Mondial vs CA emissions?

Are there any members here who have had to put their Mondial's up against the California smog emissions test? Do you pass?

I've noticed a lot of auctions for 308's (including Mondials) say that sale must be to dealer or out of state due to emissions in CA. Por ejemplo-
http://auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=CA15&ID=r0073&Order=price&feature=&collection=&grouping=&category=

Is this just a legal issue with the auction houses? Can't they be made to pass smog in CA? There must be a ton (relatively speaking) of 308's driving around CA, I assume legally.

If anyone here has experience with CA emissioins testing or has had to fix their car to pass smog in CA, I'd be curious to know what needed to be done and what the costs were, mostly because we may be moving back to CA at some point, and I'd like to bring the Mondial with me! Is it simply a matter of replacing the catalytic converter?

 

Thats a Mondial 8 in the ad.

Not sure if it had CA emissions approval sticker originally...despite what ad says is a CA car...it was Al Davis not the most up and up dude

So here is what I can tell you, there are no CA legal cats......"offroad use only" wink wink nod nod
buy before coming to CA at your NY address
or keep it registered in NY


the carb Ferrari's seem to have issues sometimes

my 3.2 with cat has no issue passing smog

 

Simple!
Bosch K-JET is German: Just activate the "test mode" in the Bosch ECU and it will pass the smog test!

 

Hi Don,
Did you mean "no legal CA cars" vs "cats"?

I did buy already. Those auction ads just got me curious. That one is an 8 but I also saw a QV GTS in another ad with the same disclaimer. But I'm still interested in hearing what work/changes people have done to get their cars to get them to pass if they've failed CA smog at one point.

What year are your carb cars? Everything 1975 & before is exempt, right? In NY smog exemption just goes back 25 years from current date, so currently 1990! And even then if you can't get a newer car to pass you can get a waiver if you prove you've put $450 into the car to try and get it to pass after failing the first time.

 

I'm just guessing but the earlier cars had smog pumps I believe. If all the equipment isn't in place it must be put back. If a dealer is selling a car, in CA when I lived there the seller was responsible for the car passing smog, I'm guessing unless they state in the ad. Car is probably missing parts or is a gross polluter. The dealer doesn't want to pay to make this car legal in CA. I had a shop in CA run my car as it sat and it narrowly failed. They said it wouldn't be a problem getting mine to pass. Mine was originally a CA car. I doubt Ferrari made two versions for the US, CA and everyone else as some manufacturers did at that time.

 

If I recall correctly the cars don't have to fully pass a test if they are beyond a certain age or are from out of state, but they MUST have all of the original smog equipment and an effort must be made for it to be functioning properly. Finding an operable smog pump at this age might be a bit challenging.

Out of state cars are also charged to come into California. I bought a car from a friend moving there since he had taken off all the emission controls and made too many irreversible modifications. His girlfriend just paid and took her (fairly modern and non-modified but not California) car.

I also think that the Mondials were 50-state cars, which became fairly common in the Fuel Injected world. I think the sellers just don't want any responsibility.

 

Isn't there a storey out there about a People's Rebublik of Kalifornia DMV guy threatening to confiscate and crush a Dino because it couldn't pass smog, or something like that?

Are you certain about the age exemption there?
Alden

 

The Republic of Texas, that is.

We don't smog test older vehicles. In fact, with a certain type of registration (Antique) you don't even have to go through yearly safety inspections.

If our Texas gobrnment every threatened to crush a Dino (or any vintage Ferrari), there would be armed rioters in the streets.

Oh, and we don't have a state income tax either!

Sid

 

Sid- Haha. Don't mess with Texas! NY doesn't smog test cars 25 years or older, which seems pretty civilized.

Dirk and Peter-
I've heard of the "import tax" into CA. Just a cost of doing business, I guess. As far as my Mondial goes, the catalytic converter was blown out (water-jetted) by a previous owner after it started degrading. Based on that I assume I'd need to replace the catalytic converter, although the original is still in place (just empty). Sounds like it would be ok, just with some extra expense and maybe a few frustrating experiences at the DMV, my favourite!

