Illegal california mods

[PlatinumW_party]

Personally on cars this new I wouldn't worry about and go ahead and mod whatever you want. Purchase some nice shelving while your at it for all your stock parts and make sure whatever tune you use is a flash tune that can turn your car back to stock. Personally I'm going to go all out with an upgraded turbo and all supporting mods, then change it back when it's time to smog. 6 years is a long time to not have to worry about it. Don't drive like an idiot and make a wise decision in your exhaust choice and the police should have no reason to pull you over and ask to inspect your vehicle.

Side note and it's probably obvious but suspension and appearance mods are not illegal, same goes for modifying the transmission (clutch, short throw etc.) as well as things like upgraded motor mounts.

Just one more caveat when it comes to exhaust 95decibels is the max but any exhaust that modifys the routing in a significant way can be considered illegal. Think switching. Exiting position or changing from single to dual exhaust or vice versa. The rules are ridiculous but that's what you get when a bunch of people who don't understand anything car related are in charge of trying to keep CA's air clean.

Hopefully your still active but I just recently got state ref and was wondering if I can pass with the 2014-15 evap harness in my 2016 fist!

 

[Dpro]

Hopefully your still active but I just recently got state ref and was wondering if I can pass with the 2014-15 evap harness in my 2016 fist!

Where and how did you get a ref ticket?

 

[M-Sport fan]

Hopefully you're still active

Most likely not, since he was last seen on here almost 5 years ago.

 

[J.andretti93]

Hopefully your still active but I just recently got state ref and was wondering if I can pass with the 2014-15 evap harness in my 2016 fist!

Seeing how I am running the same I am also interested in any input. Also curious as to how and where you got state reffed.

 

[PlatinumW_party]

Seeing how I am running the same I am also interested in any input. Also curious as to how and where you got state reffed.

I live in California and in my area there are very strict but the reason he pulled me over was because I had a Cobb decal and the first thing he told me to pop my hood my car was fbo+single port aux on a gen2 2860 on e30

 

[PlatinumW_party]

Where and how did you get a ref ticket?

California Coachella
Pulled me over because of my Cobb decal and seen the accesport which was off because it was disconnected and made me pop my hood and state ref me because of my 2j intake

 

[Dpro]

California Coachella
Pulled me over because of my Cobb decal and seen the accesport which was off because it was disconnected and made me pop my hood and state ref me because of my 2j intake

Wow so he basically pulled you over for having a sticker on your car . First off thats pretty outlandish. They cannot stop you for having a sticker on your car. I would be talking to a lawyer about that. You sure he did not pull you over for how load the 2jintake is lol. It just sounds like there had to be more reason. He cannot just go I saw the sticker on your car so I pulled you over. He can go I heard you before I saw you or You car is extremely loud. Their are no laws on the books for stickers there are laws for noise . I would be willing to be he pulled you over because he heard your intake and possibly your exhaust and your blowoff and went this guy is modded. Pulls you over for the noise which is legit per regs. 2intake is a known noise maker as well.
Well either way now you gotta put a lot of stuff back to stock for the ref. There is a thread by Koozy on here he had dhm setup with a Garrett 2860 gen II and got reffed read up on what he did .
JAndretti is here in California as well he is in Orange county and I am in LA.

 

[PlatinumW_party]

Wow so he basically pulled you over for having a sticker on your car . First off thats pretty outlandish. They cannot stop you for having a sticker on your car. I would be talking to a lawyer about that. You sure he did not pull you over for how load the 2jintake is lol. It just sounds like there had to be more reason. He cannot just go I saw the sticker on your car so I pulled you over. He can go I heard you before I saw you or You car is extremely loud. Their are no laws on the books for stickers there are laws for noise . I would be willing to be he pulled you over because he heard your intake and possibly your exhaust and your blowoff and went this guy is modded. Pulls you over for the noise which is legit per regs. 2intake is a known noise maker as well.
Well either way now you gotta put a lot of stuff back to stock for the ref. There is a thread by Koozy on here he had dhm setup with a Garrett 2860 gen II and got reffed read up on what he did .
JAndretti is here in California as well he is in Orange county and I am in LA.

There is a task force over here just for street racing called “street team” so if they think your modified they’ll pull you over and if they aren’t sure they send you to the state ref. It’s so stupid because in this area we have nothing but slow cars I don’t understand! But yeah as soon as he pulled up the my window he said “ you have an accesport too! Pop your hood” that’s it. Either I pop my hood or get my car impounded for 30 days nowhere on the ticket is there any other violation it says emissions

 

[ronmcdon]

this sorta scares me too. good thing with the fiesta is if you have an aftermarket manifold and turbo it's pretty hidden from the engine bay.

really has me thinking wanting to keep things as sleeper as possible. this is what got me to use the stock looking st200 airbox and all black hoses for the aftermarket radiator, ic and oil cooler. thinking about getting the ic powder coated in black now. maybe find a way to wire the AP to the glovebox.

somewhat related got super lucky getting pulled over 10 years ago in my 240sx with s14 silvia engine swap. cop even identified a turbo sticking out. can't believe I got away with 'I bought it from a friend bc I thought the car looked cool but I don't know anything about cars' excuse. cop was trying to bluff saying he would call a mobile rep on site. I just sat in my car and he ended up giving me a ticket for exhaust and window tint only thankfully. what got his attention to pull me over was the fart-can blitz exhaust at the time. quickly replaced that with megan catback quiet exhaust and have been safe since. this is also why I'm staying away from the greddy exhaust for the fiesta even though I like it a lot.

