SMOG test in Cali
I'll run into the same problem next year when I need to get checked. There are shops who will pass you for an extra charge, so you wont have to go through the hassle of putting everything back to stock. maybe another member from CA here can pm/recommend you a place to go.
There should only be three cats. One on each header which makes two. Then the secondary on the mid pipe. Which probably the one there looking to see. But yeah find a shop slip the guy a $50-100 and he'll pass you. But just don't fo it to the wrong shop.
Bear in mind it's like a $25,000 fine for doing this, and violates federal law 
(which is why it's remarkable some places risk this for an extra 50 bucks)
You won't, legally, pass smog the way your car is, because your car is currently not legal. Removing any cats the car comes with is a violation of federal law, as is running it on public roads that way. If you don't pass you can't register the car.
(which is why it's remarkable some places risk this for an extra 50 bucks)
You won't, legally, pass smog the way your car is, because your car is currently not legal. Removing any cats the car comes with is a violation of federal law, as is running it on public roads that way. If you don't pass you can't register the car.
Last edited by Kurtz; Sep 9, 2011 at 05:50 AM.
you should be able to pass!! i am an inspector in ga and i believe you WILL pass. you still have 2 cats on the car but cali is more strict with emissions. try going to another station
Last edited by Denver; Sep 9, 2011 at 10:58 AM.
^^^ CA Law is a bit different.
Any tampering of smog / emmission control is a no-no. So the mid-pipe technically deletes the secondary cat making it street illegal.
If you happen to find a hook up that will "pass" you, you can still get slapped with a fine from the cops if they happen to pull you over. Then you have to go through the hassle of reverting back to stock regardless. Some cops here are real (fill in your choice of word) when they pull you over and ask you to pop your hood... and even looking under your car.
Any tampering of smog / emmission control is a no-no. So the mid-pipe technically deletes the secondary cat making it street illegal.
If you happen to find a hook up that will "pass" you, you can still get slapped with a fine from the cops if they happen to pull you over. Then you have to go through the hassle of reverting back to stock regardless. Some cops here are real (fill in your choice of word) when they pull you over and ask you to pop your hood... and even looking under your car.
Trending Topics
That's so crazy. I've always wanted to look into moving to California for the mad cars, weather, etc. (not so much for earthquakes, fires, high price of homes) but that's crazy. Here I have got pulled over and talked to about my car. "Nice exhaust, sounds good!, I've got a Mustang at home." type of talks.
ClubLexus Stories
Celebrating Lexus & Toyota from Around the Globe
8 Tips for Improving Your Hybrid or Plug-in Hybrid's Efficiency!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Best Lexus Models No One Remembers
Joe Kucinski
TRD Off-Road Premium: Best 2026 4Runner, Except This One Thing
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Lexus & Toyotas to Drive Before You Die!
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Lexus/Toyotas With The LEAST 5-Year Depreciation
Joe Kucinski
Lexus LC500 Convertible Auction: A Preview of Rising Values?
Brett Foote
GX 550 vs TX 550: Best 3-Row Luxury Lexus Family Hauler
Michael S. Palmer
9 Best Lexus Models You Can Buy for Half Price (And 1 You Shouldn't!)
Joe Kucinski
2026 Lexus NX Buyer's Guide: Models, Features, Prices & More!
Brett Foote
Because if they did they'd notice the car is illegal... under federal law... and fail it. Which is what CA will do.
yea emissions does suck over here in cali, or at least it has gotten a lot stricter than about 5 years ago (when i still had my 92 civic hatchback with greddy turbo, lets just say it was easier to smog then compared to now)
If the car can pass smog, but only fails visuals, there are places out there in cali that arn't as strict that will easily pass you. I know because when i was in the subaru community, those cars have 2 cats (at least the 02-05), one in the uppipe and 1 in on the downpipe. Tons of people went catless uppipe because the fear of catastrophic failure in the uppipe cat can kill the turbo and the increase in flow/power.
Anyway, what my point is, those cars can still pass smog with an aftermarket downpipe with cat at a smog place that doesn't care about visual, so maybe if you know you can pass smog, try finding a place where they don't care about visual
your other option of course is going back to stock
good luck
If the car can pass smog, but only fails visuals, there are places out there in cali that arn't as strict that will easily pass you. I know because when i was in the subaru community, those cars have 2 cats (at least the 02-05), one in the uppipe and 1 in on the downpipe. Tons of people went catless uppipe because the fear of catastrophic failure in the uppipe cat can kill the turbo and the increase in flow/power.
Anyway, what my point is, those cars can still pass smog with an aftermarket downpipe with cat at a smog place that doesn't care about visual, so maybe if you know you can pass smog, try finding a place where they don't care about visual
your other option of course is going back to stock
good luck
we do visual inspection. there is a cat on each exhaust manifold so i would pass it because cat is present. they dont tell us this car has x amount of cat so i need to find all of them.
Huh...I'd have figured when you put the VIN into the computer before running the OBD test it would display what items you should be looking for on the visual. (including number of cats)
nope, the computers in ga dont tell us how many cats there are. i think we have it easy than other states
