CA/LA Smog

[Bay Area M]

I was able to pass my M3 with a non-stock tune. I have the Euro headers and cats and the Evolve tune installed, and I surprisingly had no issues. Honestly, I did not expect to pass but I had to get the test because my registration was expiring the following week. Not sure why I wasn't flagged.

[jet_dogg]

Thanks for the data point.

[EthanolTurbo]

I was able to pass my M3 with a non-stock tune. I have the Euro headers and cats and the Evolve tune installed, and I surprisingly had no issues. Honestly, I did not expect to pass but I had to get the test because my registration was expiring the following week. Not sure why I wasn't flagged.

You won't know you're flagged until later on. They most likely would send a letter in the mail.

[Bay Area M]

You won't know you're flagged until later on. They most likely would send a letter in the mail.

I already received the new registration tag. It sounds odd that they would issue the tag and later flag me. Wait and see.

[jet_dogg]

I already received the new registration tag. It sounds odd that they would issue the tag and later flag me. Wait and see.

I've never heard of that in all my years either. You wouldn't get the tag as you said.

[EthanolTurbo]

That's what they have done with Evos. Get the wrong smog at the wrong shop and they flag you and send you a letter later. For all we know, they pass it and then ref it later before the next registration.

[old///MFanatic]

I already received the new registration tag. It sounds odd that they would issue the tag and later flag me. Wait and see.

Agreed, if you fail then you don’t get your certificate and can’t register. Never heard of it done differently. Even if you did get a letter afterwards. You could ignore it for a year if you wanted and pretend you never got a notice.

[old///MFanatic]

That's what they have done with Evos. Get the wrong smog at the wrong shop and they flag you and send you a letter later. For all we know, they pass it and then ref it later before the next registration.

It being early and a new change it is hard to say what they may do, a lot is possible at this time.

Are you talking about “Test Only Station” stuff or something else like fake smog tests that don’t jive with machines? Could you elaborate on this and what Evo ppl are doing.

[JamesSJ1]

I have an F15 X5d here in CA with a non-stock tune. I'm not expecting it to pass (due early December, so going to find out soon!), and my tuner isn't even sure if he restores the backups if the check number will revert back, or if I'll need the dealer to flash the car before it will clear smog. In the diesel forums other owners with old bimmers shared their understanding that cars prior to some year (I think it was 2007) may not be subject to the same software check because the electronics on many different car models/brands aren't really compatible for it. Sounds like we're seeing a few different things here. I wonder if my small adjustments using the ECU Worx tool would throw it out. For what? My slightly raised idle?

[oceansize]

I have an F15 X5d here in CA with a non-stock tune. I'm not expecting it to pass (due early December, so going to find out soon!), and my tuner isn't even sure if he restores the backups if the check number will revert back, or if I'll need the dealer to flash the car before it will clear smog. In the diesel forums other owners with old bimmers shared their understanding that cars prior to some year (I think it was 2007) may not be subject to the same software check because the electronics on many different car models/brands aren't really compatible for it. Sounds like we're seeing a few different things here. I wonder if my small adjustments using the ECU Worx tool would throw it out. For what? My slightly raised idle?

Yes, the checksum would be different regardless of how small we perceive the change to be but to date no one on this forum has been flagged so perhaps our cars are too "old" which is great news.

[jet_dogg]

It being early and a new change it is hard to say what they may do, a lot is possible at this time.

Are you talking about “Test Only Station” stuff or something else like fake smog tests that don’t jive with machines? Could you elaborate on this and what Evo ppl are doing.

Good luck getting anything more than a terse, cryptic response.

[L0okitzRaj]

Hey guys, I wanted to put this out there... I just had my 2004 through smog. I have previously used ECU worx to do add shift lights and a few other things INCLUDING rear o2 sensor delete (while still plugged in) and I was able to PASS. I also had the EVAP monitor not ready (irrelevant for the topic) and I was still able to pass.

So it seems like if you're able to pass visual, and all your monitors are ready, you should still pass with things like post-cat o2 sensor delete (like i did).

Cheers! (i guess it's time to buy some headers)

[Tbonem3]

Awesome! Thanks Raj!

Time to edit some binaries!

[kaiv]

What I haven't been able to find is whether the BAR-OIS software will automatically record your CVN in the event that no manufacturer data was provided and use that as the baseline for future inspections. I don't believe so, but idk. Admin law is a bitch because they basically get to make their own rules and they're usually so poorly managed that you can't even find the rules that they feel like following.

this is what baffles me, do they really plan on crowdsourcing ECU data from whoever comes in for smog checks and the most consistent reads become the new standard?

Sounds like something California would do.

They are literally doing this.

I took an E46 S54 conversion to the state ref for engine swap certification, with the only software tweak being EWS delete. They were quite cryptic about why they were failing it but it was software "mismatch". The donor was a CA car, registered and smogged here, and it turned out they had previously recorded the data...

[kaiv]

I'll add that in my experience so far this has only been an issue at the ref. They are constantly adding hurdles to the engine swap cert process.

Smog tests (regular or STAR): no problem with modified parameter files.