New California smog checks.......

Deckard

Member
Joined
Jun 1, 2008
Location
Sacramento, California, USA
TDI
03 Jetta auto TDI / 03 Golf manual TDI
I have to smog soon.
Currently tuned, not deleted, going to flash back to stock. I should be ok.
Although, it should be interesting to see how vehicles with newer engines will be treated as that's still legal here in CA.
Hey Eddy, it has been almost two months, please share the results of the smog test. Thank you
 

kennethsime

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 29, 2010
Location
California
TDI
2004 Jetta Wagon GL TDI 5-Speed Baltic Green
This 2003 stage 2 Malone tuned Golf passed without any issues a couple of days ago:
Thanks for reporting back! I'm not due for smog for another year, but I'm hopeful that Matt is right and I won't have any trouble with my 2004.
 

Nevada_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 17, 2008
Location
Reno, sort of...
TDI
2001 Jetta TDI
Washoe County, Nevada has not had smog tests for decades, maybe 18 wheelers I don't know. I live in Douglas County and no requirement for smog tests.
I recently needed to re-register my Jetta and the computer I was using was a no-go.
Someone either in Douglas County, or in one of trips to Reno, a complaint was filed I was rolling coal, and therefore my car needed to be inspected before I could register my Jetta. Holy crap, and bunch of other choice words ran through
through my mind. My injection pump IQ left a bit of smoke, but very little. A very nice lady at DMV asked me if my car weighed less than "X" ( I don't remember the number ) I replied, "Yes" and she took the hold off of my registration.
There was actually more conversation, but not important. Maybe, just maybe, the vehicles that are rolling coal and making the rest of us look bad, will have to de-tune, or make smog compliant vehicles.
TBH, I was a bit angry when I found why there was a hold on my registration, and then I had an epiphany... the hacked up/jacked up trucks. I have a healthy tune in my Jetta, but I have enough turbo to not roll coal.
 

eddnyster

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Location
Ontario, CA
TDI
MK4 Golf BEW
Damn guys!
I had a fuel leak at the lift pump to address and zero time to fix the issue. However, I have since fixed the issue this past Thurs and will now try and get the sensors to display "ready" (I flashed back to stock) so that I can smog my 2004 Golf.
 

Pittdawg

Veteran Member
Joined
May 28, 2018
Location
Los Angeles
TDI
2014 Audi Q5 TDI
Just for clarity's sake, some of you are passing the new, stricter emissions testing which is supposed to flag aftermarket tuning without flashing back to OEM software first? And does this apply to all years or only pre-2005?
 

Matt-98AHU

Loose Nut Behind the Wheel Vendor
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Location
Gresham, OR
TDI
2001 Golf TDI, 2005 Passat wagon, 2004 Touareg V10.
Just for clarity's sake, some of you are passing the new, stricter emissions testing which is supposed to flag aftermarket tuning without flashing back to OEM software first? And does this apply to all years or only pre-2005?
Only pre-2005. I am much more certain they will nail you if you have a 2005 or up since VW has made it public information what the CAL-ID and CVNs should be.

And thanks so much to all those who provided real-world feedback! A big relief to the ALH guys in particular. And there's a good bit of ya still.

Glad I trusted my gut 10 years ago to not get started at all on emissions deletes in California....especially on the newer cars. Turning into a real nightmare now for some I imagine. I turned down a lot of business requests early on when I first got added to the Malone list. Eventually got removed. Never bought the hardware to do the newer cars anyway.

Of course, if those components on the newer cars were actually reliable... there wouldn't be so much incentive to remove them. Rant for another day.
 

DivineChaos

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jul 27, 2019
Location
Minnesota
TDI
mk6 jetta sportwagen tdi
I too don't disagree with everything said above, and am too young to have witnessed how bad smog used to be Los Angeles. It's interesting though when I first purchased my TDI that it didn't even require a smog check, then a few years later I have to. The car has been passing just fine, though now this can come as another hurdle that might have to be passed if I ever run into any issues.........

For people that need to jump over it, I've been reading they just simply retune the car back to OEM stock, and put whatever parts needed back on. I was also thinking they can swap ECUs, but then there is the hassle of needing the instrument cluster and immobilizer that need to be installed as well, which sounds like more work then just getting it retuned.

