...
1) How many times is one required to do a Smog test in Cal?
2) With the Gold Sheild program, is one roped into a different situation, like, if you go for a gold sheild repair, will one have to do 2 smog tests a year? Once every 2 yrs?
I did read it, and kinda hard to decipher sometimes....
1 smog test every 2 years.
When you get your notice to renew, it will state on the notice, weather or not you are required to have your car smogged. It will also show if you are required to smog at a "Test Only" station, or if you can go to any place that can do a your smog test. Test only places are not allowed to do any repairs on your car, or supposed to be associated with a shop that can repair your car. Gold Shield places are a little different, in that you can do "Test Only" and they can do the required repairs to make your car smog compliant. These places have the required certification to do these repairs (they paid to get it). The only thing that would make it a different situation, is if you are trying to get the state to help pay for what is necessary to make your car smog compliant (most likely easier to use a Gold Shield station).
So, looks like 36511 is more of the stock choice here, right? (I do have headers on the engine). This is all in being prepared to know what to do in case I do need one. Dont want to scramble at last minute out in LA on this.......
Uh-Oh now you're screwed, you have headers! Your car is illegal. Using a two piece manifold makes you illegal as well.
If you need a new one only thing you can do is put on the old manifold and original downpipes and cat!
How handy is your son with the tools? Until he builds up a relationship of trust with a shop out here, meaning they know he isn't working for the state trying to catch them doing something naughty, most will not do anything that involves modification or removal of any legally required smog equipment. They do not want to risk losing their license or get fined. This does not mean however, that they can't do what is necessary to make your car legally compliant while on their property, at the same time making it so that you can easily change things out on your own, somewhere other than their shop.
If your Cat is fresh new and working, wouldn't bother changing it unless you have to. You have the O2 sensor still? You're going to need that to be legal and tested.
You could get it setup before the move, to have a provision in the system, to swap out cat or straight pipe (hollow cat), with a "Ca. certified legal" cat before its out here. Still illegal, but probably legal looking enough.
Easy enough to find an exhaust shop out here that can find you an "inexpensive" Ca. legal universal cat and put it in. Only have to make sure they install with flanges or slipfit pipes so its easier to do whatever you want on your own, otherwise they will usually cut it out and weld it in.
FWIW, I believe that most all of the cats including the 49 state versions can still pass the CA. required specs. Its a matter of weather or not the manufacturer wanted to go through the hassle of getting the required certification and little numbers engraved on the outside of the new Ca. cats. Passing on the extra cost on to you. Example can be seen with the IAP cats available (not badmouthing IAP on this, its a Ca. certification thing (although it could probably be made and sold for less money
)). An almost $100 difference to get, most likely the same cat, with some stupid numbers engraved on it.