Posting here because it's the most visible. I'm at the smog station right now trying to get my car smogged (in California). He's saying he can't smog it because of the ATI crank pulley on there. Now it is a 2% version, but still - no where have I found any mention of whether this is or isn't CARB compliant. He wants an EO# for it. Really?! Anyone have experience with this?

 

Why would it need one? It’s a forking pulley. So yeah I seriously doubt Ati ever bothered with the hundred thousand+ in costs to get a carb eo number.

So probably not. Either pull the Ati white sticker so it looks stock and retry, or put a factory pulley back on. Or leave California for someplace that doesn’t do even OBD2 smog, or even better one that has no smog or inspection!

 

Seriously, right? It's just a pulley. But pulleys are listed as an item to check for in the CA Bureau of Automotive Repair Smog Check Manual:
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/smog-check-manual.pdf

The Manual says that Modified and Add-On aftermarket parts need an Executive Order, but Replacement and Consolidated aftermarket parts do not need an EO (Appendix C, Aftermarket Parts Verification). I don't think the pulley says it's a 2% underdrive anywhere, so it should just be seen as a Replacement part and not needing an EO. That all seems right to me.

Apparently he was hanging his hat on Section 1.3.2 about Labels:
"Aftermarket Parts Label: CARB approved or exempted parts are subject to CARB aftermarket parts labeling requirements. These requirements specify that Aftermarket Parts Labels (APL) must be affixed or stamped on approved/exempted parts or, if not practical, installed near the approved/exempted parts. The labels are required to contain an EO number that can be used to verify CARB approval or exemption, as outlined in section 1.3.1."

The first sentence is definitely confusing and ambiguous - making it seem like exempted parts even need a label and therefore an EO number. But I think the real issue is that that guy is too busy and doesn't care if he pisses off a long time customer over a seemingly questionable thing. Plus he's not going to back down from his, "I've been doing smog checks since 1984." He kept calling the pulley an "add-on part" which totally loses all credibility for me. It's not an "add-on" part by CA definitions, it's a "replacement" part. But I'm never going to change his mind. Too bad.

Hopefully this is an interesting data point for someone else in the future. I expect I'll go to the next place and it won't be an issue. If it is, I'll take the label off and try yet another place.

 

I would pull it anyway, cause it has no purpose other than to show it is “aftermarket”, and I think to have the SPCI? (sorry if I forgot the racing sanctioning bodys an acronym corr3ctly) number to show it is racetrack/ drag legal and passed their tests.

none of the pn on it are the pulley pn, none of the timing marks have anything to do with timing,etc. it’s a pure branding exercise.

 

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Just checking to see if there was any confirmation on the ATI pulley having an EO. I ask because my R53 passed Smog but failed Visual "due to tampered with SC Pulley." I had the Craven Speed 15% pulley and the ATI Crank Pulley (Stock size). As the note in the system just called out the SC pulley, I swapped it back to stock (that was a fun time heating up the pulley and pressing it back onto the SC shaft). Went back to the shop and he still failed me because the crank pulley is aftermarket (he called out the degrees markings and the bright white WMW sticker that he could see with a flashlight.

I really just want to get the car passed but really hate the idea of pulling the crank pulley and putting back on the original one (not in horrible shape, but definitely not great after nearly 18 years of service).

Heads up @WayMotorWorks , you may want to start putting disclaimers on your site if the CA visual inspections are now looking for specific pulleys (keep in mind, I clearly got a hard *** who reviewed mine).

 

I sure couldn't find an EO for the ATI pulley. The stock size shouldn't need one, but the 2% version technically should in order to pass. Realistically, I imagine there's no way to tell, from the Smog perspective, if it's stock or 2%. So it should be considered a replacement part that operates exactly the same as stock. End of story.

It would be a bit of work to tinker with the pulley removing the timing marks and label to make it look stock, so I didn't. I just took it somewhere else and they didn't have any issues with it. Unfortunately, I think that's what needs to happen - find a smog checker that isn't concerned about the aesthetics of an aftermarket pulley. If you're on the peninsula in the SF Bay Area, I can give you a recommendation.

And I totally agree - distributors and manufacturers really should have that disclaimer on their websites and product info, especially for the non-stock spec pulleys. No one does, but pulleys are specifically mentioned in the Smog manual (for California).

 

I am in Mountain View so any suggestions would be great. I am hoping that there is a shop that doesn't have a stick up their butt and is willing to pass after seeing proof of SC pulley changed back to OEM (the problem is that the first guy put the "Fail Tampered" notice on the VIN, but note with the fail says "aftermarket SC pulley installed").

Thanks in advance. I am starting to miss living in PA where they only cared if the car was safe to drive, and didn't care how you fixed it so long as it was safe.

 

Just swap back to stock. You can go back to the same place. The car has to pass the "visual". I don't think they care what you do after they do the inspection and get paid. I think CA is strict enough with the inspection stations that they are not willing to take any chances. I had them fail me on a turbo car because he had never seen one with a turbo. I had another friend come by with his turbo car to show the guy that these cars came with turbos. He said that ANYTHING that was not stock - even something as benign as a cone filter would be failed. I even had one truck fail over a stock emissions hose that was not stock. I had to go and find one in order to pass.

In VA where they do smog and vehicle inspections I was told that my tires were too big on another car because there were rub marks on the sway bar (from formerly larger tires)! And threatened to fail me because another car was too low for their jacks.

Lots of crazy rules out there.

 

It's a little bit of a trek up to the southern end of San Mateo, but may be worth it. I went to Ben at 4LessSmog on El Camino. I think he's kind of a car guy, so should appreciate that you care about your car. Just make sure you print the online coupon - he is a little pricier than most. http://starsmogchecktestonly.com/why_us.php