CA emissions equipment

[Anzi]

So, we all know that cars sold originally in CA have an emissions sticker that reads that the vehicle complies with all US and California emissions regulations for 19xx model year, and ones not built for sale in CA only say US regulations. Does anyone here know what differences there are between a California car and a 49-state car in terms of factory equipment? I ask because if I find an E30 out-of-sate, I'd like to know how hard it will be to reg it in CA.

[reelizmpro]

Good question. As far as I know all e30's in the US came with catalytic converters. Perhaps the CA cars ran different eproms with more efficient fuel maps for CA gas? Nowadays, you need CARB compliant cats to pass smog. CA specific cats that are designed for your engine size.

[MR 325]

Absolutely no difference in emissions equipment in California cars vs. other US cars.

[decay]

you used to have to pay a "smog abatement fee" when bringing a car in from out of state, but i guess not anymore.

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9

[E30 Ian]

If there is a difference in emission equipment, they smog vehicles according to federal (US regulation) emission equipped cars in California. If you do have to replace a catalytic converter on federal car, you must replace with CA legal type. Having an out of state car will have no problem testing in CA as long as it passes the sniffer.

[reelizmpro]

IF it still has the stock cat. In other states where E30's are smog exempt, many people have long done away with the stock system. Again, it's only a big deal if the smog shop checks to make sure you have a CA compliant cat. The main thing should be that it passes the sniffer but it seems that's not enough anymore. Overall, it's not really a big issue since few shops actually check the numbers.

[Anzi]

Thanks guys! I was worried because one of the guys from Reno Rennsport is a friend of my dd, and has his eyes out for a car for me.

[randywalters]

So, we all know that cars sold originally in CA have an emissions sticker that reads that the vehicle complies with all US and California emissions regulations for 19xx model year, and ones not built for sale in CA only say US regulations. Does anyone here know what differences there are between a California car and a 49-state car in terms of factory equipment? I ask because if I find an E30 out-of-sate, I'd like to know how hard it will be to reg it in CA.

All US market E30's are 50-state legal; they all came with the exact same emmissions equipment regardless of which state they were originally sold in. There is no difference between a California car and cars sold in the other 49 states. IIRC they all have a CARB compliant sticker on the shock tower in addition to the Fed regulations sticker.