 

[M-Sport fan]

^^^One of the few reasons I would ever go with a hybrid over an S280 if I were going aftermarket snail, since it can be made to appear VERY factory stock, if so desired.

But of course, they will still catch your tune on the OBD plug in, once past your new car inspection exemption time frame.

 

[Dpro]

this sorta scares me too. good thing with the fiesta is if you have an aftermarket manifold and turbo it's pretty hidden from the engine bay.

really has me thinking wanting to keep things as sleeper as possible. this is what got me to use the stock looking st200 airbox and all black hoses for the aftermarket radiator, ic and oil cooler. thinking about getting the ic powder coated in black now. maybe find a way to wire the AP to the glovebox.

somewhat related got super lucky getting pulled over 10 years ago in my 240sx with s14 silvia engine swap. cop even identified a turbo sticking out. can't believe I got away with 'I bought it from a friend bc I thought the car looked cool but I don't know anything about cars' excuse. cop was trying to bluff saying he would call a mobile rep on site. I just sat in my car and he ended up giving me a ticket for exhaust and window tint only thankfully. what got his attention to pull me over was the fart-can blitz exhaust at the time. quickly replaced that with megan catback quiet exhaust and have been safe since. this is also why I'm staying away from the greddy exhaust for the fiesta even though I like it a lot.

Honestly I have a number of friends with different Turbo’s and for the most part cops do not even blink an eye at us. Its so much different than the 240sx world. I remember getting followed around in my S13 coupe with a Silvia front all over City of Industry La Puente . Never finally pulled me over but he dogged me like no tomorrow.
Around here for the most part unless your going fast its pretty safe. There are so many more obvious cars running around. lol
I do think it has a lot to do with areas as well. Like everyone knows Irvine is bad news . Just like don’t around with your AP in sight all the time its a dead giveaway to mods. I only run my AP when needed and if I see cops I unmount it and hide it. Hell sometimes I just don’t bring it into the car. Of course if I go to the canyons I will take it. But a lot of the standard around town shit ...
So ya I was bit surprised about the OP’s situation but given his area I guess its a hot spot. Its not like I am planning to take my FiST to Coachella lol. I might do the Salton Sea though. Though ya I have driven the car all over and never been looked at.

 

[New_Daily]

Any CA guys who have a Whoosh hybrid and successfully made it through smog? I know most cars are still too new to have had smog required, but thought maybe there are a few?

The essentially stock outside is one of the biggest reasons I’d go Whoosh hybrid. Plus I don’t want to get into fuel mods and *feel* like I’d be fine with the power level achieved with the hybrid.

 

[New_Daily]

Also, reading this thread, it IS required to reload the factory tune before going to smog?

 

[Dpro]

Also, reading this thread, it IS required to reload the factory tune before going to smog?

In answer to your questions. A Whoosh hybrid should not have a problem passing smog because externally it looks stock. The biggest issue with smog is do all the ready sensors read out right and if any of the o2’s have been disabled. If the tune shows all sensors ready then the car will pass smog as they only read the sensors. They do not dyno it they do not tailpipe.
The biggest giveway to mods on the underside would be a downpipe. As the cat is in the downpipe therefor by law its not modifiable . Though if you go the right smog tech if all the sensors read ready they might not care. Though most sticklers might find issues. I know with my M3 I had taken it to some guys with a intake and they put it on the rollers and tailpiped and passed it. Whereas other guys were like oh you have a intake I am not supposed to let you go on that but your cool I will do it. lol A lot of this is really up to the technician on visual. Its really all your sensors being ready with a tune.

 

[New_Daily]

In answer to your questions. A Whoosh hybrid should not have a problem passing smog because externally it looks stock. The biggest issue with smog is do all the ready sensors read out right and if any of the o2’s have been disabled. If the tune shows all sensors ready then the car will pass smog as they only read the sensors. They do not dyno it they do not tailpipe.
The biggest giveway to mods on the underside would be a downpipe. As the cat is in the downpipe therefor by law its not modifiable . Though if you go the right smog tech if all the sensors read ready they might not care. Though most sticklers might find issues. I know with my M3 I had taken it to some guys with a intake and they put it on the rollers and tailpiped and passed it. Whereas other guys were like oh you have a intake I am not supposed to let you go on that but your cool I will do it. lol A lot of this is really up to the technician on visual. Its really all your sensors being ready with a tune.

