I failed smog today, pretty badly. Smog tech said he couldnt resd the part# on my cat. Because it got scraped off from being too low. So the cat visual failed, then said the machine registered the idle at 1200, which is weird because it "usually" idles between 750-1000. My numbers on the 15mph part failed by alot but passed the 25mph. I have this flow master cat brand new that i was going to have welded on, but my friend said if it doesnt have the carb# then itll fail visual. Any ca smog techs know if this is ca legal?

 

Cat, no number on the other side

 

A tech took the time to visually inspect your cat prior to running it on the machine?
How far off were your results on your 15mph and which sections did you fail? One time I failed the 15 and passed the 25, the tech told me to drive it around for 10 mins and come back to re-test. I passed the second test, apparantly because the cat was finally at operating temperature. It's suggested you take the car on a nice drive immediately before having it tested.

 

But you wont pass visual with an aftermarket cat that has no CARB# stamped on the body. I haven't heard of or seen many techs checking the cat during visual inspection though...

 

It also says on the paper i tampered with visual inspection stuff, tech never mentioned that. For the cat it put it at "modified", then ignition failed, but the tech said once he let it sit for a bit it idled normally and the timing was perfect, but he told me the machine had already registered it at 1200. He didnt even notice but i did mess with the vacuum lines, i had the map line directly connected to the throttle body, instead of going through that little metal tube[ that metal tube has a crack in it which caused poor idle and ran rich].

So now, advice on what to do? It would cost me i think about 50$ to have the cat welded on. Then 30$ for a retry at that same place, but he might not accept the cat and have it fail again. It would be 51$ to re try at this other place, where they have the dyno things on the floor, so i figure that one cant visually see the cat # unless they have a camera under neath.
I mean itll be like 120$ to try again. Ive already wasted 80$. I could get a hot smog but thats like 300$.

 

Go to AA smog on Briggsmore and Oakdale. They usually have a coupon that you can get smog for $20.


I can't believe a tech actually checked the cat CARB#...they usually only do that at a BAR station.

 

Your flowmaster cat isn't CA 'legal'.

It'd most likely function fine, but the CA legal ones have the CARB EO number stamped onto it.

 

Dont retry at the same place you initially went to.

You failed both tests. With those numbers, are you sure the engine is in good running condition? Tune up done recently? If so, change the cat, make sure you have no exhaust leaks, run a bottle of Guarantee To Pass fuel treatment, follow directions, and re-test. Before your test, drive the car for 30 minutes with some of it on the highway to warm up the cat.

 

Lastly, if you go back to the place that you first tested at, they're going to check the cat again since they know it failed.


IDK if your car gets flagged in the DMV system for that, I do know that it'll flag that it failed smog if you pull up the smog history.

 

The car runs good, it pulls hard. That aa one is the one behind the carls jr right? Ill get the other cat on there today, where can i get that fuel thing? Like at walmart? Or autozone? And im not too sure, but i do think theres an exhaust leak, because when i have the car at wot, its loud for a stock exhaust. But under normal driving its quiet.

 

Yeah behind CJ.

 

The fuel treatment can be found at walmart or autozone. If there's a leak, replace the exhaust gaskets or fix the source of the leak. Is the engine completely stock otherwise?

On an older car, you're only making it harder to pass if you're not keeping up on reghular maintenance. Spark plugs, oil change, ignition parts all need attention prior to test. Just because the car is running doesn't everything is good. Pulling hard means nothing on the smog dyno. Unless you plan oin alternate means of obtaining a pass, you should think about fixing the issues or buying something in passing condition. There are only so many things you can do to help pass your car.

 

Well previous owner said he did all that maintenance recently, but who knows.. can never take a strangers word. I just saw the box the cat was in ( this cat was thrown in the trunk of a gsr i purchased a while back) and the box says Not for Sale or Use in California.. lol.

 

Passed smog!
I was going to just have a shop install that non legal cat, which would have cost 30, but then i just decided to have a carb legal one installed, for 200. Then found a nice smog place off kansas, only costs 21 to test, free re test, and 30 if you pass! I feel like such a fool because yesterday i paid 59.75 for my failed smog test... but yeah all i did was change that cat and my car took like 10 sec per test to pass. Thanks for the input guys.

 

Congrats on the pass. Even after the cat change, you barely squeezed by in the HC section. I'm thinking that might just be a result of replacing the cat and not allowing it to heat up before testing. But regardless, good job.

 

Yeah maybe. I did get to the smog place and had to wait until 3 cars got smogged, so it cooled down in that time.