Hello my question goes out to all here in California that are going to have smog up in a year or 2 and you have modded your engine. So some things I know must have the stupid carb sticker to be ca legal. Right now seems there is only one intake and that is the KN Typhoon. but I read somewhere that it actually reduced power over stock or wasn't any better.

So here is my delemma. I want to start modding my engine as soon as the warrenty is up. That will be very soon. I have plans to install a bunch of modds most are standard Intake, exaust pully some ignition and maybe something with some ecu.

However I can deal with reinstalling an intake to pass smog but if I have 40 to 80 hours invested in installing all this stuff I don't want to have to reinstall all the factory stuff every time I need a smog.

so cat back exaust is legal, Headers are not. but how do they know? does a headder that frees up exaust flow really affect emmissions or is the fact that the manufacturer has not payed the bill to CA to get a CARB sticker.

Is a Pully legal? surly upon inspection they could easily tell. This is one item that would be a big pain to go back to stock to pass smog. Surly no pully I have seen comes with a CARB sticker.

Looks like all intakes except the K&N is not Carb approved however most use K&N filters. Humm. so I suppose I can take this part off and replace it every other year.

can I upgrade my Ignition? Or is all of this evil in the eyes of CA too?

Seems like the only way to get a legal 210 HP in CA is to get the Works kit. But I don't want to spent 4500 for 1K worth of parts

What to do What to do

I want mods and I also dont want to disassemble my car every other year. And there is also the risk that CHP and other city cops are pulling you over if your car looks like it has mods to inspect it. Well to a CHP I bet a DS mini S with driving lights, clear tailights, Red mirror covers, and racing stripes looks racy even though it all came from the dealer.

 

As I understand it, the JCW kit installed at the dealer is not CARB approved.

I don't know if the factory installed kit will be CARB approved or just 49 state legal.

Everybody just assumes that the JCW must be CARB approved because it is sold by the dealer.

Nobody has had to face that yet.

Just as Dinan states on their web site, their kits are only 49 state legal.
The JCW kits are no different.

Maybe Our resident CA smog expert will chime in on this.

Bill

 

If the JCW kit is NOT CARB approved the dealers in CA can NOT install it, its illegal. No dealer would open themselves up to that liability. I haven't tried to get one installed, any one in CA have one?

 

Yes

 

Unless I am wrong, with the new smog laws in California you don't have to have a check done on a new car for the first 5 years. But the CHP and local cops are "cracking down" on cars that look like they have mods and they will impound them if so.

 

so if I just put an intake on my car that does not have a CARB sticker, Lets say I got pulled over and inspected. The CHP would have the right to impound my car for that? Or would it have to be a combination of offences?.

I hardly doubt if all was added was an intake, header, and exaust would cause mor polution out of regulations. It seems just another way for CA to get more money out of me and the manufacturers.

This carb stuff is confusing. I emailed one of the performance shops here in CA and they said legally all I can do is an intake with a carb sticker and a cat back exaust. He said in the eyes of CARB a pully is illegal.

The next question is. how much can you get away with and still pass a smog inspection. so if I go with a Cat back exaust, a Carb approved intake or just replace the stock box when I need to get inspected. Will a car with a pully installed still pass the sniffer test or will it get flunked? Will a pully be one of the things to check for on visual inspection? If a car can pass the machine, How smart are these guys doing the inspections to know what is factory and what is not.

Man this just makes me love old cars even more. you can make as much smog as you want and no inspections ever.

 

Here's an old quote from a thread on smog in CA.

YES, however some smog techs don't read.

Air cleaner assemblies may be altered as long as they are NOT thermostatically controlled and providing all other systems remain intact.

I have this in print in the state smog inspection manual(appendix K).

What fails most cars is the silicon PCV return hose that is supplied with most CIA systems for ricers. If you use the correct type PVC hose you should have no trouble.
On all the CIA systems I have seen for the Mini, this hose is NOT replaced, therefore the stock hose is used and not a problem.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...8&page=1&pp=25


I wouldnt worry about a pulley but if you are try to buy a one that looks like a stock one. I am sure most smog techs won't know the difference. I did read somewhere that someone smogged his mcs with a reduc pulley and it passed the smog test in CA.

I don't know about the iginition systems.

