nscason Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 i live in california and i live in (at least thats what i have been told) one of three counties that doesnt require smog every 2 years. my car was smogged before i bought it and thats it. never again. hahahaha. i do hate the damn california emissions laws though. i will be screwed if i have to get my car smogged at any point. sorry for the ranting, but i never get to say that to anybody. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 You think that is neat, I was in THE last area of the LA Basin taht still had only a static Idle and 2500 test. When my wife went into get her 2000 Frontier tested, they guy rolled it up on the dyno, punched in the registration information....and went "Huh! Well this will be easy!" and then did the "Old Test"... Three miles in almost any direction and I would have had to Dyno Test. Then it all changed as people squeezed out to my area. As it will for you one day. Problem will be there, it will go from nothing straight to Dyno Testing. Be ready for the wakeup call! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nscason Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 thats what i am dredding. i wonder if a better more efficient working motor with a cat on it would pass or do you need all of the goofy smog crap? and if that day comes and i cant pass it after doing all kinds of things then its time to park it and get ahold of a 240. that or move away. i think there is the no smog every 2 years because mex is a hop, skip and a jump away. a good portion of the people living here probobly wouldnt be able to pass and afford it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 25, 2007 Share Posted January 25, 2007 All emissions equipment must be in place and functional to pass the visual/functional testing. Until the 35 Collector's Visual Exemption comes into being... That only affects 73's now... A few more years for you car to be in that program. Then it only matters what comes out the tailpipe---the way it should have been in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 from testing my zxt engine it usually had high nox with out operating egr.if you lean it out nox will go up.hc is no problem with a well tuned engine and a cat convertor.but i think there is an extra programmable output on ms that could run a egr solonoid.an external speed actvated switch to kill the egr circuit and program the ms to switch the circuit depending on manifold vacuem and water temp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 26, 2007 Share Posted January 26, 2007 from testing my zxt engine it usually had high nox with out operating egr.if you lean it out nox will go up.hc is no problem with a well tuned engine and a cat convertor.but i think there is an extra programmable output on ms that could run a egr solonoid.an external speed actvated switch to kill the egr circuit and program the ms to switch the circuit depending on manifold vacuem and water temp. Exactly, Randy! One of the programmable I/O's will work the EGR just fine. Especially if you follow the same parameters listed in the FSM. For my 260 Project, the initiation comes from the speed sensor in the speedo head and the 'third gear switch' in the tranny. So it will function and to casual observers look exactly like a stock set of flat top SU's running an incredibly strong matching numbers 'L26'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I couldn't find any reference to having a lambda, afr, wideband, o2, etc gauge at all in the California Vehicle Code. I found a nice html copy at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/vc.htm and you can download it in PDF at http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vcpdftoc.htm so if anyone can show me I missed something, please do. Also, dosen't the EGR on the Z's L6 run off manifold vacume through a thermostatic valve so it only works once the engine's warm. I figure since it alters intake O2 content and not MAP, megasquirt should be able to handle it in the stock configuration with a warm engine and closed-loop mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 Yes, you can configure the output on the MS to work within a specified Temperature range (say above 170 degrees F, like stock) and within a specified range (again, above 1500 rpms, like stock). This way the output from the MS signals a relay (I don't know if the output can srive a solenoid directly, I doubt it!) to signal a solenoid that allows manifold vacuum to the EGR diaphragm. This will allow stock EGR metering just like stock. There is not section in the CVC regarding instrumentation, but recently there has been an "Educational Campaign" in the Law Enforcement Community that uses "signals" for a stop and reasons to search further. It involved how to recognize 'Tuner' vehicles---i.e. those that likely have illegal modifications. These hints and giveaways were things like "Gauge Pods", "Front Mounted Intercoolers", "Larger Exhaust Pipes", and generalizations like "Accessorized Underhood Detailing"---the CHP was advised that if they saw these things to CITE the vehicle, and send it in to a Referee Station for a Compliance Check. This is within their purview as outlined in the CVC. So you get cited bacuse you have gauges. It doesn't mean they are ILLEGAL, but it means in the training session they went through it was given as a "probable cause for suspicion for illegal modifications" which is along the original line of reasoning given to him---it was just misstated, or blatantly lied about. If they pull you over and THINK you have modified the vehicle to be outside of compliance, they CAN cite you and send you to the Referee. So can your fellow citizen by calling a toll-free number, identifying himself, and giving the 1-800-CUT-SMOG people your vehicle description and tag number, saying they see black smoke pouring out your tailpipe when you passed, and saying it smelled like a gasoline station on fire...in a