Got my car smogged - LA area

muneo

New member
What was amazing was the fact that I passed the visual inspection with a 3" Aussie DP clearly visible!!! Sweet!!!

I took it to some dude the week earlier and he told me he wouldnt pass my car on the visual inspection because of the Turbo and Intercooler. He called them a modification to the motor. I was getting pissed trying to explain to him that they were stock parts. He wouldnt budge! Then he said my air intake was a modification and that he needed proof that my AFM was for my car!!! He also suggested that I go to Toyota and get a list of parts numbers to verify that the parts on my car were for my car!!! THEN He actually had the nerve to tell me that I had to go get a CARB sticker for my intercooler! Man was I pissed! Well it over now and I dont have to worry about it for another two more years!
 

Toxygene

Active member
Yeeah, where did you go that the guy actually knew his stuff? Name and address please. Or at least general locale.
 

lumbercis

Moderator
Did he not see the "Toyota CT-26" on the side of the turbo?? :roll:
Some people just have it in for us I think.

You don't even have to have a carb sticker for aftermarket intercoolers. Appendix K of the vehicle code states that aftermarket intercoolers don't require a carb number if they are attached to an OEM turbo. The problem is these guys are trying to enforce laws that are vaguely worded and that they don't understand, so they are making stuff up as they go along. This includes the police.

J.
 

alltracshoak

Active member
lumbercis":3mpz3q2e said:
Did he not see the "Toyota CT-26" on the side of the turbo?? :roll:
Some people just have it in for us I think.

You don't even have to have a carb sticker for aftermarket intercoolers. Appendix K of the vehicle code states that aftermarket intercoolers don't require a carb number if they are attached to an OEM turbo. The problem is these guys are trying to enforce laws that are vaguely worded and that they don't understand, so they are making stuff up as they go along. This includes the police.

J.
what do you mean by appendix k of the vehicle code states that the aftermarket intercoolers dont require a carb number. so if i was to have my fmic on than ill pass my referee?also, what if i have a straight intake with no carb number but still attaches the afm will that still pass?
 

muneo

New member
The first smog guy I took my car to wouldnt pass me with a properly set up straight intake. He called it a modification to the motor even though it was doing the exact same thing my stock rubber piping and hoses were doing

The place I took it to where I passed was on Santa Monica Blvd. a few blocks past Barrington. Its near Univeristy High School in WLA which borders Santa Monica. I put my stock filter box back on but still had the Aussie DP. He didnt seem to mind since he saw my 3 way CAT connected to midpipe. If you pay cash its $10 cheaper @ $50 for smog test/certificate and retest if your cars fails.
 

muneo

New member
I just looked at the vehicle code just now and I didnt see an appendix K... can you post the link?
 

lumbercis

Moderator
I think it may be part of the smog law. I'll have to look it up later (at work now). In any case, I personally passed the state ref (and believe me the guy was a serious smog nazi) with a front mount intercooler. The intake won't pass unless it's got a carb number like for instance the HKS intake.
J.

EDIT: I just did a little quick research. It is appendix K of the "blue book" which is the smog inspection manual that the techs reference at the smog station. Don't know if it's available online. That's not to say that an ignorant smog tech/cop won't try to write you up for legal stuff. Your best bet is to be prepared with a carb number or other reference. When I went to the ref, the guy initially wanted to call my intercooler illegal, wanted to claim that even though my HKS intake had a carb #, it was still illegal because I had different piping, and other ridiculous stuff. I called his boss and talked to him about it. He was much more reasonable. You get a lot of guys who have that "any modification is illegal" mentality, but it's simply not true according to their own laws. However, there is a lot of interpretation involved, so you just have to find someone who is reasonable.

EDIT 2: relevant thread: http://www.supraforums.com/forum/archiv ... 05738.html
 
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