I am due for my first smog check, was wondering if anyone can tell me what to expect, or worry about. Located in tehama county/shasta county area.
Also lets say hypothetically someone has moved thier starwheel so many times they can't remember where it was to begin with, is there a way to approximate where it was set at factory?

 

Hey pacmule. You live in the same area as I.

As for CA smog rules, what the tech is going to look for is any visual changes or additions to the engine and exhaust. The biggest issue you could be faced with is if you removed the catalytic converter. The 12 valve trucks have catalytic converters and if its gone then you wont pass. But if its there and all the visual inspection is fine then they'll do a throttle snap test to look for excess exhaust smoke where basically if they can see a plume of smoke come from the exhaust then you'll probably fail.

PM me for a shop that I'd advise going to.

 

Katoom is some what right they do a visual and a functional test and a visual snap throttle test where they snap the throttle and the smoke has to dicipate within 3 seconds and if it doesn't then you fail make sure you have your cat because they will looks for it

 

My truck is a24v and has no cat andthrows out a big cloud of smoke. What the heck am i supposed to do? stop driving it

 

Find a used diesel cat and put it back in or hopefully you still have your old one. Does the smoke dissipate within 3 seconds stab the throttle watch for smoke and count if its still lingering. Then you need to figure out why its smoking

 

The only reason you'd need to stop driving your truck is simply if it didn't pass. This is why "clean" diesel HP products are becoming more popular. Not because guys do or dont like smoke but more because society clearly has become brainwashed into thinking that the smoke which comes out the tail pipe of a diesel is the same nasty stuff that comes out a smoking gasoline engine. So legislative bodies have discovered that the more popular diesel engines can also be a source of revenue. Try asking diesel truck guys around your area if there's a diesel smog tech/shop who is more "conservative" on their testing procedure.....because the diesel smog guidelines are nothing like smoging a gas engine, so there's room for a little fudging.

 

if it fails, register it in another state

 

If you cant remember where your star wheel was just tighten it up past the point were when you drive its a gutless pig and makes no smoke then after the test loosen the afc spring back up

 

Try removing the EZ. The Mach 1's might pass on their own. Your truck never had a cat,so you're all right as far as that goes. Run several tanks of injector cleaner through it and make sure the air filter is new.

 

I thought about running bio diesel through it cause when I did before it smoked less. But I don't need to worry untill my next registration is due in Febuary but it has me freaked out and ****** off. the Republic of Kalifornia keeps coming up with more ways to steal our money. And CARB. needs to be imploded.

 

Agreed.

 

get a smarty and run in on half power setting

 

When I failed the smog test d/t no cat, had to call the state who gave me 3 phone numbers to call and ask for an aftermarket cat. the three companies said they did not have cats for diesels. (CA knows that but you have to check)
I called back the state to say that the 3 companies said no cat available.
State sent me a letter, instructing me to make an appt with a smog referee. This is how the state helps out the community college/tech schools--I went to the tech school where the students inspected my truck (big deal, no smoke) but they took about 30 minutes to look everything over. The smog check was free, then they provided me the smog cert for $8.25 which is what you would have to pay anywhere.

The catch is, if there is an aftermarket cat at my next smog check I will have to buy one and put it on. If I find my old one, guess i could install it but would have to go from 4" to 3" adaptors between my 4" downpipe and muffler pipe. Then hope it doesn't fall off.

I expect there will be an aftermarket cat, since there is money to be made on people in my situation. We'll see....it was a pia but not expensive, just time consuming. My plan is to replace the resonator with the cat, using the reusable clamps that I got.
No regrets though, like how my truck running and now that my clutch is upgraded I might find a #10 plate and new injectors before that next smog check....

 

buy a smarty set it at half power thats what I did passed with no problem

 

Yours didn't come with a cat. I had the Mach 1.6's and an Edge Ez also. It smoked also and wouldn't pass today. I sold it.

You can try disconnecting the EZ,but that didn't help my smoke problem because the boost elbow went with it in order to kill the boost fault code. You might have to put some RV 275's in there. It should pass then. My buddy has a 99 with them and it doesn't smoke.