few days you get a nice letter from the DMV that says report in XX hours or your vehicles' license will be suspended, and that continued registration is contingent upon successful completion of the Referee Station Inspection. Of course, that can also generate a 'random out of cycle testing' letter as well. After several automotive company employees got tagged with 'random testing' requests for EVERY VEHICLE THEY OWN after their cars were featured in a Tuner Performance Magazine with their plates in clear view, and names/city/county up in print...the mags decided it was best to blank out those numbers, and maybe be more 'generic and nebulous' with locale information. (These poor bastards were tagged with having to pay smog for several vehicles, including their company-leased vehicles for their wife and themselves, for three years running after their cars showed up in the magazines! Paranoia is a GOOD thing when dealing with the BAR, in that case Big Brother REALLY IS watching!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 What ever happened to innocent until proven guilty? It seems that more and more often people are cited and then have to prove their innocence and pay the price for a long time after because they were 'suspect'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 This is not the way it works with automobiles in the state of California. You have no right to utilize a vehicle on public roads unless you meet their rules. Matter of fact, unless you are paying fees, you can't really even have a vehicle on your own property wihout the state retaining the right to confiscate it if the fees are not paid... Welcome to Government oversight of everyday life. We voted for it, can't complain when it becomes the eventual reality. Before we digress further, let's not go there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twoeightythreez Posted January 27, 2007 Share Posted January 27, 2007 I really hope someone doesn't report me to 1-800-CUT-SMOG....if they do I guess I won't recieve the letter in the mail until I leave the state Darn oil-burning motor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted January 28, 2007 Share Posted January 28, 2007 i think my intercooler will get a coat of flat black paint to make it blend in better.i will have to talk to neighbors .he just graduated from chp school and is working in san jose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
510six Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I am about at the point of buying a LD28 and put a 280zxt manifold on it with a small T3 and driving to the Ref and getting an exception for having a Diesel engine in a pre 75 car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 I'm not sure they'll let you do that. I don't belive they're supposed to certify engines in cars if they're more polluting then the original. Even if they aren't, diesels are generally considered more polluting. There also is the part about using ALL the smog controlled parts from the doner, and an engine the same age or newer then the chassis. But I like the idea about getting the exemption, then being able to do anything. I had quite a bit of fun with my 83 Mercedes 300SD TurboDiesel, until it died. Don't worry, it's death was unrelated to anything I did to the engine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linluv84 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 If its that big of a deal, temporarily 'convert' it to propane and get it exempted for life. A four barrel intake and a propane carb would work nicely. You could probably get away with strapping the tank to the rear deck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Hey, that's a really good idea. How about going electric? Might not work as a temporary solution, but I've seen some electric cars that did some crazy things in the 1/4, and still got 300 miles or more range when street driven. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony D Posted January 31, 2007 Share Posted January 31, 2007 Diesel is a viable alternative. Propane would work IF you rebuilt the engine with 13:1+ compression and remapped the spark curves to give decent power and take advantage of the octane---otherwise the power will be way down with a straight across conversion. CNG will work as well, and surplus vehicles with all the parts are floating around out there. Those Gasseous fuel conversions can be a bear toget initially inspected, moreso than making your gasoline engine pass! Electric just isn't practical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 i consider myself lucky i have has 2 engine swaps pass at the ref 1st time through.but 20+ years working on cars for a living helps.having a smog license helps-you know how the systems work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eec564 Posted February 1, 2007 Share Posted February 1, 2007 Having a smog license might be a dangerous thing to admit around here. You may have people banging down your inbox asking for advice. By the way, I’ve always wanted to know exactly what all gets checked during a normal smog check. The only checks I’ve ever been close enough to observe were done kind of half-assed. From what I understand, the following is checked, please correct me if I’m wrong about something and I’m sure I missed a few things. Vacuum Hose Routing Presence of SMOG devices (EVAP, CAT, SMOG Pump, etc) Timing Gas Cap Seal Tail Pipe Sniff/Dyno & Tail Pipe Sniff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy 77zt Posted February 3, 2007 Share Posted February 3, 2007 eec564-you are correct on what gets checked.on obd2 cars the smog machine plugs into the dlc jack and scans the ecm for dtc's and the check the system monitors(egr,evap,cats,etc).some late model cars are having problems communicating with the smog machine-cars with CAN.controller area network-like tbirds,lincoln ls,some vw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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