Ok 3rd time I failed a state ref inspection in California..

[meliketoball]

3rd time I failed..I went in this morning with ONE gallon of 87 in my tank, all stock parts on and failed. Maxium is 54 HC and I measured 73 HC.

I changed and cleaned various parts related to the emission system. I clean/replaced such things like the alternator, cleaning the EGR, running fuel additives and driving the car for a while to heat up the cat. etc.

I did everything I can think of except going under the car and replacing the cat..I was thinking about replacing it and upgrading it as well with a high flowing cat.

I was quoted a high flowing cat and 3 inch cat-back piping for 370 customly done and installed at a local muffler shop. Good deal?

On the phone, the guy told me that for 1997 cars don't have a high flow cat application. I was confused due to the fact that I see it on other 2gs here as well and that my cat is being monitered by an o2 sensor..

He also told me that if he does put it on, there will be no warranty if the cat fails and that made me ponder if the high flow cat will pass smog..

So yeah, I am asking to the fellas who live in California went in and passed smog with a high flow cat and cat-back exhaust because I am sick of going in multiple times paying 30 bucks every 2 times..

So let me know!

 

[meliketoball]

Thanks guys, I already asked my friend to see if I can borrow is cat but he felt sketchy about it.

Morpherex: I went with a Magnaflow because its a popular brand and used by everyone else in various of cars.

California is bullcrap. Crap roads and freeways and strict emission rules only there to steal your money.

You are burning oil buddy.That's why your HC count is high. Two options - 1.) Put on a brand new cat and drive straight to the smog place 2.) Fix the burning oil issue (probably the turbo).

I know for sure its not my turbo, its my valve seals. I just don't have the time and cash to pull the timing to replace it.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Umm... RRE offers a high flow cat that WILL pass you.

I have this very same cat you speak of. The 3" high flow cat from rre, along with the rre 3" downpipe and greddy PE 3" catback. Alone with my 50 trim, denso 660s, walboro 190, huge fmic, etc. I've passed with this setup in the Bay area with 91 octane for over 5 years now.

 

[meliketoball]

I have this very same cat you speak of. The 3" high flow cat from rre, along with the rre 3" downpipe and greddy PE 3" catback. Alone with my 50 trim, denso 660s, walboro 190, huge fmic, etc. I've passed with this setup in the Bay area with 91 octane for over 5 years now.

Well, I don't think anyone in the Bay Area like myself has a 4g63 7-bolt with 194,xxx miles.

Old motor=Old geezer like defiant.

 

[pneumo]

My Laser has been failing/passing for 6 years now. It has 228k miles on the motor, although the valvestem seals were replaced 2 years ago. Some tricks I learned to pass are to use BPR6ES plugs gapped to .032", make sure the gas tank does not have any injector/fuel system cleaner stuff still in it, you want pure gas, use heat wrap on your downpipe to keep the cat hot, swap in a new stock cat (about $110 from Kragen), datalog the car to make sure it's running good and the trims are centered, and don't hit boost for about a week before the test.
Just before the test, heat the car up with about 20 minutes of freeway driving, no boost, just steady high speed cruising around 60-70mph. This will heat up the cat without dumping a rich A/F mixture through the new cat. I keep a stock size cat in my closet that only gets used for smogtest.
I got lucky this year and passed the first time.

 

[meliketoball]

Thanks for the advice but, I am getting my refund for the magnaflow cat and instead of going to see the state referees, I am just going to pay the fine instead, mosts about the same just without the bullspit of seeing them.

 

[turboglenn]

Do they plug up to your OBD-II port there as well? I have a stand alone (a.k.a. no obd anything) and would love to live in cali... I've beeen debating in this order best to last Florida, Texas, Airizona, California... Texas and Cali were the only ones where poeple said their cars had to have the sniffer put in the pipe to get it legal. In TX you can do it on a stand alone because they don't plug up to OBD-II ( at least 5 years ago they didn't when i was there)

Sorry if it's a bit OT, but just wondering..

 

[Avionixx]

Yep, an OBD-II functional test is part of the inspection. If you know your smog tech well, you can skip it with a simple press of the 'No' button on the screen.

 

[pneumo]

Thanks for the advice but, I am getting my refund for the magnaflow cat and instead of going to see the state referees, I am just going to pay the fine instead, costs about the same just without the bullspit of seeing them.

that's the easy way? ouch.
I can see it your way, too. This way it's over and done.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Thanks for the advice but, I am getting my refund for the magnaflow cat and instead of going to see the state referees, I am just going to pay the fine instead, mosts about the same just without the bullspit of seeing them.

