus (within reason), not anything visual except for crankcase vents and such, even though its an old car or not. I do realize there are far fewer older cars on the road, but it all contributes.

 

I guess it all depends on your thoughts on global warming.

 

I'm doing the best I can to not keep this political.

[alsil]

Back when the law used to be '66 and up - I had to smog my '66 Mustang. This was originally a 289 / 2V Auto car. The first time I took it in (with a correct Autolite 4100 4V and intake) they failed me because it wasn't original, and I was missing a bunch of vacuum hoses. Luckily, I found out, that the 2V motors didn't have the extra smog pump and air injectors in the exhaust manifolds. I had to swap to the 2V, add the vacuum hoses (like 7 of them), a heatpipe for the air cleaner, and the stock steel aircleaner. The car was a DOG and ran horribly. The timing back then was at 0 (yes, at TDC!) so the car just lagged off the line, and the idle was horrible. Since the engine was mechanically really strong, it passed after all that easily.

 

I had a friend check it before and after the swap - with an Edelbrock 1406 carb, Edelbrock Performer intake, timing set at 8 deg, and NONE of the vacuum hoses and my K&N air cleaner - it ran like 5x cleaner than with all the smog crap on there. I also got 20mpg on the freeway with a C4 and 2.73:1 gears.

 

Some of the equipment they used when they first started just didn't work. The only way to make your car ACTUALLY run cleaner is to make the engine itself more efficient. All the modern aftermarket gear does just that. My 1406 was WAY more reliable and smoother running than either my old Holley 600's or the Autolite 4100. Better gas milage, better idle, better transitions.

 

Have you guys noticed that most of the new cars don't use the 3000 hoses, sensors, and valves the 80's engines were saddled with?

 

Bottom line - if your car is efficient and doesn't blow smoke, what's installed on the car doesn't matter. Visuals are a joke.

 

Just my $.02

[DavyZ]

Even though my 71 is inspection exempt, I am using all of the smog equipment from a later model car including a cat, egr, o2 sensor, etc. Even though it's over kill and has virtually no emissions, it still is not smog legal in CA.

 

Not quite true--you can legally do an engine swap provided that the engine is the same year as the car or newer. Most people, however, do not bother with getting a genuine gold stamp of approval from BAR if the car is inspection exempt.

 

Davy

[waynekarnes]

the intent is to export the california smog laws for new car standards to all 50 states.

 

what is being considered is the entire package deal. all vehicles newer than 74, will be required to pass a smog test. this set of smog laws has already passed legal challenges. other states would not have to do any leaping through hoops. just adopt and adapt.

 

the farm equipment and small engine people are upset about this and fighting it.

 

more air pollution comes from cows and pig farms than from cars, but that's another story ( methane and other gases ).

 

most people seem to think that california registered vehicles older than 1975 are smog exempt.

 

this is not true.

 

you must still have all the smog equipment that was federally mandated as well as any factory installed smog for the region is which the car was originally sold.

 

if you get a job here ( military and politicians exempted ) and are driving a vehicle on calif roads you must register that vehicle within 10 days of your arrival in the state with the calfornia dept of motor vehicles.

 

in the 70's la county and santa clara county had stricter smog laws that did say santa barbara.

 

my mother's 69 firebird does not have a smog pump. was originally sold in the truckee/tahoe area in 1969. never had a smog pump, nor egr valve. i bought it for her in 1974 from 2nd owner.

 

so, you need to know the laws to keep the smog inspector from yanking you around.

 

back to the ca standards.

 

if you decide to remove all the smog controls from your pre 1975 car and you get pulled over by the hi way patrol or other law enforcement agency, remember the supreme court says they no longer have to knock if they suspect danger to the community or individuals, they may open your hood for a visual inspection.

 

if officer suspects modifications, you may be given a summons for tampering. this may be a fix it ticket or worse.

 

i have heard officers are authorized ( in some counties ) impound such vehicles. they are after the boy/girl tuner racers with the fart can exhausts strapped to the back bumper. figure it cuts down on what are called side shows and street racing among the rug rats.

 

driver/owner, if found guilty of tampering, pays a 500 dollar ( min ) fine, must take said vehicle to smog referee for inspection. there are rumors afloat the female rep from san jose that got the rolling smog law squashed, wants that car to be tagged for the rest of its life. has to get a smog test once a year for as long as it's registered in the state of ca even if it changes hands.

 

in california, the smog test exemption is strictly for change of title and the biannual testing.

 

there are still requirements to have operational smog controls on all vehicles that were required to have smog controls when the vehicle left the factory.

 

in general, engine swaps are permitted within the same family line. engine must be same year as chassis or newer. smog controls are from the newer of the two, unless cannot be reasonably installed.

 

nissan into nissan, ford to ford, chevy to chevy. engine can not be from a truck and dropped into a car. passenger car to passenger car. truck to truck.

