Well my 02 MCS required my first smog inspection..and I think CA is among the toughest regulations..

First shop wouldn't pass it because of my oil catch can, and they didn't believe the supercharger was stock until I showed them a picture in the Bentley Manual. They were leery of my Alta Supercharger diverter
(very minimal performance addition).
The Smog techs never got around to my Rogue CAI (which the Rogue company stated at purchase that they could NOT provide a CA EPA emissions tag for it). I also have a 15% pulley, Quicksilver exhaust...

Fortunately, first Smog Check didn't enter me into the State Computer and just sent me packing, and the tech even steered me to another shop.

Sure enough, second shop had NO questions, and my emissions were super low.

I have my stock air intake box which I saved, "just in case"
Good new is, I didn't need it this time!

 

ya its going to start. For the California minis be careful with buying and installing or having installed performance parts that do not have a CARB #. Header and exhaust systems are the first looked at. CAI next. Unfortunately most vendors do not have CARB#s for there products.

So who did you go to "Smog Dog" or "Smog Hog"? I lived in Scato for 12 years. My shop was around the corner from Tognotti's.

 

Yeah ... this is going to get interesting.

I found this crazy "They were leery of my Alta Supercharger diverter"

 

In the time machine I was once certified a master technician. This included my training to do smog testing. During that period having owned many performance cars I was pleased that a bill was introduced having to do with such performance cars. The bill if passed allowed for any car with aftermarket parts to pass a visual and went straight to the tail pipe for testing. Needless to say the guys at the State Capitol turn it down rejected cold. That was a sad day. I have tested 100's of performance cars and had to visually fail them in the 80's. When I tested those same cars at the pipe not only did they pass with flying colors but in some cases had improved emissions then what the requirements . We performance enthusiasts take extreme care of are cars and should be rewarded for this at time of smog testing. not punished for IMPROVING from the factory.

 

I got them to admit the Alta supercharger diverter was meaningless,
but not until I convinced them that the MCS came WITH a supercharger!
It "didn't show that in their computer base!"

Cracked me up that they looked suspiciously at the Bentley manual until
they were reassured that my supercharger was stock...

CARB#--thanks, thats the term. 2nd shop didn't skip a beat...and
they entered me into the state DMV system before they even looked under the hood, so I was sweating it if they failed it.

In the BF Goodrich shop N Highlands corner of Elkhorn and Watt Ave.

Never was impressed with the tire/service center there, but the smog
shop which I think is franchised with the tire shop somehow (run by different guys anyways) was great.

Guess they just looked at the emissions numbers...
Highly recommended in Sacto (about $58 complete)

 

The state mandated issue emissions test machine is pretty easy to run. You just follow the kindergarten sized check yes and no questions. Once it is dialed to the BAR then if something is a miss the whole screen goes RED and you have to either end the test or make a call. So if a shop is not so curious about what’s under the hood most are in the clear? But also remember that there is the random emission test. That means that by a lottery system you may be selected to go to a Ca smog only station for testing for. So my advice is shop the smog shops before you commit and get a feeling about what they think about your mods. And don't let them plug you in until you are sure you are going to pass. BTW the new upgrade that tests the pressure in the fuel system has not been 100%. They will not admit it has flaws.

The border of Elkhorn and N High was pretty much a field when I lived there.

 

Good to hear you got it past. I have a non Mini that is due for it's smog check this month and it was borderline 2 years ago. Here's hoping it passes again.

FYI, CA smog checks vary by county and city. There is at least one county I know of in CA that has no smog checks folks who live there.

Also you can view smog check history at this site. Handy when looking at used cars.
http://www.bar.ca.gov/applications/V...PubTstQry.aspx

 

You do not happen to work for the state of CA do you?

I WOULD NOT recommend the use of that site to look at any cars you may be thinking about buying. The BAR and ARB keeps records of all inquiries and they DO watch in the future smog results !

 

I feel for you guys over there. But one day I might have to contend with emission laws. I've saved my stock intake for such an occasion, though I'd probably get an itg filter for it.

 

Nope, don't work for the state.

I didn't understand what you mean on the second part of your comment though. Why is that site not a good way to check on a vehicle's smog history?

 

First and foremost use the wording correctly!!!!!!!!!

IT IS NOT LAWS. I do not know about you but I don't remember voting on any laws. They are regulation and sometimes under the terminology requirements.

There is major loop holes in the whole program.You should research exactly how long it takes to do a proper smog test on a car. And it ain't no 15 minute and 60 bucks thank you very much either.

ALL the smog regulations are the biggest bureaucratic BS that has ever come up in this country...bla bla bla. Now where did I put my rightius band wagon???

 

See this is the thing? How are all these guy's with Turbo kits, non stock S/C's, WTA I/C's, going to pass this? Do they all "know" somebody?

