Many states use the OBDII style of smog check. CA wil be moving to it soon. (Was supposed to be 6-2013, but that day has come and gone and we still use the sniffer)

For the first couple years people may be able to get away with tuned ECU's, as the system CA is using is an outdated program. Once they update everything, meaning everyone (Smog shops) then it will get a little harder.

What is working on other brands is to have a true guru write up a whole new program for the stock ECU. This will make the OBD transmit stock figures even when reset. This is easy when you have 10,000 computer geeks driving Honda's, they solved this problem long ago because they all mess with their motors and ECU's and were in dire need of a solution. But when it comes to cars that are not as prevalent in numbers, and whose owners are less likely to mod their cars, it will take longer to find that guru we so desperately need.





In short - OP, get stock cats. Bite the bullet and pony up the bucks.

**Note to self** Keep a stock ECU and Exhaust system on hand to rent out to people who need to pass smog

 

Interesting. I'd always wondered why CA hadn't moved to OBD smogging - good to know that we'll get there eventually. It does suck for the smog shops that have had to plow money into hardware every time CA gets another wild burr and modifies the requirements. I know of at least one guy who closed because he couldn't afford the new hardware...

 

Absolutely, passed two months ago with flying colors No tricks or sneaky stuff, just hooked it to the machine and it passedThey are tremendous, they make the car feel so much sportier...

 

Amazing. Shops in my area won't be as lenient Most likely will fail the visual inspection.

 

First off on a retuned 996 ECU, you can have the option to lower the threshold on the o2 sensors. It still does the check but with a lower threshold before it will trigger CEL.

Secondly for Cali peeps that can pass with cell 200 cat elements but might fear the visual inspection, Carnewal offers an exchange program where the cut open your factory cats and installs cell 200 cat elements and TIG welds them back up. This could be another option.

http://beta.carnewal.be/products/P96...-to-Sport-Cats

 

Thanks, Alpine. That's an interesting option. Stock cat is like $1.7k + shipping each from Sunset so this option costs about half of that but will need to mod both cats at the same time though.

 

I ran AWE cats for a bout 6,000 miles and liked them. Just posted them for sale since I am selling my 996 and needed to put back the oem cats. Here in CA they will not smog the vehicle with aftermarket cats.

 

+1 for Fabspeed.

 

^^^ Ditto, same here.

Chris @Fabspeed: Before I installed the Fabspeed Performance Package, I asked if it would pass CA smog and was told "Yes." After speaking to several people now, I'm not so sure. Can you please confirm? Thanks!

 

+3 for Fabspeed. Also, check out this recent thread here along the same lines of this one.

 

Hi,

Our sport cats will pass a sniffer test in Ca provided the engine & electronics are in good order. They will not pass a visual.

 

Regarding California, I found the following link for California EPA Air Resources Board approved aftermarket catalytic converters;

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...ktcatdbase.htm

You can search for approved cat manufacturers by vehicle type. Unfortunately none of the suppliers that we would consider for our 996’s are approved.

 

Just an update. CARB approved cats are finally available for our cars. However, from the photos, it doesn't look like particularly well made (the pipe doesn't have uniform diameter and looks crimped??)

http://www.converterwarehouse.com/ca...oductID=508961

 

Lol, that looks like Midas did it. That's the equivalent to taking your 996 to Maaco to get a paint job.

 

I know. The pipe looks like soda can thin...