Smog laws changing in 2014?
 

I have been hearing more talk of the Kalifornia smog law changing to sniffer only for 2014 - something about matching the Oregon laws. Any truth to that? Am thinking I shouldn't run out and put long tubes on quite yet.:D

I haven't heard that one (sniffer only)....but that's how it should be.

Pete, it would be nice but you know our government. Do you really think they would give us a break.

Yes sniffer only maybe but as someone pointed out after this post maybe no sniffer at all? But they do plug into the car and make sure nothing in the tune/pcm has been changed from stock or a non CARB approved tune change such as a chip or blower CARB approved system, with tune.

Interesting. How about long tube headers? From everything I've heard, the cars actually burn cleaner with long tubes.

I have always felt that it should be measured on what actually comes out of the exhaust and what goes into the air and not by what after market equipment that is on the vehicle.
If a after market exhaust system such as long tube headers should indeed lower the numbers (after all, isn't this the object of these tests) any method to derive these numbers should be acceptable regardless how they were obtained.

Check this out guys!!, I got this from smogtips.com.

AB 2289 - New Smog Check Law

Set to begin January 01, 2013; Model year 2000 and newer vehicles will no longer require the tailpipe emissions test portion of the smog check process. AB 2289 will require late model vehicles be administered the smog check's visual and functional tests only.

The implementation of AB 2289 is expected to reduce the time and cost of the smog check. The program will now take better advantage of a vehicle's OBD II technology by eliminating tailpipe testing and instead using the vehicle's own OBD II emissions monitoring system.

This new smog test system is already in place in 22 other states. "This new and improved program will have the same result as taking 800,000 old cars off the road, also resulting in a more cost effective program for California motorists." said ARB Chairman, Mary D. Nichols.

Currently California's smog check procedure requires all vehicles undergo a tailpipe emissions inspection to measure harmful pollutant output from the tailpipe, a visual inspection for present and properly installed emissions components, a functional test to insure the proper operation of various emission components; and as part of the functional test, an OBD II computer diagnostic check.

Under AB 2289, the tailpipe emissions portion of the smog inspection will be eliminated for 2000 model and newer cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs.

Background on the OBD II system - All vehicles imported into the United States as of 1996 have had to be equipped with an On Board Diagnostics system referred to as OBD II. The OBD II diagnostic system is designed to monitor all aspects of your engine's emission conditions and report this information to a central database within it's computer. This information is processed and checked against the computers pre-determined values for various input levels and performance patterns.

If any problems are found, the computer will determine whether to alert the driver or not. If a decision has been made to alert the driver of an emissions problem, the "Check Engine" or "Engine Malfunction" light will illuminate on the vehicle's dashboard. In more serious emission conditions the computer may even begin to rapidly flash the "Check Engine/Malfunction" light indicating to the driver, that the vehicle needs immediate diagnosis/repair attention.

AB 2289 now requires the smog test inspection to rely on data from a vehicle's own on board emissions computer to determine the vehicle's harmful emissions production as opposed to using a smog machine to sample the vehicle's emissions output from the tailpipe. This design is expected to reduce the cost of equipment at the smog station, reduce the amount of time it takes to smog check a vehicle, and reduce the cost of the smog inspection to the consumer.


Miles:
Which Type Should I Choose?


The Entire Emissions Test Process... Step-by-Step

Part 1. Emissions Inspection
Part 2. The Visual Inspection
Part 3. The Functional Tests

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AB 2289 - New California Smog Check Law






AB 2289 - Makes changes to the following smog inspection procedures and guidelines:

A. Authorize the use of On Board Diagnostic II testing to expedite the process.

B. Vehicles known to release large amounts of pollution must test at stations with the highest performance ratings.

C. Stricter fines structure for improper inspections.

D. Permit the state to contract with the private sector to manage franchise-like networks of independently owned Smog Check stations.

E. Encourage community colleges and other training institutions to develop technician-training programs.

So why doesn't it apply to the OBD II cars from the '90s?


Chuck

I'd be happy with just a tailpipe sniffer. Get rid of the visual. Who cares what the heck is on the car as long as it runs clean. I get sick and tired of seeing one pre-1974 crop duster after another, driving around perfectly legal, and I my '99 coupe won't pass if it have long tube headers. Am meeting more people who are registering their Vettes out of state.

Problem as I understand the new testing regarding the headers is that the cats are located further away than stock and will give a different reading hence throwing a code.

Plus they do not get as hot, being further away, which limits there intended function.

Not sure about the number of thrown codes that will be accepted. The rear sensor on the cat will show not ready.

Personally I took my headers off. Just did not want to deal with the possibilities.

I did go with the Z06 system and a re tune, let's hope this will pass in regards to the tuning. The cats are in the stock location with just a bigger dia. pipe used in the Z06.

I have also read that there exists some codes that when a tune occurs changes these values and this too will send a flag.

I still have my stock set up in the garage. Not sure if anything the tune might cause.

They want to make it more difficult to change the car from factory stock regarding performance which tampers with the emissions.

I still may have a problem....

It is my understanding, and I got this from the smog guy next to my shop, the 90's don't contain pieces of information that are checked via the newer OBD II. For instance, he told me that if you pull the Engine Control module and replace it with a tuned one, then put the original back for a smog check it will set a code because the mileage difference between the original being pulled and then put back, And as we all know with a code set you won't pass.
It was his understanding that there is a low mileage allowance to allow for replacements of ECMs

They can kiss my ass. I can load a stock tune and get it smogged, turn around and load the other tune back in. No sniffer is fine with me in fact just makes it much easier to pass not running a sniffer test and plug in only. Can have a nasty cam in it, run race gas and pollute like crazy and no sniffer? Those guys are gonna love that new system. Sometimes the CARB people seem like they are going backwards...LOL

"the same result as taking 800,000 old cars off the road" How's that? That doesn't make any sense at all. This seems completely backwards to me. How long before someone comes up with software that makes the car "look perfect".

As I recall from years ago when I was in Japan, their law was when a car reach a certain milage the car was taken off the road a scraped..maybe CA is trying to go to this action.

Maybe the same consideration should be given to these people who dream up these laws that come from the deepest depths of their anal passages :woohoo:

This where a lot of import engines come from and why.

Importing From Japan Frequently Asked Questions | TS EXPORTwww.ts-export.com/faq.phpCached - Similar
You +1'd this publicly. Undo
How can I import containers of used auto parts from Japan with TS EXPORT? ..... for vehicles in Japan to be scrapped after a certain age or number of kilometres. ... in Japan with over 100000 kilometres are considered "high mileage" and can be ... The Japanese Government introduced the Law for Recycling of End of Life ...

They also scrape cars in China. Any car that is 15 years old can not be on the road. They are trying to keep the amount of cars on their roads down. Last I heard, they are trying to pass the same type of law in Taiwan and Hong Kong.

I can believe it Charlie...with Japan being about the of CA. something has to be done. I remember when we'd deploy to Japan us incoming guys would buy cars off of guys leaving Japan and made sure those cars had some time left on them so you'd have a car for awhile.
Once they reached a certain mileage or condiction they could not be registered and had to be turned in to a government scrap yard (I believe they would pay the owner something for it).

If something was done like that in CA or even a safety inspection of vehicales a lot of cars would be taken off the road. But then the state would lose alot of money in registrations.

I've had a tune on all my cars and my dads car and never had an issue with smog. My car actually burned cleaner then what it needed to when it had Headers with highflow cats, intake, and tune.

I have heard something similiar to this at 60,000 miles and those engines end up here to be used in cars that use those engines.:lurk: