Tuning illegal in California

The software won’t matter. I grew up in a California and I can assure you I’ve been buttfucked more times than you can imagine. I’ve made all the mistakes and understand all the consequences and issues.

Ultimately it’s gonna come down to emissions testing and/or visible modifications inside your engine bay.

Essentially, if a cop asks you to pop your hood and spots aftermarket engine parts that lack a CARB number... you’re fucked. This has happened to me.

If you fail to pass emissions, depending on the shop, that might get electronically submitted to the DMV before you have a chance to fix it.

So long story short, if you tune your vehicle without changing your parts... you’ll be fine. A police officer can’t detect the Lund or Livernois software running on your ecu. Same goes for emissions testing... as long as you’re not running catless headers you’ll be fine.

Search around on the forums and you’ll find that the air intake is actually not even that important. You become more susceptible to heat soak. A tune and the oem intake system is your best bet for performance and peace of mind. But if you do want the intake... yeah you want a CARB approved model.

NvrFinished said:

It's just a blue state run with a Democrat majority. Facts don't get in the way of the decisions of our politicians and lawmakers. If it feels good or feels like the right thing to do, then they do it. California is trying to save the world and lead the way regarding the environment, residents be damned.

We reached the point of diminishing returns with smog laws here years ago, but they are still trying to improve at economic cost of everyone. We now have a ignorant senator who has submitted a bill to outlaw the combustion engine by 2040.

https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/27/16373778/california-internal-combustion-ban-emissions-carb

A few years ago it was determined that a leading scientist who worked for the California Air Resources Board bought his Ph.D. for $1000. It was also found that he fabricated some of his data on diesel emissions research. Regardless of this finding, he kept his job and C.A.R.B. enacted even tougher emission requirements for diesel engines based on his false data.

http://www.flashreport.org/blog/201...m-the-dangers-of-bucking-fashionable-science/

I won't even get into the pandering to illegal immigrants for votes and etc. A recent study found that 45% of Californians do not speak english in the home. California is not the same place it used to be 30 years ago.

Click to expand...

AKA makes laws off emotions with no thinking behind it or facts. Don't care about laws they did pass because it don't suits them now.

You gotta love the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia!!

At least you dont live in Japan.

We have vehicle inspection tests every 3 years (800USD) (extremely strict. catback = NG)
Vehicle tax every year (5 Liter V8 = 700USD).
140yen for a liter of reg. gas (4 and half bucks /gallon).

Appreciate your freedom folks

Faceme said:

... Vehicle tax every year (5 Liter V8 = 700USD).

Click to expand...

$700 tax every year? How much is tax for a Honda Civic Si or a Type R ?

Faceme said:

At least you dont live in Japan.

We have vehicle inspection tests every 3 years (800USD) (extremely strict. catback = NG)
Vehicle tax every year (5 Liter V8 = 700USD).
140yen for a liter of reg. gas (4 and half bucks /gallon).

Appreciate your freedom folks

Click to expand...

Sounds about like the excise tax I pay every year to the commie state of Mass.

ForYourOwnGood said:

Sounds about like the excise tax I pay every year to the commie state of Mass.

Click to expand...

Ahhhh good ole taxachusetts glad I moved out of there 10 years ago. Friend of mine said they now video the vehicle inspections?

Ecoboosted said:

Ahhhh good ole taxachusetts glad I moved out of there 10 years ago. Friend of mine said they now video the vehicle inspections?

Click to expand...

Yeah, mostly to stop shops passing cars with rust holes taped over with flashing tape. Too many falling apart rust buckets ruining the "image" of the state. One of the reasons I didn't buy a new winter beater this year and just went with snow tires, not worth the hassle of trying to get a $1500 car to pass inspection at this point. A lot of the smaller shops have just stopped doing the inspections as well.

[MENTION=21617]mustang1[/MENTION]

Yea, every year. The price you pay is dependent on the 1. Weight of the vehicle & 2. size of the engine. Weight and size of the engine = Give the gov an idea of how much pollutants you put out, so they tax you.

A honda civic costs around 400. The GTR's around 5-6hundred. A guy I know has a big block 'cuda with a 426 hemi. That thing runs him over a grand / year.

You have to take into consideration , there are no freeways here either. All Tolls. ..


ehh whatver, thats what makes us so special

Yesterday I got gas here in California was 3.79 a gallon for 91 octane, my registrations actually due this month and it's 468 not to mention that the new gas tax kicked in and registration fees are supposed to go up to $150 more per year starting next year so I registration could be as high as 618 next year in the Communist of California. And not a joke they actually brought back the Communist Party in government this year in California

Vote for new representation if you don't like the current laws. Don't agree with the democratic process and laws your fellow constituents support? Move to where you have more control of your local politics. Whining about it in a forum won't solve it.

Californians wanting clean air ≠ communism, marxism, socialism or whatever other scare words you'd like to use.

Cali should actually be two states. Norcal is very different than socal. I'd never move back unless norcal becomes a separate state.

Barrel said:

Vote for new representation if you don't like the current laws. Don't agree with the democratic process and laws your fellow constituents support? Move to where you have more control of your local politics. Whining about it in a forum won't solve it.

Californians wanting clean air ≠ communism, marxism, socialism or whatever other scare words you'd like to use.

Click to expand...

Good luck with that because they drink same Kool-Aid everytime voting comes around. Yet complain how bad it is but vote same people back in. Time for new drink don't you think.

My work field in Heavy Duty Diesels Cali pushed for DPF's and SCR's. Now Cali saying it's killing plants like REALLY. THIS Knee jerk reaction to make people happy aka emotional laws with no thinking or facts

I watch tons of YouTube videos featuring highly modified cars from California(TheSmokingTire). How do they get way with it?

ypena02 said:

I watch tons of YouTube videos featuring highly modified cars from California(TheSmokingTire). How do they get way with it?

Click to expand...

You gotta pay to play, basically. Knowing people in the industry helps when it comes to getting your smog test passing.

I'm so glad I live in Michigan now. We get salt and snow but no front license plates and no fucks given when it comes to car mods.