I am planning to smog my wagon soon. I recently reverted to my stock DP and stock BPV. I also installed the CARB sticker on my K&N filter. I still have an aftermarket uppipe and EWG so I am concerned about passing, but they are not visible unless you really look.

I read that I should try to go to a smog shop near malls during peak time. Any other advice? If anyone has any names/locations please PM me.

Thanks

 

 

All I will say is this, the uppipe isn't really visible and smog guys can't really tell aftermarket from OEM as long as you don't have some flashy polished/chromed out one.

All the smog is on your car, is a visual and then a check of the ECU to see if you have any codes. It doesn't care if you have a tune, all it cares about is that you have zero codes thrown.

 

the EWG might be an issue tho.

 

This. AFR or any extra gauges will also attract more scrutiny.

 

I had gauges on mine and never had it questioned. If the car posts good numbers, they are less likely to start nit picking the car. If it fails, depending on the shop, they may start checking everything more closely. Same with EWG - some shops may not look that close while others will.

 

They don't care about numbers, like overbear said it's mostly visual/codes. (Hell, he was there at RBMS when I went in specifically to get my downpipe swapped out for smog.)

 

Long as you have OBD2 you don't even have to worry about numbers. Just as long as you have no codes stored and the light is off, you pass. (well all but visual, you still have to pass the look over)

 

Oh, yeah, his car is 05 so ECU. Same thing though, if it comes up clear, then less likely to look as close.

 

Visual is the killer now a days.

For ****s-n-giggles (also because I got a free retest if fail), on my last smog, I went in catless

I had a turbo heatshield and chimney covering up most of the DP so it was really hard to see. Also have large primitive skid plate under the car so you cant see it from under, plus the car is pretty low lol. I passed everything but visual. He couldnt verify the cats were on the car. And this was to a shady place that ive heard "good" things about as long as it passes everything else...

.. But this was also post diesel gate

 

Take it in as you have it. You should pass.

State ref would crucify you, but a regular SMOG shop will pass your setup

 

True, but the visual is given significantly more attention these days with the MY2000 changes that went in I think last year. My last smog was much harder and we had to talk about fuel rails for the first time in 4 years.

Yep - depends on how excited the tech is to do the visual.

Yep - I had to disconnect my EGT the first time around and having that plus Boost made them poke around a little more.

More or less, but if a car is OBD2 but pre MY2000 it will still get the sniffer (IIRC). MY2000 and up they just check codes and visual (just did this on my '00 2.5RS).

Yeah if it weren't for this aspect, or if my old shop did not shut down, I would have just smogged my car and put it up for sale. Now it's fire sale time.

 

Just sell it in WA or OR where it won't matter what it has on.

 

Totally, just ran out of time. Was waiting on a friend who was going to help get some parts that just never seemed to happen, then another friend stepped up to buy it from me, then said no, and I just ran out of time. If I still have it this Friday I am going to have to find a storage place where I can leave it for ~3 months, then come back and either ship it or sell it. I spent too much time listening to my friends instead of just doing what I planned to do in the first place. I'm not a smart man.

 

Thanks for all the replies. I no longer have any gauges and passing OBD2 won't be an issue

Is there a certain type of Smog shop I should go to? I recently moved from out of state, so all this is new.