It sure is becoming more difficult to own a modified car that wasn't manufactured before '76 here. I'm not about to even get into classic cars with how the market for them has been - it's insane.

-glenn
Tune another ECU and have the immo deleted. Easy
 

Mysticle31

Active member
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Location
California
TDI
One of every generation to MK4
My alh passed today in Orcutt Ca running stage 4 Malone tune. I'm happy.
They passed you with your upgraded SMIC? Do you have upgraded charge pipes as well or just the SMIC on factory pipework?

Technically cant upgrade the intercooler. I've thought of painting the tanks of an aluminum black and running it on the factory pipework to make it as invisible as possible.



Only pre-2005. I am much more certain they will nail you if you have a 2005 or up since VW has made it public information what the CAL-ID and CVNs should be.
Big thanks for that matt! I can see my 05's information in here!
 

cudabnu

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 10, 2004
Location
Moorpark, CA
TDI
2013 Passat TDI, just sold my 2007 Touareg V10 TDI
any other success stories for newer cars.....? Got a 2013 Passat that if I have to replace the DPF and the Adblue heater may sway me to do a delete.
 

52172

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Buellton, Ca
TDI
2001 Golf TDI GLS
Ive passed for 8 years with malone stage 4 they must not know the numbers of factory tune
 

eddnyster

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Location
Ontario, CA
TDI
MK4 Golf BEW
Any more details? The flash got you?

Stage 4 BEW 2004? Did I get that right?

What intercooler do you have?
Had Malone stage 4, 3bar map, Tacotaco SMIC.
Had to flash back to stock & original map (2.5 bar I believe). I painted the sides of the SMIC black so it appears stock and I passed that way.
 

Mysticle31

Active member
Joined
Apr 27, 2021
Location
California
TDI
One of every generation to MK4
Thanks!
I painted the sides of the SMIC black so it appears stock and I passed that way.
So you are running factory clamp style new charge pipes? Any pics? Love to see.

I'm surprised they had the id for a 2004! What's avail to the public from this thread starts in 2005.

Did they say anything or just fail you?
 

eddnyster

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2017
Location
Ontario, CA
TDI
MK4 Golf BEW
Thanks!


So you are running factory clamp style new charge pipes? Any pics? Love to see.

I'm surprised they had the id for a 2004! What's avail to the public from this thread starts in 2005.

Did they say anything or just fail you?
I've got a BEW but I'm running stock ALH pipes. The inlet of the lower pancake pipe still has the quick connect style but the outlet is regular clamp style. From there the rest is ALH piping until the 90° elbow that goes into the ASV.
I'll post a pic once I get home.
 
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NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Location
NorCal
TDI
2003 Bora, Reflex Silver
Both my Sedan (RC3+) and my wagon (Malone 3) passed. Both 2003 ALH.
 

52172

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Buellton, Ca
TDI
2001 Golf TDI GLS
Oh hell yea! Nice yep my s4 malone alh has passed 3 times with gutted cat! Luv it! Never want to get rid of my alh! Im gonna slap a used short block in when the time comes and have Frank port my head with a s3 colt cam and xman hybrid turbo! This thing will never die though about to do my fifth timing belt and clock shows 480k miles runs like new!
 

NewTdi

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 15, 2004
Location
NorCal
TDI
2003 Bora, Reflex Silver
They are complete different beasts. RC pulls right off the line so a huge boost upfront. Malone is more linear and you really feel it coming on mid range. They are so different from one another so I think it is up on your driving style.
 

CleverUserName

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 25, 2014
Location
NorCal
TDI
2014 OZ Cruze CTD & 2010 JSW 6MT & 2017 GMC Canyon CCLB ATX 2.8 Duramax
My mom has a stage II BRM. I asked Malone if it needs to be re-flashed to stock and he said “probably not” has anybody tried it yet with a 2006 ?
 

52172

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2007
Location
Buellton, Ca
TDI
2001 Golf TDI GLS
They passed you with your upgraded SMIC? Do you have upgraded charge pipes as well or just the SMIC on factory pipework?

Technically cant upgrade the intercooler. I've thought of painting the tanks of an aluminum black and running it on the factory pipework to make it as invisible as possible.




Big thanks for that matt! I can see my 05's information in here!
It passed with aluminum sidemount intercooler and factory pipes.
 
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