SMOG Sucks

[RustRocket]

After reading a lot of the posts on here, I've come to realize, I'm pretty lucky to not have SMOG/noise testing here. All I have for exhaust is Hedman Headers, no Cats, no resonators, one muffler on each side and I'm running so rich, I might as well have King Midas in place of my DualJet. I just have to say, I'm sorry for y'all in big cities and smogged areas...that sucks. Sure, the Pavement Princesses rolling coal at stoplights gets annoying, but I'm starting to consider myself lucky

 

[pontiacgp]

if smog sucks then why are you creating it?

 

[RustRocket]

I don't mean literal Smog, I'm referring to the inability to do any decent modifications to a car and keep it legal. I honestly couldn't care less what I'm putting out, I'm hunting for sound, fun, and (not so much) performance.

 

[pontiacgp]

the smog engines biggest problem were the heads, vortec heads give about 40 hp and is a nice upgrade for a 350. An EGR does have a positive side, it cools the combustion chamber which lets you run a higher advance. The air pump only works at start up and for catalytic converters thank the racing world for the spun cats which are about 90% free flow. Where I live we don't have the car emission tested but the emission officers can stop you and check that all the emission components are still there. The one thing I am missing is the air pump but they don't know if my car came with one or not.

 

[CWPottenger]

My biggest issue with it is how it is done. I think that results should be the ONLY factor. If your vehicle passes the smog limits it should be good no matter what parts are on it or not on it. Smog systems in the 80's were used to cover up the inefficiency of engine/fuel management. With advancement in technology you can reduce emissions and still make power without all the crap.

 

[Lue]

Being From California, I can first hand say; Yes, smog test suck!!!! The laws out here are changing so often, and it makes it a lot harder to make mods to our engines. There was a time when some smog places would pass the test for you for $$, but now the same places are afraid to loose their License, which I totally understand.

 

[t01blaze]

I don't know where to start.

You can easily make great power and keep it legal on the cheap. They had some growing pains (I'd say) from '73-'98 because of government regulations, but got it done in the end. It's not the pollution controls, it's the low compression that kills power combined with a lack of technology.

The best/cheapest route to go is to pull a 5.3 truck motor (with harness and computer) and put it in your car. You can double your hp and torque in a weekend and also have a much easier time diagnosing problems, plus better drive ability with lower maintenance.

 

[jiho]

You cannot put a truck motor in a car and be smog legal.

I notice those of you disputing the O.P. all seem to live somewhere where you don't have to deal with smog. I'm not sure you realize how hard it is to be smog legal in California. You must have a "certified configuration," and it would take all night to explain the excruciating details and convoluted gotchas that involves.

Until 2005 there was a 30-year sunset in California. Other states with smog have a 25-year sunset, so their '88 Montes went off smog last year. No G-body will ever go off smog in California.

Curiously, the Olds 350 diesel is a legal swap into just about any G-body, since they sold with it as an option from the factory. You wouldn't even have to see a referee for that one. (A shrink, maybe.)

 

[rustyroger]

The smog regulations were introduced for a very good reason. The toxic soup cars were spewing out in the early '70s had to be addressed. Remember the days when large cities were surrounded by a halo caused by hydrocarbons, NO2, etc?. And lakes and rivers that were pretty much open sewers?.
Now it is relatively simple to build a good engine that runs clean.
Quite frankly I the OP has a selfish attitude. We live in a society, and all civilised societies have to make compromises for the benefit of all. If we all did whatever we pleased and damn the neighbors life would suck instead of smog regs.

Roger.

 

[jiho]

Now it is relatively simple to build a good engine that runs clean.

Yes, and very nearly everyone except the O.P. wants to do just that.

My biggest issue with it is how it is done. I think that results should be the ONLY factor. If your vehicle passes the smog limits it should be good no matter what parts are on it or not on it. Smog systems in the 80's were used to cover up the inefficiency of engine/fuel management. With advancement in technology you can reduce emissions and still make power without all the crap.

x2

And if they want to quibble about cold start emissions, they could make you leave your car overnight one time for a cold start test.

I mean get this, they won't even let you retrofit a heated O2 sensor! It would improve emissions considerably, and it's pretty obvious whether it's working right. But instead, the smog techs have to race the motor for several minutes to get it into closed loop so they can run the tailpipe sniffer!