moving to cali and need to know about smog

[vvloolvv]

I am moving to san diego from new Orleans for school and need to register my car for residency. It’s a completely stock 97 240sx. Does anyone know if I would pass smog or should I sell it and buy a car from cali.

[onosqv]

Uh, it's a completely stock car. You shouldn't have problems w/ smog. If my modded 89 240sx can pass smog, your 97 240 should be fine.

I know my sister's gone to school at both Pennsylvania & Nevada & has never had to register her car there (i.e. changing her plates, etc).

[vvloolvv]

I know my sister's gone to school at both Pennsylvania & Nevada & has never had to register her car there (i.e. changing her plates, etc).

inorder for me to become a resident, so i dont have to pay out of state tution which is like 5 times more than normal, i have to register my car and in order to register i have to smog it and get it inspected by the dmv because its an out of state car. i dont know if you know the but cali has the strictest law in the world regarding cars, here in new orleans you car do what ever you want to your car the are NO laws or checks. i just had to sell my 86 that was heavily modified.http://www.imagestation.com/al...93347

just cause the dmv has to inspect it not joe blow

[onosqv]

i dont know if you know the but cali has the strictest law in the world regarding cars, here in new orleans you car do what ever you want to your car the are NO laws or checks....just cause the dmv has to inspect it not joe blow

Um, yea, I'm from So Cal .

In any case, yea do what you must. I seriously don't see why your car wouldn't pass - again, if my 89 in its stock version (and modified version) can pass in the legit shops, your's should be fine.

Although it shouldn't matter in your case, sucks that the dmv has to inspect it and not just some dmv certified smog check station... iono, i've never had to deal w/ moving into cali.

Don't sweat it.

[Ubernoober]

If it is stock and everything is functioning correctly, you should be ok. It may still fail the sniffer, but the inspection will go just fine.

By the late 80's pretty much all domestically available cars were manufactured to Cali standards. It was cheaper for manufacturers to have one model rather than one for Cali and one for 49 other states.

[cyrus240sx]

it really doesnt matter... if your car wasnt made in cali then the smog is done on federal settings rather than cali setting.... well thats for obd1.... not sure on obd2, but since its stock... i dont think youll have a problem anyway

[HKSpeed]

open your hood and look for the emissions sticker (hood or radiator support?). see if it says California or Federaly certified. if its Federally certified, you cannot register it in California. Some manufacturers still made California and 49 State legal cars during the mid-late 90's. Thats why some cars made 5-6 less hp in California (Miata and turbo Eclipse for example. VW made 2 separate emissions golfs/jettas until the 1999.5 year model). But I think this applies to California residents who purchase a out-of-state vehicle and bring to California. For non-residents, it maybe different.

Read about it at the California Dept. of Motor Vehicles website.http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/bro...t.htm

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/osreg.htm#BM2561

[masticatingcow]

Welcome to California.

[vvloolvv]

the sticker says that it meets federal epa standards, thats it. do you know what the difference between my car and a cali car is? 97 240sx, do cali 240's say meets federal and california epa standards?

[HKSpeed]

the sticker says that it meets federal epa standards, thats it. do you know what the difference between my car and a cali car is? 97 240sx, do cali 240's say meets federal and california epa standards?

all california certified cars have "california" certified/approved, not "federal" on the sticker.

[onosqv]

This was grabbed from Google:

Quote »CARB Verification Process

Similar process to EPA, differences include:

PM-focused

Required PM Reduction of 25% Minimum

Optional NOx Reduction

15% Minimum

Require 3 to 9 additional hot start tests if NOx emissions reductions under 25%

Test based on emissions control group

Warranty requirement[/quote]I think the above may have been for diesel cars, but you should get the general idea.

Check for the following on your car:

EGR valveODBI sensor (yours may be ODBII)Carbon CanisterCatalytic Convertor

If you have those, you should be fine.

On my particular car they checked for the above plus the aiv - which was eliminated from 240sx after they found out it sucked.

Again, I don't see why your car wouldn't pass since it is stock, even if it's only federal epa - cali just lowers the numbers a little more, but most cars are already suppose to pass well under the settings.

In the absolute worse case if your car doesn't pass. CA has an assistance program called CAP or CAL or something like that - they will pay up to $500 of fixing & you pay like maybe $100 or something MAX if anything to get your car to pass emissions if you qualify. You said you are a student and I'm guessing you don't make bank yet, so you should be well covered.

If you want an absolute answer, you're probably going to want to call the DMV

hope that helps.