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Thread: Bring to Smog referee or illegal smog in SoCal???

  1. #1
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    Bring to Smog referee or illegal smog in SoCal???

    Hi all,

    I would like to know whether I should bring my Euro Evo M3 (engine swapped) to a smog referee or not? My mechanic has tested the tailpipe, and it was clean like a US version Bimmer. The point is that it will fail the visual if i bring the car into a station where the guy notify that it's an euro engine. so my problem comes to whether I should gamble on bringing into the referee and hope that he didn't recognize the intake butterfly. I can be troublefree if i get the number to smog and wouldn't scare of the police for pulling over. My other option is to bring the car to a illegal smog station, which i really have no connection at all. If anyone have connection around SoCal, you can let me know through my e-mail @ littlekenneth@yahoo.com. Please give me advice. thank you very much!!!

    Ken

  2. #2
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    how much are you willing to spend to pass?
    Alan


    2006 325i
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  3. #3
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    You may get past the visual at a legal station but you will fail the OBDII plug in and crash and burn.

    You'll have to go illegal or move to another state. Illegal is a tough one. This is a relationship you should have been cultivating since the time you contemplated buying the Euro motor. The CA CARB Nazi's have extremely harsh penalties (can you say "practically Islamic Law") for stations that fake test results. You have to know someone who knows someone pretty well. CARB also sends out people to attempt to bribe testers from time to time. That's why I say you needed to be developing this relationship for a long time. Walking into a shop and offering them a few hundred to look the other way is not going to be productive. In fact, a really paranoid shop might call the state and report you to make sure they look like they are following the law.

    Good luck.

  4. #4
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  5. #5
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    Jim is right on this one.

    You will definitely need an illegal smog done. Considering that you don't know anyone, your best bet may be to go to a more industrial part of town. For example, since you're in SoCal, I would suggest areas like Long Beach. The more run down, the better. Those guys are more willing to look the other way in exchange for a few "Benjamin's". Once after you establish a relationship w/ someone...keep that relationship alive. Don't just disappear and hope for another favor 2 years later.

    For example, a cheap easy way to show gratitude (after smogging), is to purchase a pizza and drop it off for the crew. Make sure they know who you are and remember you. Or your "rewards" will be for nothing if they don't recognize you.

  6. #6
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    Does that really work? I heard under the new rule, there are less likely that people will risk their time in the prison. This is what i keep hearing about. Is there a particular one that i can bribe? Thanks for everyone's responds to this thread.

  7. #7
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    as jim said youd need a hook up, especially in SD, drag net is cracking down on that stuff hardcore, basically if they get caught
    doing that they will get their however many thousand dollar machine taken away, their license taken away and also thrown in
    jail, and they wont get back that stuff for another 6 months or so, so best bet is to see if your friends know someone, thats the only
    way youll be able to get by it, i dont think theyll help you if you just walk in and say i need a illegal smog or something, its getting
    pretty crazy out there, i heard they have caneras now taping the people doing it, the car and the license plate, talk about anal
    :
    JOEY | '18 M3 ZCP AW | '18 Lead Foot Raptor

  8. #8
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    you'll never find a shop that'll do it just by "walking in". The penalty is very stiff. shops that do smog have to spend 100k+ on the equipment and it brings in alot of revenue so they have their livelyhood at steak. Not likely they'll risk it for a few hundred bucks. You'll have to know someone personally.
    Alan


    2006 325i
    2015 M3

  9. #9
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    Would a smog shop do it if you asked them to do a emissions test without the visual, but NOT FOR A CERTIFICATE but just to see if your car will pass a sniffer test or under law regardless of the certifcate or not they cant do that? All I need to know is to see if my car will pass a sniffer test.
    M3 Sedan Club President #21

  10. #10
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    Re: Bring to Smog referee or illegal smog in SoCal???

