IcemanG17

interesting......I know the smog ****'s in the Republic of Ka can be very hard to deal with!!

RCinXS

yes

Erik N

My '78 did pass a rolling smog "pre-test" with a gutted cat about 5-6 years ago in Cali, with the original 4.5L. I opted for the "pre-test" as it was my understanding that by doing so the VIN info would not be entered into the state's Kubrick HAL 2000 computer. My understanding was that if HAL was not involved, there would be no "red flags" raised upon said vehicle if it were to fail, and that those flags could leave a mark on your "permanent record" which could contribute to further DMV smog headaches years down the road.

That being said, they did a very minimal visual inspection of the car, if at all. I pointed out the air injection lines and said it had a "stock cat". They did not seem to care, they just put it on the rollers and ran.

I believe that the non-"W" VIN might have had something to do with their lackadasial approach to the test, as their computer did not pull up the specific details of the car.

Another reason to love OB's IMO.

Koenig-Specials 928

Two years ago I failed the Ontario smog test with no cats. However, it passed easily with Dynomax universal (read el cheapo) free flow cats.

danglerb

Pick the smog check place carefully.

I requested a pre test on a different old car I had to try and diagnose a problem before the real test, and the guy screwed up and got me flagged as a gross polluter.

Mongo

Race cats found at

www.performance-curve.com

Note that they state the cats are illegal in CA but will still ship them here unlike most other businesses.

atb

Yes. With an S4 A/T it helps to be in third gear.

dprantl

If you really want to stay compliant with CARB, why not just get CARB compliant cats?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/WALKE...-/170621724424
http://www.ourdealsrock.net/1173-80301.aspx

Although that first one for S4's doesn't look too good for performance... Or maybe it is? Cat and X-pipe in one

Dan
'91 928GT S/C 475hp/460lb.ft

Mongo

There is no difference between a CARB Cat and a non-CARB cat but the stamp on the body of it, and the $100-$200 price hike.

Speedtoys

I pass on whatever I got from Rob in socal with my Xpipe.

Id consider buying ONE of those Walker cats..just to flash the CARB tag at inspection.

BC

Well, whether or not I Have to change anything to make this happen, it has to happen soon. The registration need to be done before the court date (for being unregistered) in June. I think I'll take something suggested here and do a pre-test with my normal guy, so maybe it stays off the official books.

GlenL

Yes. A while back in Minnesota. Not nearly as strict measurements as CA. The fun part was that they checked for cats and figured the front mufflers had to be cats. My Euro was never modified to have them.

No more testing here now.

Erik N

A Kalifornia tale of two Chevy's:

My dad got stopped in his ranch truck once a few years back for the expired registration he forgot to pay. CHP impounded the thing right there, completely full of stinking garbage (he was on his way to the dump). I had to come pick him up on the side of the road!

Another time, I got stopped in my old Suburbanator (also in Cali) for the same thing. When the CHP saw in his computer that the fees were paid, and I explained that I just needed to get it smogged, he let me go without even a citation.

Don't know what your particular situation is, but I bet that if you were to pre-pay your registration fees, without the smog certificate, I think the Cali courts would smile upon you. I think all they really care about is the money.

Call the DMV HQ in Sacramento 916-452-5556 (why, yes, I do happen to have that number in my phone!) as they are usually better informed than the 800 number.

Erik N

Did you end up selling the car out-of-state? I have heard of that happening.

BC

Its a bit more complex than that, but yes - I will get getting this done in the most efficient manner possible. I have a weird habit of buying these car and just driving them but not really dealing with the registration issues. I have one car I took apart before I titled it properly from years ago. Its still in "limbo" from 2005 but its just a carcass in a field. When I go to actually register it, that will be interesting.