you can still find janky smog shops that will "clean pipe" it for about $200. a small price to pay every two years to keep your vehicle how you want it. with that being said if you just fix the issue you shouldn't have an issue passing the test as long as you don't have a CEL. as mentioned above smog shops don't have 4wd dynos so they are just sniffing you at idle and at 2500 rpm no load. mine has passed legitimately no problem. if you are close but not passing the values you can always run it down to nearly empty and put some ethanol in the gas which will make it run like crap but lower the emissions. where there is will there is a way. i hope you like getting it up the butt from the good ole government because smog is just one of the lovely things us californians have to put up with.
Moving to California - Emissions Advice
- Thread starter Titan94
- Start date
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Bent smog guys do exist, depending on how much it will cost to fix your problem, that may be the way to go. In California there is simply no exception to passing smog. Also, I've seen cops at local refinery parking lots taking pictures of plates and then coming back 2 weeks later looking for those same plates to give out of state tickets. Most companies stopped allowing them to come onsite so now they do the same thing in popular hotels for workers. I wouldn't count on running out of state plates for very long without getting caught.
Regardless of how you pass or get it "passed" just make sure that it is running clean. It is not much of an issue for regular Gas cars, but the "rolling coal" retards in the diesels always end up getting busted because it is something sooo visible that people may actually report you of you might get spotted by a cop.
Other things to watch out for are not having your tires stick out too much, you need a front plate on the vehicle. There are ways to get what you want in Cali, but you have to play it smart.
Other things to watch out for are not having your tires stick out too much, you need a front plate on the vehicle. There are ways to get what you want in Cali, but you have to play it smart.
If you dont work in one of these industries that get lots of out of state work then it is not a problem. But if you get pulled over once, you gotta play it safe for the next month. It is easier with western plates because you could come to Cali and visit family every week or two. But with NY plates the story might not be believeable if you get popped too often.
It's not too difficult or expensive to fix the EGR code. It's almost certainly just the modulator, which is something like $40. The diaphragm is likely torn, which allows carbon down into the small vacuum hoses and into the metal pipe that passes through the intake manifold, possibly even clogging the VSV.
Get an EGR modulator, some vacuum hose, and some kind of carbon dissolving aerosol. Plus some guitar wire or other fine wire (I used some stainless lock wire).
If you haven't replaced all of your vacuum hoses, do it. It can make a huge difference in startup and idle performance, and probably a difference in whether you pass CA emotions.
Get an EGR modulator, some vacuum hose, and some kind of carbon dissolving aerosol. Plus some guitar wire or other fine wire (I used some stainless lock wire).
If you haven't replaced all of your vacuum hoses, do it. It can make a huge difference in startup and idle performance, and probably a difference in whether you pass CA emotions.
Simple answer - DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT move to the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia. Property, sales and income taxes are out of sight (yes even compared to NY) and gas taxes are going up another $.12 tomorrow thanks to Governor Moonbeam and his super majority of bleeding hearts in Sacramento. If it wasn't for the influx of illegals the net population of this state would be in decline.
Yes, I know this is more of a political rant.
Emissions on your '94 will have to be fixed as others have stated. CEL is an automatic failure. Otherwise coming from out of state you are held to 50 state emissions standards...which I think are what most vehicles, even in '94 were built to anyway.
Yes, I know this is more of a political rant.
Emissions on your '94 will have to be fixed as others have stated. CEL is an automatic failure. Otherwise coming from out of state you are held to 50 state emissions standards...which I think are what most vehicles, even in '94 were built to anyway.
ppc
M Go Blue
If your LC has typical rust as other vehicles in that part of the country sell it before you move. If you decide to sell in a few years, Californians will never buy a rust bucket from the east. Start fresh and enjoy working on a rust-free vehicle. In California it is the responsibility of the seller to pass emissions so you will get a vehicle that doesn't have the issues you currently have.
DirtScaresMe
Trouble Maker
Yeah not really. There are a bunch of counties in California without smog requirements for renewals, this is list of ones that are required:
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcm:path:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vr/smogfaq
Alameda Butte Colusa Contra Costa Fresno Glenn Kern Kings Los Angeles Madera Marin Merced Monterey Napa Nevada Orange Sacramento San Benito San Francisco San Joaquin San Luis Obispo San Mateo Santa Barbara Santa Clara Santa Cruz Shasta Solano Stanislaus Sutter Tehama
Tulare Ventura Yolo Yuba
But counties like mine (Mono, down south of us in Inyo and north in Alpine) don't require smog checking on renewals. I know sipping on California haterade is fun to do but honestly the big cities would be hellholes if their was no smog control. Not sure if you guys remember the 1980's Los Angeles skylines but it was disgusting.
- Thread starter
- #29
My family has had the truck since 1996, it has barely any rust on it and it's in fantastic shape. I just completed an 11k road trip around the US with no problems except a fuel pump relay issue (easy fix). I'm not going to sell it, I know the maintenance record and that's more valuable than pretty much anything.
I'll fix the EGR system and go from there, after it's passed smog/emission/inspection I'll just plug the vacuum line if I still care, I saw a thread during my searches on this topic. I don't want to jeopardize my head gasket.
I took a look today and the modulator is the old version (green top), and the vacuum lines have never been replaced and I'm pretty sure some are even missing.
Thanks for the advice everyone. California is a beautiful state, I'm happy to be moving there. Easy access to national parks and jobs in my industry, perfect match.
Do everything possible not to move to this commie state...which in return will solve the smog issue 
why not just disable the egr with the jumper wire, ive passed nj emissions for n0x and c0 with no egr. i dont remember what the limits were but i could try to dig up the old inspection sheets.
Actually having grown up in Pasadena in the 60's the 80's were a cake walk .Not being able to see the 8000 ft mountain range that was only 6 miles away on most days. Yes it has helped but it wasn't only car exhaust making it that way. I don't hate California........I hate the assholes running it.Basically southern ca has the population, But most of them can't or wont vote so we are controlled by the Bay Area and silcon valley elite who can pass stupid crap and taxes cause they have enough money that it wont effect them.
