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Old 07-03-2020, 01:49 AM   #1
BugeyeZo
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Member#: 462089
Join Date: Jan 2017
Default Calling all California Smog gurus

It’s that time for another dreaded smog. I have a 2003 wrx that’s lightly modified. I always just swap back to stock and pass but I’m over having to do all that. My question is can my car pass with a vf39, pink injectors, and a protune? Intake is carb legal and Exhaust has highflow cat with 3 resonators, so it’s pretty quiet.
I know they just hook to the obd now, anyone have a similar experience with light mods/tunes and smogs ? Thanks guys
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Old 07-03-2020, 06:01 PM   #2
NutBucket
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Member#: 90804
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: SFV
Vehicle:
2021 Ascent
2012 Accord

Default

You'll fail visual so there's that. As to whether you'll pass the obd test that is currently also unknown. Try it and let us know...

In the old days a Cobb OTS tune passed the odb test. But now they're supposedly checking for tuned ecus. Too many unknowns.
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Old 07-04-2020, 02:02 AM   #3
BugeyeZo
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Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by NutBucket View Post
You'll fail visual so there's that. As to whether you'll pass the obd test that is currently also unknown. Try it and let us know...

In the old days a Cobb OTS tune passed the odb test. But now they're supposedly checking for tuned ecus. Too many unknowns.


I’ll prob just go back to stock again and play it safe. Not worth the ref visit if it fails.
Thank you
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Old 07-04-2020, 02:33 AM   #4
HighRevimpreza
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Member#: 90235
Join Date: Jun 2005
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: Valencia
Vehicle:
1993 GC ej255 swap
White

Default

Totally Depends on the smog shop thats doing the visual. I would play it safe and keep it legal. Going to the ref sucks and a waste of time.

Good luck!
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Old 07-04-2020, 04:28 AM   #5
MortonCharbo
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Member#: 487057
Join Date: Jun 2018
Chapter/Region: BAIC
Location: California
Vehicle:
2002 WRX Wagon
PSM

Default

I know someone who knows someone who passed with a tune that had tgv/emissions codes deleted and forced readiness enabled. Therefore protune should be ok, but not for sure. Silicone turbo inlet, jdm avcs engine, headers. (shoulda failed visual on each of those). Stock injectors, turbo, dp, and airbox. On an 02 WRX.

That person, obviously not me, went to a shady looking smog shop buried in an industrial area. Didn't use any coupons or discounts, and spoke as little as possible. Passed with no problems, so I heard.

You may be able to get away with it as long as it looks mostly stock. Every shop/tech is slightly different though.
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Old 07-04-2020, 04:41 AM   #6
JreyWrx
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Member#: 488377
Join Date: Jul 2018
Default

I just passed my smog with a stage two OTS tune, I just out my cats back on and kept I out if boost while I drove I to the smog shop and it passed without a problem, also did it with a cobb boost controller on
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Old 07-04-2020, 11:25 AM   #7
subaru_gc8
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Member#: 29292
Join Date: Nov 2002
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: Orange County CA
Vehicle:
2004 WRX wagon
silver

Default

So heres the deal. the way it works is some people get flagged and others dont, there is whey the bar sees the something wierd in your smog test the next one will kick you out and flag your car. just because you passed this time doesnt mean in 2 years you will again

Heres a quote to someone with a 04 wrx take it as you will be I have heard alot of guys with evos going though the same thing
Quote:
Originally Posted by OUScooby View Post
So this just happened to me, went to smog my 04 today and the guy at the smog station told me I needed to take it to the Ref, car had been flagged. I've seen a lot of people speculating that they got flagged cause they look/ sound modded. I'm pretty sure that this is not the case. I almost never drive my car, I only use it for autocross and event that I rarely do anymore. I called the number on my renewal notice for the Bureau of Automotive Repair and asked them what was going on. Basically at my last smog (which I passed) they detected anomalies (their words) between the computer on my car and other cars of my model year. I don't know if this means actual differences in the various values they check because of the tune, or if its simply a higher checksum value on the ECU indicating it has been reflashed. That or it was simply a random audit. Given that my car is modded I'm going to guess it was the former not the latter.
But that is why I got flagged and likely why you did too, it had nothing to do with looking or sounding modded and it wasn't the police that flagged you. Basically that state now has a database of what various cars' ECU should look like. If something doesn't match you may still pass smog, but you could get flagged for the Ref before your next smog.
My only options at this point seem to be swap in a stock motor and stock tune before going to the ref (I have mods like non AVCS cam that can't be hidden) or register out of state.
My feelings right now, and this may just be my initial knee jerk reaction to the news, is just to sell my car, either a non op car, or to an out of state buyer. This is just too much hassle to go through every two years.
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Old 07-05-2020, 10:15 PM   #8
NutBucket
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Member#: 90804
Join Date: Jul 2005
Chapter/Region: SCIC
Location: SFV
Vehicle:
2021 Ascent
2012 Accord

Default

That sounds pretty reasonable. I'm so screwed. For many years I had the ecu ID set incorrectly so the printout from the smog machine was the wrong year. (dummy me didn't read the AP1 instructions thoroughly). Amazed it kept passing anyway! I corrected it in 2016 I think...or maybe 2014.
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Old 07-05-2020, 11:08 PM   #9
murrdogg24
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Member#: 50586
Join Date: Dec 2003
Chapter/Region: BAIC
Location: Chiraq
Vehicle:
64 Impala

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damn all you in California are screwed now, good luck guys lol
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Old 07-06-2020, 12:25 AM   #10
BugeyeZo
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Member#: 462089
Join Date: Jan 2017
Default

Thanks for all the replies guys much appreciated! Time to move out of state lol
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Old 07-27-2020, 11:52 AM   #11
Boostie
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Member#: 333910
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Inland Empire, CA
Vehicle:
2012 STI
Blue

Default Need oem downpipe

Anyone have a 11-14 STI Oem downpipe I can rent for my smogcheck
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