Passing SMOG with a tuned car

[StrayBassist]

I've heard talk of people passing California SMOG/Emissions checks with stage 3+ tuned cars, and my research on the topic has been kind of conflicting so far, so I was curious if anyone here had experience in the matter...

(Much) later down the line, I intend to at the very least add injectors and a tune to my car, but when I'm rich and famous I'd love to do something like Kerma's 150+ HP kit.

I've also been interested in an EGR delete, but I assumed that would be an immediate fail for visual inspection in Cali, until I'd heard of some people getting away with it?

Has anyone here smogged their modded TDIs, and if so, what mods were done?

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

Sold my JSW out of state but it sailed thru two separate Ca. biannual smogs with a Kerma non delete. No issue

 

[StrayBassist]

Sold my JSW out of state but it sailed thru two separate Ca. biannual smogs with a Kerma non delete. No issue

By "non delete," I imagine that means the DPF and EGR weren't deleted, yeah? Sorry, I don't know a lot about the common rail TDIs, I've mostly only worked on the VE and PD cars. Was it just the tune, or was there more?

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

Just the tune. Removing the ridiculous diesel gate tune helps the existing components AND engine survive. Ran great

 

[Lex4TDI4Life]

If you aren't triggering a CEL, you have the right hardware in-tact (EGR and catalytic converter), and aren't blowing a crazy amount of smoke on start up, you should be fine.

 

[2004LB7]

Tuned and California. Stage 5, PD150 injectors and turbo. None delete. BRM so pre DPF. Passes just fine

I'd keep the EGR in place. If you have to, do a blocker plate or get it turned off in the tune. But this can be tricky for setting monitors. Can't have any monitors not set except for certain vehicles with exclusions.

Also needs to be clean burning with no excessive smoke. If it looks stock, doesn't smoke like stock and all monitors are set, then you should have no issues passing

Make sure you know the provisions related specifically to testing diesels. I've ran into a few shops that don't know the difference and think it needs to be zero smoke. Or do the snap test wrong. Once I ask them to please reread the addendum for diesel it will pass. When I find a good shop, I stick with it as long as possible. But I've had a few bad ones over the years

 

[StrayBassist]

Tuned and California. Stage 5, PD150 injectors and turbo. None delete. BRM so pre DPF. Passes just fine

I'd keep the EGR in place. If you have to, do a blocker plate or get it turned off in the tune. But this can be tricky for setting monitors. Can't have any monitors not set except for certain vehicles with exclusions.

Also needs to be clean burning with no excessive smoke. If it looks stock, doesn't smoke like stock and all monitors are set, then you should have no issues passing

Make sure you know the provisions related specifically to testing diesels. I've ran into a few shops that don't know the difference and think it needs to be zero smoke. Or do the snap test wrong. Once I ask them to please reread the addendum for diesel it will pass. When I find a good shop, I stick with it as long as possible. But I've had a few bad ones over the years

Oh, sweet! Tune, injectors and turbo is pretty much all I plan to do power-wise to my car. Maybe a mufflerectomy if I can find a way to switch between no muffler and the stock muffler (like getting a flange mounted or using clamps or sumthin'..)

Who'd you get your tune done by? I'm kind of new to the performance-tuning side of TDIs, how close to smokeless could I get with a setup like yours?

And one last question; is there a particular document I should refer a shop to if they test it wrong, or should I just basically say "uh, it's a diesel -- do it right.."?

 

[2004LB7]

I used malone. Went stage 5 as I wanted to have him revise the tune until it didn't smoke under normal driving. His first tune smoked way too much. Even just idling.

If the Techs have any issues with doing the smog check. Have them reread in the smog check manual Appendix B. That's the instructions for diesel. You can Google the and read up to become familiar too

If/when @burpod gets around to doing BRMs. I'll jump ship immediately

 

[JELLOWSUBMARINE]

What year/model we talking anyway?

 

[StrayBassist]

What year/model we talking anyway?

I have a '98 New Beetle TDI, manual transmission. So, early ALH engine.

I used malone. Went stage 5 as I wanted to have him revise the tune until it didn't smoke under normal driving. His first tune smoked way too much. Even just idling.

If the Techs have any issues with doing the smog check. Have them reread in the smog check manual Appendix B. That's the instructions for diesel. You can Google the and read up to become familiar too

If/when @burpod gets around to doing BRMs. I'll jump ship immediately

Ahh, thank you. Unfortunately, Malone won't do the early ALH cars anymore..

Duly noted. o7