JDM Passing Emissions in California
01-19-19, 11:18 PM
#1
JDM Passing Emissions in California
To anyone with experience in this...
Looking to get specifics on what needs to be exactly done for an FD JDM to pass emissions testing in the state of California. Poured through a few threads and found some scattered information on it, but I wanted to compile this into a specific thread since I think more people will be experiencing this in the future.
If anyone has actually dealt with this issue personally, it would be great to hear what they went through in regards to the emissions business and what they had to change/alter on their JDM (FD) to pass; and whether or not they were able to avoid paying these rumored (5-10k) fees to these agencies to simply look at your vehicle.
Also have seen some traffic regarding the single vs. twin turbos, how having a single can cause an inspection fail...guess I don’t really understand the difference behind this one and what the state of California is cracking down on in regards to after market modifications.
Anyways, posted this in the new member section as I am new to this. Would love to go down the JDM FD route, but would like to really know what I am getting involved in being in Cali so I can plan accordingly.
Looking forward to some testimonials and words of wisdom in regards to navigating the red tape.
Thanks!
Looking to get specifics on what needs to be exactly done for an FD JDM to pass emissions testing in the state of California. Poured through a few threads and found some scattered information on it, but I wanted to compile this into a specific thread since I think more people will be experiencing this in the future.
If anyone has actually dealt with this issue personally, it would be great to hear what they went through in regards to the emissions business and what they had to change/alter on their JDM (FD) to pass; and whether or not they were able to avoid paying these rumored (5-10k) fees to these agencies to simply look at your vehicle.
Also have seen some traffic regarding the single vs. twin turbos, how having a single can cause an inspection fail...guess I don’t really understand the difference behind this one and what the state of California is cracking down on in regards to after market modifications.
Anyways, posted this in the new member section as I am new to this. Would love to go down the JDM FD route, but would like to really know what I am getting involved in being in Cali so I can plan accordingly.
Looking forward to some testimonials and words of wisdom in regards to navigating the red tape.
Thanks!
01-20-19, 08:13 PM
#2
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here is what i know:
a STOCK JDM car should actually pass the sniffer part of the test.
it will fail the visual part of the test, it has no check engine light, and no precat. the precat is easy, you can just use the US one. check engine light would require the US ecu, and the e/l unit, and a little wiring.
the other part is that by the vin, they will know its not a US car. i do not know what California does with this. worst case is that they make you run the car through the whole round of tests they use to certify a car. no idea what standards they would use, how much it costs. it probably would take a long time, and you would have to go to many different places
it seems like a big waste of time for a car that would pass the normal test anyways. and given how the DMV's are in California you're better off registering it in Nevada. even normal registration in Nevada is 10x cheaper, and its faster, and easier.
a STOCK JDM car should actually pass the sniffer part of the test.
it will fail the visual part of the test, it has no check engine light, and no precat. the precat is easy, you can just use the US one. check engine light would require the US ecu, and the e/l unit, and a little wiring.
the other part is that by the vin, they will know its not a US car. i do not know what California does with this. worst case is that they make you run the car through the whole round of tests they use to certify a car. no idea what standards they would use, how much it costs. it probably would take a long time, and you would have to go to many different places
it seems like a big waste of time for a car that would pass the normal test anyways. and given how the DMV's are in California you're better off registering it in Nevada. even normal registration in Nevada is 10x cheaper, and its faster, and easier.
01-20-19, 09:00 PM
#4
here is what i know:
a STOCK JDM car should actually pass the sniffer part of the test.
it will fail the visual part of the test, it has no check engine light, and no precat. the precat is easy, you can just use the US one. check engine light would require the US ecu, and the e/l unit, and a little wiring.
the other part is that by the vin, they will know its not a US car. i do not know what California does with this. worst case is that they make you run the car through the whole round of tests they use to certify a car. no idea what standards they would use, how much it costs. it probably would take a long time, and you would have to go to many different places
it seems like a big waste of time for a car that would pass the normal test anyways. and given how the DMV's are in California you're better off registering it in Nevada. even normal registration in Nevada is 10x cheaper, and its faster, and easier.
a STOCK JDM car should actually pass the sniffer part of the test.
it will fail the visual part of the test, it has no check engine light, and no precat. the precat is easy, you can just use the US one. check engine light would require the US ecu, and the e/l unit, and a little wiring.
the other part is that by the vin, they will know its not a US car. i do not know what California does with this. worst case is that they make you run the car through the whole round of tests they use to certify a car. no idea what standards they would use, how much it costs. it probably would take a long time, and you would have to go to many different places
it seems like a big waste of time for a car that would pass the normal test anyways. and given how the DMV's are in California you're better off registering it in Nevada. even normal registration in Nevada is 10x cheaper, and its faster, and easier.
01-22-19, 01:10 PM
#6
There is. There are also options to have a vehicle owned by a business such as an LLC, be an employee of said business, and then legally drive it with the registration from whichever state the business was incorporated in. Also technically out of state vehicles must not live in the state of CA for longer than 30 days. Meaning you're supposed to leave the state and have proof of it every 30 days, though this is never enforced.
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