 

They are not going to get passed. And knowing somebody days are all but gone. The licensed shop gets caught doing a favor I think is a 6-month suspension from doing smogs and fine. The only good thing is the 02 are just stating to come up for smog testing. And There was a new regulation about the newer ones 06 and up (?) going for ten years before there first smog? I am not sure about that? The bottom line is all of us who have modded out are Minis on goodies living in CA where after market parts needs a CARB # are going to get the pinch of having to re-install the OEM parts have been out of the loop for a few years but it cost about 3-5k to get a CARB# and a lot of red tape. So most vendors are not fast at getting them for their parts. Look around at the available parts from vendors. Only a small amount have parts required by CA to have CARB #'s. Example the only CAI that is CA approved is k&N. Another example to the best of my knowledge not one header available has a CARB#. Maybe that would be a good thread to start California approved CARB parts for MINIs?

 

Just had my '02 smogged and it passed with flying colors. The emissions were squeaky clean but the visual was also creating some drama.
I'mn going to go with a JCW intake soon and that will solve any future problems from a purely visual, top-end look.

 

Why would you want to? In CA no pass no regy no drivy on the streets and highways. So it logic that the car has passed the emission test.

That web site is one information tool used to see if the emission program is working. So let’s say you get a car based on the using that site. Put a few mods on your car. Need to get smoged. Those parts are overlooked and you pass. The system randomly chooses you as a test and sends you to a smog only center for testing. The car fails based on previous logged emission information. You get 30 days to correct it. One thought!

And I could just be living the conspiracy theory…..

and they are coming for me telling everyone this information

 

Did they have a picture of a stock engine? How do these shops know what is stock?

 

Auh you can be optimistic. This is a long time game and all it takes is a question. Look I'am only trying to give a cautious warning. Perhaps the first to make some go hmmmm? This is one time I wish some would please say Nitro you DON"T HAVE A CLUE! And I would say thank you.

 

Congrats on the smog test The JCW upgrade: Perhaps if a dealership is doing the upgrade. When they do it the kit is approved and your VIN information reflects that. Otherwise it’s another after-market ad on. Was not there when you bought the MINI new? Again don’t take my word check into it.

 

I am with you, I don't get it either. I think alot of people haven't had to get one done yet, but I think it will become a bigger issue as more cars have to get smogged.

A member here (AZMCS) who had the fireballed turbo conversion, lives in an area of Arizona that has virtually no smog standards. I think you might have to pass a sniffer and that's it. Anyways, I don't know how many states/cities in the US have such lax standards, but I guess you just have to find one and register your Mini there.

I spoke with Jan awhile back and he said he took the GP stroker in for a smog test and it passed no problems. I guess they maybe could have given him a hard time about the non stock header/exhaust, but he might be using a carb approved CAT. I think that if all of the O2 sensors/other sensors are in stock locations, then you won't have a problem. Maybe the person doing it wasn't to concerned with the visual aspect of the test.

Who knows, but I am sure we will find out soon.

 

No, I completley understand you I just have to wonder how these shops can know what all the different cars they smog are supposed to look like? I mean, I think there was a post in here about a shop questioning a Alta I/C diverter, how do they know this? About the only thing my car has that dosen't look stock is the Alta diverter and their CAI. I wonder if I put a Mini sticker on the CAI, if it would fool them

 

If the Stroker is all interal parts, which I think it is, then they wouldn't have any clue there is a modification done. Same for any upgrade head, which is a good thing Any "Cat back" is ok. But NO aftermarket header is legal in California, even if it has a cat. But hopefully they wont look that far under our cars

 

I asked my friend who worked at a shop/smog station how they could tell when something was or wasn't OEM and he said that he works on enough cars to know what is OEM and what is not. For example, my red Alta intake filter does not look like anything that any manufacturer would put on a car off the production line.

Obviously they don't catch EVERY aftermarket part, but if a car has an intake on it and passes with flying colors, they might look the other way.

 

Exactly...I think Jan did it just to prove that it was legit and would pass (not that most had any doubt)...definitely just another reason that the stroker is a great power option for CA people...

I saw Jan cruising around in Laguna Beach today, I wonder what he was doing down there...I wonder if it has anything to do with what's in "the special box" haha

 

Most guys that choose to be a wrench are in at least some part a gear head. So they might pick up a HOT ROD or Super Chevy magazine now and then.

An air cleaner in CA must be enclosed or show that it does not allow any pollutants into the atmosphere. CARB# please!

I doubt that Jan took his Mini to any random shop.

Not that anyone did anything but a certified test but I am sure some heads looked the other way. And in reality many believe as I do that it should be at the tail pipe not the visual. And if you get a picky test station you would be surprised what is NOT allowed. You can look all this up with the BAR and the CA ARB BTW.

Ok here a laugh. A few years ago Ca was going to do drive by sniff test of cars. They had all these vans parked at different location around Sacramento along Hwy 80 and 880. The vans were self-contained and had generators with Briggs and Stanton engines power the equiptment.

Needless to say that program did not last long. Lawn mower engines are high polluters. Newspapers showed the pictures of their little units.



Could you imagine if that program took effect? One day get a slip in the mail because you car didn't pass a smog test driving by it at 65 + mph.

 

Nitro, do you work for the state of California?

It seems like you are rooting against everyone, or maybe I am just reading to much into your posts.

I have no doubt that I will pass smog in my current state, but I think the main point everyone is making is: mod at your own risk and make sure you can go back to stock (or what looks like stock) if the need arise.

If not, we can all just go to Jan's guy haha