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California smog check

APB

By APB
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APB Contributor

APB

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Hi Everyone, I'm new here. There seem to be a lot of Brits here and I'm one but I live in California now. I had been looking for an Esprit V8 for a while and found one in Florida. I had it shipped out here and just tried to get a smog check to register it but was told the cats are not CA compliant. The local dealer is unable to help, since I didn't buy it from them. Any suggestions?

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APB
APB

After some minor work on the hoses I was able to drive it home in L.A. traffic. It never got hotter than the middle of the gauge. 

jonwat
jonwat

As they used to say in California "we don't trust air we can't see" 

APB
APB

Thinking I'll try a random drive through smog check place tomorrow. Worst case I'll get a report telling me what the problem is...

jep Grand Master

jep

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Welcome to TLF. 

Hopefully someone can offer constructive advise. I've resisted the cheap gag.

Good luck and hopefully the Esprit will be whizzing along the highways soon.

Justin 

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APB Contributor

APB

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Thanks for the welcome! I feel pretty stupid. I've had a few classics including an old V12 Jag and my mechanic was always able to get them through the smog check. For the Jag he had to get some special cats. It seems the problem is that the right kind of cats are no longer available for the Esprit. Magnaflow used to make them but don't any more.

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APB Contributor

APB

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Thanks! Seems like a long shot as they are in the UK, not far from Exeter where I used to live. Worth a try, though.

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mike_sekinger Experienced

mike_sekinger

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What is currently fitted to the car?   If you have 200cpi sport cats fitted, then these will not pass CA smog checks.

It could be that you just need 400cpi cats which are widely available.

1996 Esprit V8, 1998 Esprit V8 GT, 1999 Esprit S350 #002 (Esprit GT1 replica project), 1996 Esprit V8 GT1 (chassis 114-001), 1992 Lotus Omega (927E), 1999 Esprit V8SE, 1999 Esprit S350 #032, 1995 Esprit S4s, 1999 Esprit V8 GT (ex-5th Gear project), 1999 Esprit V8SE ('02 rear)

1999 S350 #002 Esprit GT1 replica

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APB Contributor

APB

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Mechanic says they need to either be specific for California or the original equipment, which raises the question of why a car with only 15K miles does NOT have the original cats?

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jonwat Mentor

jonwat

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19 minutes ago, APB said:

which raises the question of why a car with only 15K miles does NOT have the original cats?

Maybe originals have been replaced with sportier, more free flowing ones 🤔 

Edited by jonwat

Cheers,

John W

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APB Contributor

APB

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Yeah, that makes sense. I bought it from a dealer in Florida. Their emission regulations are not as strict.

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jonwat Mentor

jonwat

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2 hours ago, APB said:

Their emission regulations are not as strict.

As they used to say in California "we don't trust air we can't see" :hrhr:

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Cheers,

John W

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APB Contributor

APB

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Yeah, I've heard that, LOL. It was really bad when I first moved here in the 80s. On the worst days you literally could see it. Now you can see the snow in the mountains from the beach. Emission control isn't a bad thing, unless one is trying to register an Esprit V8...

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CarBuff Rising Star

CarBuff

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Have you contacted JAEParts in Goleta, California, to see what they recommend for CA V8s?

http://www.jaeparts.com/

Another source would be Lotus Prepared by Claudius in Cerritos,

https://lotuspbc.com/

 

13 hours ago, APB said:

specific for California or the original equipment

Yep, need to be original or CARB approved. (California Air Resources Board)

 

Atwell Haines

'88 Esprit

Succasunna, NJ USA

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APB Contributor

APB

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Well, I jumped through all of the hoops, found OEM cats, had them shipped and installed, and went for a smog check this morning. The guy failed it without even checking the emissions because the year stamped on the cats didn't match the MY of the car. He was also an a**hole about it. Probably doesn't like people who own cars he can only dream of...

I just called the referee program and it's a long process.

Thoughts?

 

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APB Contributor

APB

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Thanks, I hope so, and hope the process will help some others here.

There isn't anything I can do now until January but I'll post updates here. I'm still driving it and will be in some murky waters if I get stopped but it still has Florida dealer plates (a plastic printout) and a Florida registration that technically expired in September but we'll see. I've complied with the law as I read it...

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APB Contributor

APB

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Thinking I'll try a random drive through smog check place tomorrow. Worst case I'll get a report telling me what the problem is...

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APB Contributor

APB

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Well, three smog check stations later and the problem seems to be that the part numbers for the OEM cats I have are not in CARB's system. Guess I'll have to wait until it can be looked at by the referee in January.

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fmxa Rookie

fmxa

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Forgot to add - one place I recall that worked on the V8's was Lotus Prepared by Claudius in Cerritos off the 605.  May be worth giving them a call

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Paddle Faster, I hear Banjos!
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jep Grand Master

jep

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24 minutes ago, APB said:

OEM cats I have are not in CARB's system

You're not alone. In London, the ultra low emission zone ULEZ, S1 Elise is incorrectly inputted in the database. S1 Elise has to pay but NOx is below the threshold. 

The matter is now with MPs and Lotus to try to pursued the London transport authority to correct the faulty info. 3 years and waiting 

Justin

 

 

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APB Contributor

APB

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That sucks, although I'm not sure I'd want to drive a Lotus in London traffic, LOL. It's bad enough around here.

 

I just checked and the fine for expired registration is $200 for the first offence if under six months (which it is). It still has the dealer's ad plate on it, so not drawing attention to expired tags. So, I'll take a chance and *try* to keep it under the speed limit... 😇

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