 

I haven't heard that, and it sounds a bit like a tall tale. I was just reading the CADMV website last night regarding exemptions. As of today, any car up to 1975 is exempt. So that story would only hold water if were a later Dino, like a 308GT4. Even then it sounds unlikely that was the official policy. Half the lawns in Bakersfield are probably covered in rusting cars that won't pass smog but I haven't heard of anyone crushing them.

I'm in favour of saving the environment, but I'm also in favour of being reasonable. New York is actually quite reasonable in this regard. 25 years old or older and it's exempt. But with newer cars you can still keep them on the road if they fail smog, providing that you prove you've put at least $450 into repairs to fix the problem after it fails the first time. For 99% of cars that would likely fix the issue, and any cars that couldn't be fixed are probably old exotics, which must constitute such a small percentage of cars on the road as to be negligible. Never mind the fact that they're also unlikely to be daily drivers.

The CA laws seem to be skewed toward punishing old collector cars, intentionally or not. How many non-exotic/collector cars from the late 70's - 80's are even still on the road? The number must be very small.

OUR OLD FERRARIS ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO THOSE NEW VW'S!!!

 

This would make a good signature!!!


Sid


P.S - in the interests of full disclosure - I have to report that I have 2 European Diesels.
2015 BMW X3d
1985 Mercedes W123 300D Turbo

 

But, I read it on the internet, so it must be true! lol!
Alden

 

I just smogged my t over the weekend - passed in California

Has nouvalari sport exhaust

 

Or you can move to one of these places.

Tried to copy a link. Do a search for counties in Ca that don't require smog. When I was younger Lake county didn't have smog checks. My Dad kept his old car registered there. That was before the 1975 rule. It was supposed to be a rolling rule and was turned over when 1975 was the newest non smog car. So now it's frozen at 1975.

 

No legal aftermarket "cats" in CA for our cars, and try to find a oem cat hahaha

CA smog is not rolling the dates, law applies statewide you can visit CA DMV website

the seller is responsible for smog

to register out of state car requires VIN check by LEO and smog cert

there are differences with F cars you have to have OEM CA emmisions sticker....this crap prevented me from buying Wades 3.2

 

Wait so unless the car was originally sold in CA there's no way to register it in CA now? Or am I misunderstanding?

 

Don, Are the rebuilt original cats acceptable?

 

Dave

let me be clear

look on your OEM emissions sticker right rear engine compartment next to intake filter box, it should state:

"complies to US EPA AND California emissions"

if no CA on sticker it keep it registered in another state or be prepared to spend alot of time and money dealing with CA referee with most likely no result

the sticker has nothing to do with being sold in CA originally, just that the emissions are CA compliant from the OEM

 

yes and please tell me who does this

 

CA compliant emissions sticker applies to motorcycles also dont ask how I know......


this is the land of fruit and nuts hell the Governor on his own today enacted a law that companies have to be at 50% renewable energy by 2030 and they are passing a bill to outlaw federal oil leases on the left coast


Dave you should not have any trouble with CA emissions with your stock Mondial

ive bought a few out of state vehicles and know to look for the CA compliant emission sticker so there is no trouble

 

happy reading

registration
https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcmath:/dmv_content_en/dmv/pubs/brochures/howto/htvr9

smog
http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/?1dmy&urile=wcmath:/dmv_content_en/dmv/vr/smogfaq#BM2540

 

Thanks Don. Sorry for my confusion. My interpretation seemed like a stretch but I grew up in Santa Cruz and fully understand how strict and weird CA can be with this stuff, so who knows?

Really odd that no aftermarket cats are available. There seem to be these two for the 308/328/348 but maybe they don't fit the Mondial?...
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I took delivery of my Mondi 3.2 in Phoenix, thinking it'd be easier to smog there than here in CA.

Had to install new cats 'cause the previous owner gutted the old ones, so I gave it to the dealer, said "I'll take it back when you get it through smog".

2x smogs, even after new cats, plugs and a tune-up, no dice. I gave up, got a temp. moving permit, drove the car to CA, and it passed with no problems.

Whoda thought, Phoenix is stricter on emissions than CA?!?

 

"custom " fit means you gotta cut pipe to make it fit

look at the length dimension it goes past the oem flanges just sayin

 

I was speaking with a mechanic today about putting the car back to OEM specs for CA smog. His advice was, "It's a pain in the ass to find the parts and too expensive. If you move to CA just register it in Montana."

Starting to sound like good advice!