Rob Edwards

Take your new 928 to one of those places, not the 3rd.

Many people have purchased C02 (49-state) market 928s and brought them into California, if the car's never been registered here they just require a visual inspection of the VIN tags and a valid california smog certificate. I've done it, helps to do the inspection at AAA if only because the lines are shorter and the ladies are friendlier. Get the car shipped to you from out of state, get a 1 day moving permit from the DMV or AAA, get the car smogged, then go to AAA and have the inspection and registration paperwork completed. Done.


Don't make it into a bigger deal than it is, there are no mechanical differences between a C02 (49-state) and a C03 (California) market car other than the stickers. (well, ok, in 85-86 there's one difference in one vacuum hose attaching to the throttle body. Like a smog shop would A) know to check for it, and B) check for it.)

Socal_Tom

Finannly got out of meetings and decided to call the SMOG Referee program.

I spoke with Sarah at the SMOG Referee scheduling and info line and , after checking with her supervisor, confirmed that a 49 state used car is OK so lomg as it passes the California standard for that year and model. That the care doesn't have a California when new sticker is not an issue so long as it passes the standard test (including visual).

Side note - only had to hold for 4 minutes and the SMOG people were super helpful.

BC

Not that complex. No differences between 49 and 50.

As anything else in a bureaucracy, it depends on the human administering. I have passed cars with and without air pumps, with and without cats, and I have had failures just because a hose was not going from the air diverter to the air box.

I no longer allow any pieces to "look" out of place when I go. I cover items as much as possible, and I remove that damn sticker from the hood. I do not need these people to be given more info than they need.

I do not allow them to do more than snoop with a flashlight. No touching the engine, and no taking anything off. When they do that, I call it off and ask for my money back.

Next, there will be extended belly pans covering whatever may be from the oil pan to the center of the car.

Speedtoys

You "do not allow them to do their job"...

Interesting POV.

It's only a matter of time. I applaud your efforts to actually be 'victimized' later down the road by the system, because you're actively poking at it.

And when it does bite back..dont post a thread about what a ****show it is..because you're changing the rules and asking for it.


Note: Im not a greenie, but when you're SAYING that you will not let a tech do their job..when it's their job and fines on the line...you're going far beyond simple smog rules kvetching.

BC

Smog rules are laid out in easy to find documentation. The system is a set of procedures, policies, and in some cases laws.

I have no clue WTF you are talking about when you use the word "Victimized". I am not a victim, and I am not changing any rules.

And I don't appreciate you attributing a quote as if I said it. I didn't say that so I'd like a correction on that. I find it strange that you would wish to twist it that way and respond as if making sure rules are followed on BOTH sides of the government contract between government/governed is somehow incorrect. Telling.

The "smog techs" in California are there to make money, just like everyone else. And they follow a byzantine set of bureaucratic rules that are made to nearly be incomprehensible. But just like speed laws, when the rules read carefully, there are many that can be used to protect the "consumer" or "Citizen" from being swallowed by overzealous actions by the state or the state designate.

Each smog tech has documentation via the web or actual binders to find out what they need to know about each car that comes in. It is their job to do this research to carry out the state's mandate that the car be "inspected". I have no vested interest in making that job easier on them. But in reality, they want the 50 bucks and the pass, so they can move on to the next car.

For the OP - he is so concerned over the laws of CA and an old car, which CA is actively trying to make MORE difficult to own, that he had to seek out advice on whether it would even accept a 49 state car. The outcome of the bureaucracy was a confused citizen concerned over following laws that many times make little sense to the people on the ground.

Socal_Tom

Good afternoon gentlemen, I wanted to follow this thread up with a thank you. The S4 I brought down from Oregon is now officially good to go with the state of California.

Thanks for the discussion and background information on this thread, it was quite helpful.

V2Rocket

just as a footnote to this thread related to the two posts below, under the smog rules of CA the tech is NOT PERMITTED to remove any parts of the car, at all. no engine covers, fender liners, undertrays, etc. all fall under "partial disassembly".

if checking for compliance for XYZ requires removal of some fastened/affixed part, the tech is supposed to skip that portion of the test and put N/A on the printout.

Socal_Tom

Interesting, didn't know that.

polecat702

Buy one of those hoods, with the sticker from Mark Anderson, and forget about it!

Wow! 50 bucks for the smog test, that's steep! Only 15, here in Clark County, Nevada. The other counties, in the state don't require a smog test.

FWIW, my car is supercharged, and wouldn't pass the visual, but here when a vehicle is 25 years old, you can get a Classic vehicle plate. The car is limited to 5,000 miles a year, but that's on the honor system. Ya just tell the rep at DMV, and you still pay an extra 20, for the plate every year, but no smog test.

V2Rocket

...you got room in your mailbox for one more registration card?

polecat702

Sure.

dr bob

Last Cali smog check I did, my usual place (former 928 owner and good car guy) had a new tech. look at it first. he was asking a lit of questions on vacuum lines and pieces based on the hood sticker diagram. He couldn't seem to get his head around the idea that diagram is upside-down when stuck on the hood. With the trays on he could have seen the back end of the cats, but he didn't look that far back. Took a quick look right behind the wheels, saw the trays, then just asked if the cats were there.

The fuel tank cap is going to be an issue for 928 owners at some point, mostly because the actual "seal" is part of the tank nozzle rather than in the cap itself. It will be interesting if they try to find a way to pressurize the tank to test its sealing integrity without a) risking blowing connections apart, or b) disassembling anything for the test. The test protocol still includes testing the cap. My "usual place" guy just stuck a handy cap on his tester so the machine could record a "pass".

-----

Here in the high desert volcanic wasteland that is our new central Oregon neighborhood, "we don't need no stinkin' smog tests" is unfortunately true at least per the law. A measurable percentage of the cars and trucks on the road here have that 1960's tailpipe fragrance that I'd hoped to forever forget. Seems rural areas just don't feel the need to save their world and even just their downwind neighbors.

V2Rocket

^^ dr. bob, your post relates to mine above.
the gas cap itself may be wonky to test but as far as the evap system check where they hook up to the filler nozzle...

by law (regulation?) the tech has to clamp the fresh air hose on the charcoal canister before attempting the evap test.

i have only seen the canister on an S3 (tucked up under the PS front fender) but imagine other years of 928 have it in the same spot.

if you have "full coverage" plastic fender liners that hide the evap can, the tech can't clamp the hose (without removing the fender liner = partial disassembly), therefore can't do the test and is required to put N/A for that portion of the test.

dr bob

The canisters have always been in that location. The Y pipe connections include the vapor line into the engine bay right by the washer filler neck, so it would make sense to do any pressurizing there for testing. ASSuming the teck could do it without un-clamping the vapor hose and pressurizing the whole filler-canister-tank-etc as one. Would be an interesting exercise, but... I'm not a fan of pressurizing a tank of fuel, looking for leaks.

It's been about 5 years since my car last had to pass Cali smog. Maybe the tank test is part of the protocol now?

V2Rocket

it is at STAR stations (like normal smog check, but with added features!).

im sure there are other ways to actually test the pressure-holding ability of the system, but the evap test procedure "by the book" says to clamp the air vent hose coming out of the charcoal can.