Don't move here. Worst state to be a car enthusiast unless your toys are pre 1976.
Passing CARB with Mods in California
I might be moving to California sometime next year. Luckily, my CTS-V is 50 state emissions legal. Unfortunately, a few of my other cars are not.
For those of you with forged engines, aftermarket power adders, and many other major mods, how do you deal with CARB? If you want to PM me rather than post publicly, that's fine. I've never sold a car, but if I move out there I may be selling three...
FYI, I put a rough build list below. I'm able to pass any OBD2 test and have kept all of my factory emissions controls active, but this would never pass in California. This car originally had a 5.3 with 4L60E and 3.73 gears... I'm not sure I would be able to pass CARB unless I bought a new 5.3 engine and basically swapped my entire setup in and out every 2 years for emissions. Even if I put a factory intake and exhaust on my current setup, I couldn't run a factory tune without a lot of errors- especially due to the transmission and gear ratio swap and deletion of AFM.
Photos here:
406 CI Engine
For those of you with forged engines, aftermarket power adders, and many other major mods, how do you deal with CARB? If you want to PM me rather than post publicly, that's fine. I've never sold a car, but if I move out there I may be selling three...
FYI, I put a rough build list below. I'm able to pass any OBD2 test and have kept all of my factory emissions controls active, but this would never pass in California. This car originally had a 5.3 with 4L60E and 3.73 gears... I'm not sure I would be able to pass CARB unless I bought a new 5.3 engine and basically swapped my entire setup in and out every 2 years for emissions. Even if I put a factory intake and exhaust on my current setup, I couldn't run a factory tune without a lot of errors- especially due to the transmission and gear ratio swap and deletion of AFM.
Photos here:
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406 CI Engine
- LSA block including oil squirters
- LSA heads, valve covers, and coil packs
- LS9 cam
- K-1 3.9” stroke forged crank
- JE Pistons 4.070” bore 324041
- Oliver I-beam forged rods
- ARP head studs
- PCMofNC relocated oil pickup and baffles
- Whipple 2.9 kit for a 5th gen Camaro LS3
- PCMofNC 5th gen Camaro accessory drive conversion (PS pump, alternator, etc.)
- MTI Racing 8-rib accessory drive
- 3.625” pulley
- 4” intake
- 90 mm LS2 throttle body
- Lingenfelter 450 lph high flow fuel pump assembly
- Injector Dynamics 850cc injectors
- LS9 MAP sensor
- LC32 100 mm MAF with IAT breakout
- NGK AFX wideband O2 with Speedhut gauge
- Speedhut boost gauge (factory matching font / style)
- Racetronix fuel pump wiring harness
- Converted to return-style fuel system
- Lingenfelter FPR block-off
- Extra OEM factory fuel line used for return
- FuelLab fuel pressure regulator
- 1 7/8” American Racing headers
- Custom dual 3” to single 4” 100% SS exhaust, 100% TIG welded with V-band clamps
- Banks center muffler
- Vibrant rear muffler
- Two custom quarter wave resonators to mitigate drone
- 6L80E
- CTS-V torque converter
- Yank LSI SFI flex plate
- PML transmission cover
- TBSS transfer case (with factory Torsen limited slip)
- TBSS rear axle with 3.43 gears
- Eaton TruTrak limited slip differential
- New front differential with 3.43 gears
- New front axle carrier
- PML rear differential cover
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Hey Timg. For some reason I thought you had a TBSS, not a SAAB.
I almost bought a TBSS, but found a dealer selling the 9-7X for the same price as the TBSS. I figured the engine didn't matter since I'd be upgrading anyway. The week after mine was delivered, they announced the Aero with the LS2 that was basically a TBSS clone. If I had waited for the Aero, I would probably be in a better position since at least I could go back to a LS2 with the Magnacharger and be 100% CARB compliant (during an inspection...).
I wish that if you failed the OBD2 check, they would just test tailpipe emissions and then give you an exemption sticker if you pass that. I'm pretty certain that all of my cars would pass an actual emissions test.
I wish that if you failed the OBD2 check, they would just test tailpipe emissions and then give you an exemption sticker if you pass that. I'm pretty certain that all of my cars would pass an actual emissions test.
