How are CA guys passing smog?

[Rhino]

I am currently putting in a S5X/M5X and im gonna need to get the car smogged when the swap is done. What do you recommend?

[e30trooper]

Find a nice friend and good luck!

[Danny]

You get it CARB certified.

PM hugh Jass or Jean.

[surebimmer]

Use the stock cat, don't get it CARB cert'd. Have a good tune, go it smog'd. Most places won'( know that it's a m50 vs a m20.

[hugh jass]

Use the stock cat, don't get it CARB cert'd. Have a good tune, go it smog'd. Most places won'( know that it's a m50 vs a m20.

any smog tech worth a shit will quickly tell an m50 is not an m20.

[Fast Frankie]

^^^ ehhh, I wouldn't be so sure about that. A lot of smog techs won't even second guess it if the engine bay is dirty.

[hugh jass]

every time i've smogged my e30 (pre- or post-swap) or my e28 m5, the techs will consult their reference material if they are at all unsure about something on the visual inspection. it would take 2 seconds for them to realize that an m50 is not an m20 and pow, you fail.
go ahead and try though, you may get lucky. if you don't, you'll keep paying $40 or $50 a pop until you do.
or, the op can just prepare for the ref process and get through it like the rest of us have. it isn't hard, you just have to be prepared.

[Rhino]

I would like to hear more of whats involved on the ref process. Thanks!

[McGyver]

i read somewhere that you can use up most of your gas, then put in some ethylene to burn during the smog test. but right afterward you'll need to either drain the tank or fill with gasoline to keep your gaskets and seals from getting fried due to the higher burning temp of alcohol.

[Yeee30]

every time i've smogged my e30 (pre- or post-swap) or my e28 m5, the techs will consult their reference material if they are at all unsure about something on the visual inspection. it would take 2 seconds for them to realize that an m50 is not an m20 and pow, you fail.
go ahead and try though, you may get lucky. if you don't, you'll keep paying $40 or $50 a pop until you do.
or, the op can just prepare for the ref process and get through it like the rest of us have. it isn't hard, you just have to be prepared.

i think the reason why YOU can't just go to smog without being bar'd is cause that car of yours is SOOOOOOOOOO NICEEEEEEEEEE that u should just hand over to me. haha

[surebimmer]

any smog tech worth a shit will quickly tell an m50 is not an m20.

Don't get me wrong, but there are lots of Smog tech's that don't know anything about BMW's. If your install is clean and looks factory then there is a chance that they could over look it.

That said I went the route of getting my swap car all legal by the State BAR. First time i went they checked my DME part number and said it was incorrect. They also told me that a 95 M3 had two O2 sensors, because that is what it show's in Alldata. That is incorrect 1995 M3's only had one O2 sensor before cat. Had to get a intake kit with a CARB EO number so i could run a K&N filter. K&N intake kit part number 57-1000 CARB EO D-269-28. I also used two Magaflow aftermarket CA legal cat's. Swapped in a DME with a matching vin from a 95 M3 with a tune for stock maf, stock injectors. All this and i passed with flying color's.

[erik325i]

Use the stock cat, don't get it CARB cert'd. Have a good tune, go it smog'd. Most places won'( know that it's a m50 vs a m20.

Agreed.
Everyone knows of some FOB'y smog guy near by. Take it to some smog shop like that and you'll be fine.

Erik

[Jean]

It's not rocket science, do it right the first time w/o any shortcuts and you'll be in/out of the carb/bar place in 30 minutes. If you ever get pulled over you won't have to worry about your engine not being stock, smog won't help you with that.

All the information is out there, basically they concentrate on any and all emission components on the engine being present (from the intake box to the cat being the correct one for that donor engine/car).

[rThor432]

Ha, this thread reminds me of the guy in CA who I talked with when buying my S54. He told me that he wasn't able to include the headers/converters in the deal, like that was a deal-breaker. I told him I didn't want them anyway and he replied "But how will you pass inspection and smog without them???". He was amazed when I told him that we don't have emissions testing on pre-96 cars in NC.

Doesn't relate to the OP's problem though.. Good luck!

[george graves]

My engine bay has adopted a "don't ask, don't tell" policy.