    Originally posted by Bimmer96
    Hi all,

    I would like to know whether I should bring my Euro Evo M3 (engine swapped) to a smog referee or not? My mechanic has tested the tailpipe, and it was clean like a US version Bimmer. The point is that it will fail the visual if i bring the car into a station where the guy notify that it's an euro engine. so my problem comes to whether I should gamble on bringing into the referee and hope that he didn't recognize the intake butterfly. I can be troublefree if i get the number to smog and wouldn't scare of the police for pulling over. My other option is to bring the car to a illegal smog station, which i really have no connection at all. If anyone have connection around SoCal, you can let me know through my e-mail @ littlekenneth@yahoo.com. Please give me advice. thank you very much!!!

    Ken

    Okey Ken, Here the downlow on smog.. First let clear the air on Illegal smog.. DON'T DO IT!!!! Not worth the money and the time to find a "trusting" shop.. Now for Calfornia rules on smog check. First, if you are doing an engine swap the engine has to come from a newer year (example: if you have a 96 you could only put 96 and up no 95 engine). Second, all Emission related items MUST be in working condition and transplated with the new engine.. Now here the tricky part, Since you have a EURO engine and most likely don't have the VIN on the engine block. What you can do is "retype" the VIN# from the old engine (doing this is illegal and you on your own) onto the new engine.. Because the referee will be checking the VIN on the Engine block to match with your car if you decide not to tell him you had an EURO conversion. But for most part you should not worry to much in passing smog.. Think about it most smog station only think HONDA doing engine swap so they will check more in detal. But if you drive a BMW and the engine has a BMW engine and you pass the tail pipe and the most a visual will do is just check you have all the Emission parts and is working (No engine checklight). they don't care much about the butterfly intake.. Look at this I had a more extreme setup in getting my civic pass with a JDM GS-R engine and got the car retitle to a GS-R.. The state referee only looked at my engine then check his book to make the engine is not stolen and then did a tail pipe check and booom in 30mins I got a Civic GS-R legal with new VIN and Paperwork.. Damn I type too much

  11. #11
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    The problem as I see it is what Jim stated - the Euro motors are not OBD II, therefore when they plug into the diagnostic port under the dash (as they do on all OBD II cars), it will fail right there.

    If the car was a '95 you would be set. They don't plug into OBD I cars, and most smog guys aren't going to notice that the motor isn't stock.

    Chris
    '97 M3 Coupe
    '95 M3 LTW

  12. #12
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    AngelEye328i let me get this straight... If I transplant a 3.2l in my 325i without reporting to dmv, the Smog guys would actually check the vin number on the engine block to see if it matches with the vin on my car? Where is the vin on the engine located anyways?

  13. #13
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    So if I put exhaust on, etc..whatever...since I'm a 1994...I'm OBD I? So they can't plug anything into me? lol

    ~Matt Segal

  14. #14
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    Cool

    I would have filed with CARB, BAR, and EPA before doing engine modifications and get a permit,,Engine Re-builders do it all the time, Non-Cal Motor in a Cal registered car is a problem, yet by adding the correct smog equipment via CARB approval--and getting a permit, the problem does not exist. Contact a local engine rebuilders shop thats a member of AERA-Automotive Engine Rebuilders Association, they may be able to salvage your situation, or Star Test and Repair Shop. Get it street legal and dont drive until it is,, the problem with non street legal cars is no matter what the accident--even other car running the red light-the non street legal car is at fault with the driver as it should not have been on the road.

    Happy Motoring Y'all


    Randy
    Last edited by 320iAman; 05-14-2018 at 01:57 PM.

  15. #15
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    I don’t like breathing crappy air. California has unique air quality issues as the wind ya typically off the ocean and the smog collects between the shoreline and the mountains. This is especially prevelant in LA. So if you’re ok with breathing crappy air, move to India.

    Off soapbox.

  16. #16
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    Did y'all realize this thread was from 2002?
    ASE and BMW Master Certified Technician

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