PAying the fine is the easy way out. But to have to use it with your plain jane setup. If you had a built stroker motor with tubular manifold, external, huge turbo, standalone, smim, etc, then yes the easy way out saves a lot of time and money from finding stock parts and the labor to put them back and then put the aftermarket stuff back on after the test.

You are so close, try some of the advice. If this state ref is because you got a ticket--I'm assuming so, how bout when it comes time to renew registration when you actually need to smog again. You can do it man

And Avionixx not all 2gs are required to checked for OBD-II readiness. 95s are exempt from this test. It's nice to have a 95 GSX/Talon AWD, no obd-ii check and no dyno.

 

[Avionixx]

PAying the fine is the easy way out. But to have to use it with your plain jane setup. If you had a built stroker motor with tubular manifold, external, huge turbo, standalone, smim, etc, then yes the easy way out saves a lot of time and money from finding stock parts and the labor to put them back and then put the aftermarket stuff back on after the test.

You are so close, try some of the advice. If this state ref is because you got a ticket--I'm assuming so, how bout when it comes time to renew registration when you actually need to smog again. You can do it man

And Avionixx not all 2gs are required to checked for OBD-II readiness. 95s are exempt from this test. It's nice to have a 95 GSX/Talon AWD, no obd-ii check and no dyno.

Good point about the 95s; damn those bastard children of that transitional period.

 

[meliketoball]

PAying the fine is the easy way out. But to have to use it with your plain jane setup. If you had a built stroker motor with tubular manifold, external, huge turbo, standalone, smim, etc, then yes the easy way out saves a lot of time and money from finding stock parts and the labor to put them back and then put the aftermarket stuff back on after the test.

You are so close, try some of the advice. If this state ref is because you got a ticket--I'm assuming so, how bout when it comes time to renew registration when you actually need to smog again. You can do it man

And Avionixx not all 2gs are required to checked for OBD-II readiness. 95s are exempt from this test. It's nice to have a 95 GSX/Talon AWD, no obd-ii check and no dyno.

Haha, for sure I am close but, my due date for traffic court is the 25th and I don't have time to do it all.

turboglenn-Yes, they stick their computer or whatever into your OBD-II port to see if its functioning.

 

[elfroggo]

The cat probably isn't the problem. I have a magnaflow cat that's not CARB certified (but works for the other 49 states?) and I was able to pass smog twice. Maybe get it tuned better or try running that "smog pass" additive.

 

[bboyalan]

correct me if i'm wrong.. but don't 94/95's both have what's referred to as the "hybrid ecu"s? [i remember this from old 3000gt/stealth forums when i had mine]. oh, and funny thing is, when i took my smog test 3 weeks back... my 95 WAS on the dyno. i don't recall seeing them plug anything though.. just the sniffer on the tailpipes.

 

[RedTurboEclipse]

Haha, for sure I am close but, my due date for traffic court is the 25th and I don't have time to do it all.

turboglenn-Yes, they stick their computer or whatever into your OBD-II port to see if its functioning.

I know for regular smog you can extend it. There is a loophole where you can keep extending it forever Perhaps there is something you can do to extend or postpone the date

correct me if i'm wrong.. but don't 94/95's both have what's referred to as the "hybrid ecu"s? [i remember this from old 3000gt/stealth forums when i had mine]. oh, and funny thing is, when i took my smog test 3 weeks back... my 95 WAS on the dyno. i don't recall seeing them plug anything though.. just the sniffer on the tailpipes.

Don't know if thats the case with DSMs, I believe all 95 DSMs are OBDII.

And don't be surprised your 95 was on the dyno, you have 2wd my friend, only AWDs are exempt from the dyno smog test. And you confirmed it, 95s dont get the obdii check, smog techs tell me its "transition" year.

 

[meliketoball]

I live in Texas and all they do is look at my car, and give me a sticker. Thats if they are being a jerk about it.

Hahahahaha, how easy.

 

[knochgoon24]

It might be a little harder on the engine while you test it, but can't you hook up a FPR and make it run a little lean, just for the test. It will run hotter, and therefore, might burn more of the HC.

Just an idea.

 

[GloriousDSM]

Older dsm's are infamous for burning up and using more oil, I might be moving to cali myself, needless to say I will probably buy a car there since my car won't pass sqaut there anyways.

-gold