Just keep the car out of state. The simple answer dont ever bring it to Ca DMV there is work arounds.Don't move here. Worst state to be a car enthusiast unless your toys are pre 1976.
I do have family in Wyoming. That might be an option. They have a LOT of barn space. For now, the move is still purely theoretical and my CTS-V isn't going anywhere. Not sure I want to give up my S2000 and 9-7X though.
What part of the state are you moving to?
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Possibly the Bay Area or inland toward Sacramento. Looking at a few possibilities in the region, but nothing firm yet. I've got family (parents and brother) near Palo Alto.
Cool, East Palo Alto is near Palo Alto, but quite different socioeconomically 
The reason I asked is because some counties do not require smog checks except when you move here, or buy a car for the first time.
There are possible workarounds,And buy all the guns you want now.
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The reason I asked is because some counties do not require smog checks except when you move here, or buy a car for the first time.
There are possible workarounds,And buy all the guns you want now.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sorry but it always cracks me up when I hear people say things like that. And so many guys with modified cars believe it's true for their cars too. I can say with certainty that your modified cars, along with 99% of everyone else's modified cars will NOT pass an actual emissions test....I wish that if you failed the OBD2 check, they would just test tailpipe emissions and then give you an exemption sticker if you pass that. I'm pretty certain that all of my cars would pass an actual emissions test.
Welcome back!Sorry but it always cracks me up when I hear people say things like that. And so many guys with modified cars believe it's true for their cars too. I can say with certainty that your modified cars, along with 99% of everyone else's modified cars will NOT pass an actual emissions test.
I had a 95 Impala with a 383, ported F Body heads, GM 846 cam, headers, 42# injectors, EGR delete among other things. It passed tailpipe emissions cleaner than when it was stock. Yes, cleaner, much cleaner. It did have cats.
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Welcome back!
I had a 95 Impala with a 383, ported F Body heads, GM 846 cam, headers, 42# injectors, EGR delete among other things. It passed tailpipe emissions cleaner than when it was stock. Yes, cleaner, much cleaner. It did have cats.
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lol.
I remember TriTexan posted his emissions report after his extensive mods. Even the tech couldn't believe how low the numbers were.
Mine though, I know she's dirty. 😏
Mine though, I know she's dirty. 😏
when my RX7 was NA it passed better after I made a few modifications to it, but I did keep a single high flow cat on the car ( mostly for noise levels ). It was way under the limits
Same with my old Jeep Cherokee SJ which had an AMC 360 with edelbrock cam, intake, carb, dual exhaust no cats. Was way under the limits
Here in NY when they did actual sniffer testing after a certain amount of time a vehicle was exempt from having its original emissions equipment so long as it still passed the sniffer test.
Same with my old Jeep Cherokee SJ which had an AMC 360 with edelbrock cam, intake, carb, dual exhaust no cats. Was way under the limits
Here in NY when they did actual sniffer testing after a certain amount of time a vehicle was exempt from having its original emissions equipment so long as it still passed the sniffer test.
Wow.
So clearly the answer to all our smog problems is to modify the crap out of every vehicle on the road. From the sound of what you all are saying, one big ass cam install could be better for the planet than an acre of rainforest. Damn. Who knew?
So clearly the answer to all our smog problems is to modify the crap out of every vehicle on the road. From the sound of what you all are saying, one big ass cam install could be better for the planet than an acre of rainforest. Damn. Who knew?
I did my part. 😃Wow.
So clearly the answer to all our smog problems is to modify the crap out of every vehicle on the road. From the sound of what you all are saying, one big ass cam install could be better for the planet than an acre of rainforest. Damn. Who knew?
Clearly the point they are trying to make is not "modifications make a car cleaner". The point is "modifications don't always make a car pollute a ton". Cali laws would have you believe that the wrong air filter will cause Antarctica to burst into flames.
LolSorry but it always cracks me up when I hear people say things like that. And so many guys with modified cars believe it's true for their cars too. I can say with certainty that your modified cars, along with 99% of everyone else's modified cars will NOT pass an actual emissions test.
Oh well, I tried.
Knowledge isn't for everyone.
Knowledge isn't for everyone.
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