 

I don't know where you heard about the K&N Typhoon CAI reducing power or not being better than stock, Pat. I've had mine for a year and a half and it definitely improved performance. And yes, I did choose it because it is CARB approved. :smile:


Clover

 

We ran one of our test cars thru smog and numbers wise it was fine. We had a 15% pulley, intake , cam and head work . It passed all the required tests with ease. As far as a visual inspection is concerend you just need a smog inspector with bad eye sight and you are in : )

Randy

M7 Tuning

 

JCW Works kits are CARB certified for 2002-2004 MCS's:

http://arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/eo/D-576.pdf

Don't know about the status of certification for 2005 and later models -- maybe someone from MINI USA can fill us in?

 

Just passing a SMOG test doesn't get you to a CARB exemption. There is a very specific set of tests and supporting documentation that must be submitted before you get a CARB exemption number.

Yeah, and if you are unfortunate to get a technician who is thorough, your VIN gets flagged and you can not register your car until you have proven to DMV that your car is box stock - typically by having a dealer replace all emission components with new parts. At those prices, a JCW kit is cheap.

Net, net, if you want to roll the dice on your car not passing the visual inpsection, by all means go for it (use non CARB-exempt parts). Just don't start peeing through your eyes if you get caught.

 

The JCW kit is 50-state certified by BMW/MINI. It is just not released for the MCSa models yet.

 

You might consider contacting minimania.com and enquire if their parts are CARB-Exempt. Part of the cost differential on the JCW kit is for the emissions compliance requirements.

 

I guess I should post this...

Is your mod approve for California
hope this helps a little

 

Easy Tiger

I was only pointing out that a modified car many times runs as clean or cleaner numbers wise than a stock car. The ones we have tested locally have done so. Additionally I mentioned nothing about CARB approval but thank you for stating the obvious. As for who you have inspect your car when it comes time to have it smog checked that is always the owners choice. Do you homework and things will work out as you want them to.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

goldcountrymini- Thanks for the link. I found the CHP web page interesting.

 

I have the Alta intake and was worried about the same thing. I sent an e-mail to Alta and they said that they were trying to get their system CARB approved and hoped to have stickers by the end of the year (hopefully issuing them to those who already have there intake).

 

Short of having a friend who owns or works in a SMOG inspection station who knows you and is willing to overlook a "technical" detail, I don't know of a way to be certain that the technician performing the SMOG tests (both visual examination and exhaust sample) is going to cut you some slack. In a previous lifetime, I owned a Land Rover Defender 90. The D90 needed to get a SMOG test and I figured I would go to the cheapest SMOG testing station I could find on the S.F. peninsula hoping that you got what you paid for. (I even went at the end of the day hoping that the desire to call it a day would further argue for haste in performing the tests.) Wrong decision. The technician found a vacuum line that had not been hooked up by the Land Rover dealer when they had recently performed an emission recall. I had to take the D-90 to the dealer, get the line hooked back up, have the dealer certify that the emission system was working to specification and then the SMOG test technician would complete the test.

The point of the previous post was simply to illustrate the potential downside (and how hard the landing can be if you fall) for any attempt to game the inspection system. If you want to game the system, have at it. Just don't expect any sympathy if you get caught.

 

Welcome to the great state of Kalifornia, where the CHP is more concerned with what you have on your car, as far as aftermarket equipment. They could care less about the idiot driving the car next to you who is on the phone/zoned out/not paying attention. The crap that happens every day on the way to and from work, 23 miles, never ceases to amaze me. But whoa, gotta get that quota up and keep the money coming in, so I think I'll find someone with a taillight out or someone not wearing a seatbelt, that will keep us all safe!

Pin Heads!

 

No problem. I know that I've posted that on here a few times, but I know easy link to the GCM site. Modding your MINI comes with risks... we all know that... I guess someone should start a thread about "tuner-friendly" smog shops

 

" Short of having a friend who owns or works in a SMOG inspection station who knows you and is willing to overlook a "technical" detail, I don't know of a way to be certain that the technician performing the SMOG tests (both visual examination and exhaust sample) is going to cut you some slack. "

On one hand we have a very regulated state but on the other hand it is also a hot bed of " hot rodding ". Car owners have been fighting these battles since the smog rules started to be enforced. Many people in the high performace game have such " friends " that you refer to . I say again do your homework and things can work out as you need them to.

Randy
M7 Tuning

 

Has anyone looked at my post and checked with a smog technician yet? I am curious to see if information on airboxes is located in appendix k. If it's true, at least for intakes, it sounds like one wouldn't need a e.o. number.