Ifly951

First they probably won't be able to tell you have a 3.0 liter motor.

Take the car to a test only that is not always doing sports cars. I take my cars to places in parts of town where they see everything and don't know ish from shiola when it comes to a 20+ year old car. Keep that in mind.

Get a stock CAT or a new Carb approved for 951 cat. I would recommend contacting lart951 for that.

Hide the standalone is a must, or at least get the wiring in a dirty loom, and put the box in your locked glove box. or put it where the stock computers are. Get the car running to stock specs.

Put in some really good fuel, or do that run rite product. Or the denatured alcohol 30% plus high octane fuel 70 % . If you do this only half tank AT most, and then burn it out in one drive. This works extremelly well for passing the sniffer but is controversial. So I am putting that out there.

Engine should be dirty and without alot of "bling" like chrome couplers and things that don't look stock. No cone air filter either. Must be in a stock type of box, or use the stock 951 box.

I am new here but come from many sports cars that were American and Japanese. I have friends with 300 some 400+ hp Fiero's that pass smog with legal engine swaps. We have learned alot. And I mean alot. Have friends with Turbo Supra's, RX7's and Mazdaspeed 6's. All heavily modified.

Take this for what it's worth, but we have more than been their done that. I actually bought my 951 because I know it will be easier to pass smog than the hassle I had of my other cars. How about that for irony.

My 951 has a 3' exhaust, maf plus supporting mods, and "set at 12lbs" of boost. I will smog it next month doing what I described above. This car will be far easier than my last one, trust me. If you want a challenge try putting a manual V8 into a Fiero and get a CARB sticker. THAT is hard, but we got it done.

fortysixandtwo

It sounds like the inspector will have a field day with my car in its current configuration.
This is the most complete picture I have of under the hood, the only changes are completion in running the manifold pressure reference lines and installing the under hood AVCR stuff. Please excuse the intake, it was quick and cheap fabrication to get air from point A to points B, C, D & E.

Alpineace

paint everything black and throw some dirt on it, and sand down any welds and sandblast it or paint it with wrinkle paint so it look factory. get a stock air box and "fake it"

oh also fake some factory looking decals.

TexasRider

Are you kidding. It must be super duper bad out there. It was one of the reasons the 951 I purchased was for sale. Of course I had to do big work to it as it had been sitting. But it was one of the reasons I bought a 1986 - the 25 year rule is in play in Texas. But then I have not modded it any. Not yet anyway.

Alpineace

I used to live in houston.... Id take a skate board in cali, over a mclaren in houston

schip43

If it's mounted in the stock location, they won't know. If he has to go to a CARB referee, they'll look for it!

alxdgr8

This is how a fellow Audi enthusiast passes CA emissions with his 500+whp car.

Emissions mode:


Normal mode:

TexasRider

While I am not sure why, or excatly what it has to do with California, but sure have at it. I would skip both a skateboard and a Mc too. I am happier with my trucks.

MC951

I just passed smog easily on Friday. Took off the maf and replaced air box back to stock and chips to autothority stage 2. 3" exhaust with a small magnaflow cat. in place of test pipe. I'm set for 2 more years!

Tom M'Guinn

I think I'd flunk that engine bay just for doing that to the poor air filter.

In the meantime, I second everything Ifly951 said...

fortysixandtwo

Hahahah. Hey,I was in a time crunch so I had to use what I could find on the shelf at PepBoys. It also made me not feel bad about using a ball peen hammer to clearance it. On a side note, there are only a couple of places that manufacture the cotton gauze filter material. Its the same stuff as the more expensive filters, build quality and looks are a bit lacking though.

Thanks guys for all the responses, I have a much better idea of what I need to do.
Anybody have a 968 rear engine bay cover? That would hide my coil packs and fpr.

Tom M'Guinn

Oh man, this is just getting worse....

Seriously, that engine bay would set off alarm bells at any CA smog shop.... There are guys who will let some stuff slide if it passes the sniffer, but that engine bay (impressive as it is) would be asking for trouble at most CA smog test places... Needs to look pretty much stock...

dlr944

Does Cali not have a 25 year rule on emission testing?

bw993

If you have a 1975 or older car you are safe from emissions testing, but every car after 1975 is tested. There is no 25 year exemption, because CA wants to eliminate older cars from the highways.

DanaT

How is residency defined?

The company I work for want me to move to CA (no way unless they pay me WHOLE LOT). They are OK if I travel back and forth.

So being a non-resident, can a car be kept in CA with out of state plates?

-Dana