How's the smog check's going?

[pneumo]

I need to get my car smogged soon. I did a pre-test and it passed the tailpipe sniffer, but the dude was failing me for every little non-stock item on my car. He even commented on the vac line going to the boost gage, asked me where's the charcoal cannister? Why did I put it under the battery? and that's the stock location! What a whiney bi***.

So have any of you guys had this much trouble with smog checks lately? I didn't get this much hassle the last two times I went to smog check. I really don't want to go to the junkyard and pilfer a bunch of crappy rubber hoses just to make it like stock again. Anyone know of a test only station that won't throw a fit over a few extra hard pipes? Thanks for the feedback.


BTW this was at Jorges in Mountain View, so don't go there.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

if you pass the sniffer, just look for a place that isn't too strict about visual.

 

[blazebolt]

Just go to those mom and pop smog places. They don't care much about visual. When I was looking for a place to smog my RX-7, they would overlook the visual and I didn't even have to pay extra.

 

[sherwinz28]

Dude, I never thought my talon was going to pass but it did. As long as the smog parts are on there you should be ok. My car had no air filter, which he pointed out, no battery tie down, Bullseye turbo, wierd vacuum lines running everywhere and body parts about to fall off...PM me if you need the location, it's in Hayward. No Guarantee though but I passed.

 

[pneumo]

I thought I took it to a small, out of the way shop, but it turns out he just got fined $1000 for something last month. He was pretty pissed off.

 

[tstkl]

Im kinda tempted to do a pretest with my car as is. it doesnt have a cat, but the last few times it passed it was by far less than 5% of the max required. Its a federal car in a california world, how funny would it be if I passed while all you guys have to put on these highly restrictive cats just to pass. I doubt I would, but a pre test is a pre test

 

[pneumo]

Update: I went to another place to get a pre-test. The dudes there were really cool. He asked if anything was non-stock, I said,"yup" he took a look and told me to get the carb eo#. He didn't give me any sh!t, didn't waste my time with a pre test, and didn't charge me anything. He just said bring the eo# or swap it out. I think my hardpipes are too noticeable, so I'm going to swap them out. PITA, but it beats spending my days off every week trying to find a place that will pass me.

 

[cb3016]

Test Only or just regular? if regular dealerships in my experence just want your money so they will pass you just for the money. Test only shops are harder to find but i'v found a few that just did not care one way or another as long as I had cash. Little money under the table never hurts to skip over visual testing

 

[Ludachris]

I just said #### it and moved to Colorado. No visuals and my car passed the sniffer on a 4wd dyno. Good luck with those CA smog laws

 

[chaclark83]

Move to tennesee. We dont get tested and are pretty much allowed to remove converters. On the flip side cops are dicks about other stuff though.

 

[cdale]

Thank goodness for counties that don't require smog. I just have to be careful about being pulled over and sent to the ref. But I'm keeping the outside completely stock except for maybe dropping it an inch or so.