 

you may do hybrid swaps. engine must be same year as chassis or newer. as above, the newer smog controls will apply, unless unreasonable ( car came without cats, no heat shields, be unsafe, so you don't need cats ) you may not use truck engine in passenger car. no pass in trucks.

 

in calif. all engine swaps would go to the smog referee for inspection. once determined legal, car gets a sticker with all the state required smog controls stamped on it. after that, should an inspection occurs, lead the inspector to the sticker. the sticker is the mandate that the inspector must follow.

 

my V8 z has such a sticker.

[alsil]

OK, well I got a question now....you've got me worried.

 

I live in Vancouver WA officially. I still get my mail there and go there once a month or so (to go home and check on the house). I am working in San Jose right now, and staying at my mother-in-law's during the week while I'm working.

My truck is registered in WA., up to date tags. I have no plans on living here. I am only here to work so that my wife can go to school here.

If this means that I will have to re-register my truck down here ($51 a year in WA vs. over $300 here) I may be reconsidering this. My truck is an '02 Chevy Silverado 2WD, and since it was over $30k new, I KNOW CA will jack me for $300 OR MORE.

 

Please tell me I can get away with this. From what you posted about I should have registered my truck almost 6 months ago. I don't understand why if I am actually not living here, only working and going back to WA consistantly, I would have to re-register my truck here. I do not live here, I'm staying here just until my wife is done with college.

[waynekarnes]

officially, the moment you found employment in the state of california and drive in the state, you are supposed to register your vehicle.

 

there are so many tourists here it is doubtful that an officer is gonna stop and ticket you.

 

i drove my 70 LT-1 vette with nevada plates ( i had registered it, plates and tags were under the seat ) for almost 2 years with 4 yr old expired tags. i was never questioned.

 

however, i drove my 86 nissan pick up for 7 years with no plates, white paper taped to windshield. started taking same route every morning to work. campbell cop got curious. flipped u turn, red lights, blip of siren.

 

checked reg. checked paper from dealer on windshield. i handed him plates still in envelope from under the seat. he told me, plates are correct ones for my truck, best be on there next time he sees me.

 

keep doing what you are doing. chances are you won't be stopped. if you are, courts give you chance to get registered, bring proof to court and you pay a fine.

 

think one has 10 days to register car they have bought, within the state or from out of state.

 

be advised that if you are caught, to register your out of state car, it will be required to pass a smog inspection.

 

oh and you will be required to have a valid ca driver's lic as well.

 

http://www.caldrive.com/law.html

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/newtoca/newtoca.htm

 

check there for more info. the bottom link is calif dmv website

 

secret is, don't get caught.

[alsil]

officially' date=' the moment you found employment in the state of california and drive in the state, you are supposed to register your vehicle.

 

there are so many tourists here it is doubtful that an officer is gonna stop and ticket you.

 

i drove my 70 LT-1 vette with nevada plates ( i had registered it, plates and tags were under the seat ) for almost 2 years with 4 yr old expired tags. i was never questioned.

 

however, i drove my 86 nissan pick up for 7 years with no plates, white paper taped to windshield. started taking same route every morning to work. campbell cop got curious. flipped u turn, red lights, blip of siren.

 

checked reg. checked paper from dealer on windshield. i handed him plates still in envelope from under the seat. he told me, plates are correct ones for my truck, best be on there next time he sees me.

 

keep doing what you are doing. chances are you won't be stopped. if you are, courts give you chance to get registered, bring proof to court and you pay a fine.

 

think one has 10 days to register car they have bought, within the state or from out of state.

 

be advised that if you are caught, to register your out of state car, it will be required to pass a smog inspection.

 

oh and you will be required to have a valid ca driver's lic as well.

 

http://www.caldrive.com/law.html

 

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/newtoca/newtoca.htm

 

check there for more info. the bottom link is calif dmv website

 

secret is, don't get caught.

 

*sigh*

Figures. CA tries to get you any way they can.

Problem is, I have to park 2 houses down from the house I'm staying at because there's no room. Campbell cops go by all the time, it's a pretty busy street. Ya gotta know they're gonna notice sooner or later. Shizzle....

One thing though - WA plates look a LOT like CA plates - same colors and there are 7 digits on my plate just like most CA plates. They may not even notice that it's an out of state plate unless they check close.

I'm not worried about it passing smog - it runs killer and it's only a couple years old. Since it's an '02 its already inside the window where they are all CA level cars, so it has the same smog gear (which isn't much on the LS2-style motors).

I'm more worried about the fact that I don't really live here....my residence is in WA. If I get pulled over I just go back and forth for work (which I do). Only thing is I spend more time down here now..... *sigh*

Might have to get a cheapy-beater car for down here for 3 years - if it costs less than $500 it'll be cheaper than registering my truck in CA

The license isn't a biggie - $25 isn't much to fork over. I'd just rather stay a WA resident

Thanks for the info.

Anyone have an old 510 or Celica (pre-'74) that they wanna let go for CHEAP?