Gotcha thanks. So I can just check with Jason at Dizzy if his tunes leave sensors intact to pass a CA smog test.

I should have about 3 years until I need smog, and I'm not sure I will ever get a new turbo but in those 3 years I might so it's good to know what I'd need to keep in mind.

All my previous years of modding cars, it was finding the "right" place and tech to get it passed. Then in the years since they changed the way the tests are administered and rules for different year cars I've just had my stock Tacoma and my wifes stock vehicles, so I never kept up on the ins and outs.

 

[jmrtsus]

Were are tested annually here in Hamilton County TN. Just OBD, check for a CAT and gas cap leak test. Never seen them pop a hood. Never an issue with my MP-215. They tailpipe sniff non OBD cars, had to get new exhaust on older Ranger to pass.

 

[Dpro]

Gotcha thanks. So I can just check with Jason at Dizzy if his tunes leave sensors intact to pass a CA smog test.

I should have about 3 years until I need smog, and I'm not sure I will ever get a new turbo but in those 3 years I might so it's good to know what I'd need to keep in mind.

All my previous years of modding cars, it was finding the "right" place and tech to get it passed. Then in the years since they changed the way the tests are administered and rules for different year cars I've just had my stock Tacoma and my wifes stock vehicles, so I never kept up on the ins and outs.

Well your AP has an IMreadiness monitors that you can check cause a lot of tunes disable your 2 o2 light. They also tune to disable your cat ready monitor as well. If all your ready monitors read ready then you are good to go. Koozy passed the state ref test on the dyno with a tune loaded. All his IM‘s were in ready state. I am wondering how a Whoosh Hybrid would blow on the dyno tailpipe wise Koozy‘s car was put on the dyno with a stock turbo and passed flying colors super clean.
They also scrutinized the hell out of and looked over everything. I can guarantee a regular smog guy is not going to be as thorough inspection wise. If your car is a 17 that means you should have 4 more years as they extended the time out too 8 years last year. I have 5 more years myself. Which is plenty of time for fun as long as I do not get reffed then its basically back to stock turbo and downpipe and what not. Which is why I kept all of that.

 

[New_Daily]

Well your AP has an IMreadiness monitors that you can check cause a lot of tunes disable your 2 o2 light. They also tune to disable your cat ready monitor as well. If all your ready monitors read ready then you are good to go. Koozy passed the state ref test on the dyno with a tune loaded. All his IM‘s were in ready state. I am wondering how a Whoosh Hybrid would blow on the dyno tailpipe wise Koozy‘s car was put on the dyno with a stock turbo and passed flying colors super clean.
They also scrutinized the hell out of and looked over everything. I can guarantee a regular smog guy is not going to be as thorough inspection wise. If your car is a 17 that means you should have 4 more years as they extended the time out too 8 years last year. I have 5 more years myself. Which is plenty of time for fun as long as I do not get reffed then its basically back to stock turbo and downpipe and what not. Which is why I kept all of that.

Ok awesome, good info.

You will likely need to revert to stock turbo as you’re on an S280 right? Couldn’t pass a visual? My hopes are that the Whoosh could remain on. I wouldn’t feel like swapping back, especially a turbo. But I do have all my stock parts still, so if need be I can revert.

So yeah, who knows. 4 years is quite a while I may find myself in a new turbo in that time.

 

[Dpro]

Ok awesome, good info.

You will likely need to revert to stock turbo as you’re on an S280 right? Couldn’t pass a visual? My hopes are that the Whoosh could remain on. I wouldn’t feel like swapping back, especially a turbo. But I do have all my stock parts still, so if need be I can revert.

So yeah, who knows. 4 years is quite a while I may find myself in a new turbo in that time.

Unless I can get all my IM readiness nailed and find a guy who does not make to big a deal about visual. S280 has one big different visual factor and that is the blowoff/divertervalve is not actually mounted on the turbo like stock. The other thing I have to deal with is I am running a Mountune Sportcat which is technically not a street legal cat downpipe because CARB. lol
Yet I bet my car would pass tailpipe though they do not do tailpipe and if all the sensor monitors came up ready it would pass on the computer. Lol I think visual is a money grab its always been. The law was originally written by people that do not know cars well enough to know regardless of correct stuff under the hood a car could still pass.
Hell I have turned gross polluters into clean burning machines with a little elbow grease. I even remember doing it with a 240sx and it was test only it failed miserably . I took it home did my magic and brought it back . The tech ran and looked at me and goes are you a mechanic. I am like no. He was dumbfounded. Now granted some cars are easier than others . Say BMW M3’s they are notorious oil burners. You have to prep them for smog or they won’t pass lol.

 

[M-Sport fan]

IF you actually get 'reffed' there, is the dyno/tail pipe sniffer a REQUIREMENT at that point?