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Proud new owner of a stock 2007 997.1TT tiptronic (GT silver, pic below). I'm evaluating my options for modding the car but I would like to keep it CA smoggable -- is it possible to tune the car and still pass smog? If not, what do people in CA do -- de-tune to smog then re-tune?
Prior owner had a milltek exhaust with 200 cell cats, but it was throwing constant CEL so he swapped back to stock to smog it for the sale. Based on that I'm assuming I can't get away with swapping out the exhaust -- but if I'm wrong there please let me know.
I tried searching but came up empty, sorry if this has been beaten into the ground already.
Last time I went in, I simply un-flashed back to stock a while beforehand and checked the ready codes myself. But I had a stock exhaust/cats then; next due in June '18 I think and will likely have more mods.
There have been a couple of long threads on this recently on the 996TT forums here and on 6speed. Basically, if you're not throwing codes then you can roll the dice with the visual inspection. Most cars with aftermarket exhausts pass it seems. If you do get codes and clear them, then you've got the nightmare of the OBD readiness to contend with.
Ah, I fondly remember the "good ol' days" where my friend Benjamin would help get just about anything passed. My early cars were a nightmare for a while before exempted. My mechanic once told me "you can tune MFI (mechanical injection) either to be driveable or to pass smog; not both at the same time". He would literally have to re-tune the car for each smog check and then change it back.
"I heard" of other shenanigans where operators would hook up a different car to the tailpipe sniffer and then enter the customer's VIN.
Today it's a cakewalk in some ways...it's all relative...
I passed in October with a super loud catless exhaust and a tune. My car has test pipes and a x-pipe with no mufflers. They didn't even look underneath it. Just depends where you take it, but if you get a place like i did, they won't say anything unless theres something glaringly obvious when they open the hood up.
I would strongly suggest finding a shop that does not look for problems. That said, I have a tune and zero issues. Hoses and an aftermarket exhaust caused concerns, but i still passed.
In Texas you can't register/renew tags without inspection. Not sure about CA.
Same in CA - no registration tags on plate = a guaranteed ticket, sooner or later. It can get worse if not dealt with...
ARTICLE 1. Authority to Remove Vehicles [22650 - 22711] ( Article 1 enacted by Stats. 1959, Ch. 3. )
22651.
A peace officer, as defined in Chapter 4.5 (commencing with Section 830) of Title 3 of Part 2 of the Penal Code, or a regularly employed and salaried employee, who is engaged in directing traffic or enforcing parking laws and regulations, of a city, county, or jurisdiction of a state agency in which a vehicle is located, may remove a vehicle located within the territorial limits in which the officer or employee may act, under the following circumstances:
....
(o)(1)(A) With a registration expiration date in excess of six months before the date it is found or operated on the highway, public lands, or the offstreet parking facility.
Damn that sucks, I dont have any inspection sticker on my car. Not that it wont pass, I just cant stand the way they look lol
In Texas it's all on the computer now - you get the inspection, it's logged into a database and you can then get tags. Only sticker on the windshield is registration - no more inspection stickers.
04-10-2017, 06:34 PM
CA smog - what mods can I run and still "pass"?
