Hi guys, I moved to San Diego 2 weeks ago and went to get a smog test today. I failed CO (My CO: .59, Max CO: .48) and NO (My NO: 447, Max NO: 414). The guy that did the test told me I could probably just get some new plugs and use some fuel cleaner and that it'd probably pass, but that I might want to take it to a shop anyway.

Long story short, I took it to a shop and found out that my Berk HFCs are illegal in CA duh. The shop quoted me $2k for new cats without labor. The other guy at the smog center passed me on visual though and he didn't really seem to care about my aftermarket stuff (JWT popcharger, Berk HFCs and HKS Hi Power exhaust).

I'm wondering what my options are at this point? I see people on the SoCal forums with Berks and also keep seeing people posting stuff saying that sniffer tests are no longer necessary due to new smog law 2289 and only OBD-II / CELs need to be checked? Yet I failed because of a sniffer test? Just wondering what a seasoned SoCal driver would do in my shoes. I'm not too familiar with all this smog / emission testing stuff. Thanks!!

 

Find someone local that has their OEM cats laying around and see if you can borrow those for the test. I don't think the sniffer is going away until 2014.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Just posted a WTB in the classifieds forum. If anyone's got some to sell, please let me know!

 

Berks are known to "blow-out" anyway, there's no point to running blown HFCs. So you might as well buy new ones.

 

yeaaa I wasn't aware that there were any issues with Berks. Back when I got them on my car, they seemed to be all that everyone wanted on this forum. Then I kinda fell off of the forum after I finished college from starting a new job... and came back today bc of my whole smog issue

 

word, they where supposed to stop tail pipe emissions for all 2000 and up vehicles this year in CA, guess it's taking a while for them to catch up with the new laws

 

http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/09-10/...chaptered.html

 

yea...totally sucks probably could've gotten away with it next year since i'm not throwing a CEL

 

I am pulling my OEM cats off my 03 coupe in the next few days for some Stillen HFCs. I wont be worrying about keeping the OEMs since I am moving to Colorado where they are legal. I am up in Orange County, hit me up if you are still looking.

 

Thanks for the help guys. I met up with alfhasg35 in Orange County last night and picked up his OEM cats. Hoping this is all I need to change to pass smog.