Cuda911

Mine just passed the visual. None of it is CARB certified. Odd, he failed the car that was just ahead of me for lack of a CARB stamp.

5CHN3LL

I think you're far less likely to get nailed for a stupid hose than, say, a big ol' cone filter dripping with carbon fiber stickers or headers so loud you have to turn the car off to hear why you failed.

Seems like the carbon fiber cap would be more of a trigger than a hose...

sfv_rider

I have an understanding smog inspector, and he sees me in lots of vehicles every other year. For reasons I can't understand, all 5 of my cars that need inspection come due in even-numbered years.

I have a K&N filter on my 996, and he told me that I should fail the inspection for non-CARB approved parts. I showed a web page from CARB that said this installation was compliant and had an EO, but he said he'd fail me next time if I didn't have a sticker from K&N listing the EO number and the part it covered.

Apparently, the CARB people send in ringers to be inspected with vehicles that should fail, and if the inspector lets them pass, the inspector loses their license nearly immediately, for a number of years, if not permanently. Because he knows me, he let me slide this first time the 996 was inspected.

I purchased the car from out of state, and the previous owner installed the K&N, but had no need for the CARB EO sticker. Fortunately, K&N provided the needed sticker after I mailed them proof of ownership, photos of the VIN and emissions sticker, and a photo of the installed filter.

My smog inspector was pleased to see the EO sticker the next time it went in for a smog check. But if you have modified any item that might compromise emissions compliance, from the air filter to the exhaust tips, or internal parts like a lumpy cam, or modified engine electronics, you should fail.

It is heavily in the best interest of the inspector to give you the boot, and refer you and your car to one of the "level 2" emissions inspections, where you and the car will get the third degree. You do not want to be sent there.

docmirror

CARB did important and vital work back in the 70s and 80s to resolve serious air pollution problems in CA. Now, it's mostly a way to skim large companies for a few thou over paper. This is a summary of a typical 'enforcement action':

L and D Limited Partnership (L and D) paid $70,000.00 in penalties for violating the Air Resources Board (ARB) Municipal Solid Waste Landfill Regulations (LMR). The settlement was reached on November 28, 2016.

An investigation conducted by the ARB discovered that L and D failed to submit; (1) the Landfill gas capacity report (17CCR §95463 (b)); (2) failed to conduct the periodic surface emission monitoring (17 CCR §95469); and (3) failed to comply with the required recordkeeping and reporting requirements (17 CCR §95470). As a condition of the settlement L and D agreed to pay the $70,000.00 penalty and to comply with the LMR and other ARB applicable regulations.

So, they didn't fill out a form, walk the lot, and keep other forms onsite. It was cheaper to settle with a $70k bribe than litigate. The settlement records are chock full of cases like this. Usually companies big enough to suck some blood, but not into the marrow where they could be required to go to court. Strangely, the larger the company, the bigger the fine. Gee, what a way to run a state. As for the little guy with his DD(even a Porsche) at the smog check station, your chances of being fined are about the same as you winning the Lotto.

I always advise people in CA to go ahead and have it smogged as it sits. You can always say 'my mechanic did it'. Get a fail(maybe), then go back with the right stuff and get a pass. The inspector gets to puff up his chest and think; 'I saved CA air today!'. Which, for a state worker bee is prolly rather fulfilling.

Cuda911

As part of my work I have to review a ton of regulatory compliance documents. 99% of "violations" are because somebody couldn't find some sort of useless paperwork, like annual employee training records.

docmirror

I hear ya. My company is based in Silly Valley CA and the number 4 guy in our company structure is the compliance officer. He makes more than our VP of R&D, which is shameful. I've come to the conclusion that it all doesn't matter. If the state wants you for something they will find an obscure way to get you. Ever see the movie "Brazil"? It should be renamed "California" and re-released.

5CHN3LL

This is great until you fail spectacularly enough that they bump you into the "referee" system. Then life just sucks until you die of despair.

When you start a business, you'd think there would be a nice "ensuring you comply" packet that would come from the FTB, IRS, or SBA to explain _basic_ requirements (I realize that no document covers all bases for all businesses). At least a "getting started" guide so you know what you're legally required to do would be nice...especially in California, where we have what might be described as a regulatory-friendly environment.

Back when I started my last business in '99, you pretty much hope your lawyer and CPA have enough experience to help you stay out of trouble long enough to learn what you're not complying with. It's completely backwards and frustrating...

jhbrennan

Disconnecting the battery on my 996 reset all the monitors to "not ready" status and I had to do the drive cycle to get them all to read "ready" Check your monitor status with an inexpensive code reader before going to get checked.

docmirror

I had two cars go to referee. I found the guys who worked the ref station were pretty sharp. But you are right, they didn't take and BS. They busted anything. I got one car through by spending the limit to resolve it, and still wouldn't meet specs, so they just said 'okay, it's best we can do, cya'. Weird.

5CHN3LL

We had a gray-market Jag, but that was a very long time ago when the smog referee thing was still new. It's probably gotten a LOT better, but it was definitely one of those "if we'd only realized" purchases...an XJ6 with a small-block V8 SOUNDS like a great idea, but the way it was grafted onto the Jag actually made the electrical system worse. "Actually" because until that point, it was not considered possible to make the electrical system of an XJ worse.

Of course, CARB didn't care that the passenger window would go down if the driver door was open when you used the cigarette lighter. Which was nice.

When it worked, though, it was fun to drive. It made fantastic noises (many of them from the V8 devouring U-joints). It also had a press-fit harmonic balancer that had a tendency to just come off at inopportune times, which made it even more exciting to drive. You haven't lived until you've drilled a hole into the end of a crankshaft using a variable-speed hand drill and an oil can (the Southern engineering technique to resolve the balancer problem).

I know I'm not considered a true "petrol head" if I haven't owned an Alfa, but growing up with two British cars (in SoCal) and keeping them running should count toward some kind of honorary title.

sweet victory

I nearly failed my STAR certified smog inspection because the inspector couldn't see the EO sticker on the side of the K&N Intake. I have the 2ng gen version which is CARB compliant. That being said I wish the car came with the oem intake.