a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

Wassup Orger's!

Heres the situation. My Smog was due. I have passed smog twice in the past in CALI, with the Gab Mod. This technician in another city, FAILED me on the visual portion (i went in with gab again). I passed the Emission and Functional.

Reason for this thread is...to see the difference in the readings with stock air intake and modded (GAB)

He gave me a chance to go home and put the parts back on and free retest. Both tests are within the same hour.
Kinda puts in perspective the importance of the parts.
The difference in the readings is phenomenal.

See for yourself. Enjoy. I learned something and wanted to share.



if i need to crop the image, i could.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

hmmm...guess no one appreciated this thread like i thought it wouldve been. o well.

sud123

One more reason not to live in California....

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

It's pretty substantial. Are you sure that everything was sealed up when you reinstalled the stock air box though? All sensors plugged back in, etc?

There's also the possibility that the ECU needed to get reset, and was operating based on the old Intake.

Just a few ideas.

Your lack of response is no big surprise, the vast majority of Maxima Modders on here don't give a crap about the enviroment, read any header thread. "get rid of the cats! Down with cats, moar Powah!"

tcb_02_max

iTrader: (5)

+1

Looking at the numbers, I find it phenomenal that he failed you based on visual alone. This is a classic case of bureaucrats - if it doesn't fit exactly within the box, you fail. "I'm sorry, but that is what this piece of paper states." And a clear case of problematic big government [inefficiently] at work. How much time and tax payers' money was wasted just to have it look a certain way, not to mention the environmental impact of making an extra trip there and back and running an extra set of tests. Totally stupid. If the goal really were environmental protection, the numbers would decide, and not the visual impressions of the tech.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

You passed the sniffer test both times. Pretty idiotic they failed you on the visual appearance of the GAB even though you were under the limits of all three measured pollutants. The only substantial difference in the two tests is measured NO at 15 mph and that didn't necessarily have to do with the GAB mod. Other than that, everything else falls pretty close.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

What I want to know is why this Maxima weighs 3,625 pounds?

And here's another fascinating observation: the OP has just shown the world his car's VIN, the License Plate Number, and the DMV ID off his California driver's license.

What, no birth date and blood type? How about a recent photo?

jeff5347

Give him some time to respond. You just posted an hour ago. Some ppl dont sit on the computer waiting for a reply.

In all honesty Rochester i would put all my stuff on the net as well but the only thing someone is gonna be able to do is look up stuff like where the max was made, bought ect ect. I dont see any of that stuf like the lic, plate or whatever coming to bite him in the asrse.

Thats like Mass too. You can pass with flying colors but if something doesnt "look" right then off you go. I have a test pipe on my car and i still pass all day.

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

Tuner misspoke, and you misinterpreted. He meant to say, "The lack of responses...", not "Your lack of response..." The context was obvious, even if the grammar was misleading.

But you're right about one thing, Tuner is wicked fast on the Org. Posting, that is.


I think you should put your DMV ID in your sig.

Shift_Max

iTrader: (18)

Makes me glad I no longer live in California.

jeff5347

hahaha there's my grammar. i meant i wouldnt put it on here
Typing fast can lead to bad things

I think he did type it the way he wanted . As you can see i forgot to add the n't to my would but his clearly states "your lack of response" i cant see that he hit the wrong keys meaning to say "the lack of responses"

Rochester

iTrader: (3)

That was funny. I stand corrected with your correction... do not put your DMV ID in your sig, Jeff.

Still think you're wrong about Tuner's comment, though. And this is a very important point, so we should continue to deconstruct these posts. I'll work on this all morning long, if we have to. Let's roll!

(No. Let's not. JK)

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

Rochester is correct.

I meant 'the lack of response'.

I get that 'that's your problem right there' context of speaking from my Dad lol. Meaning of course: 'That's the problem right there'.

Thanks for breaking it down.

And yeah, I'm on here all the time. Sometimes it's all that keeps me sane when my son is fussy. Taking care of a baby full time by yourself gets stressful, sometimes this is my release. That's why some guys get stiff comments for me (at least, I'll let that be my excuse )

trooplewis

iTrader: (1)

That is just a really good example of one person's ( the tester's) stupidity.
The fact that he passed Calif smog check twice before and the numbers on the report show his car is well within spec.

And trust me, idiots like that are not Calif exclusive; you can find them anywhere.

As a good friend once told me, "doesn't matter where you move to, there is no guarantee of an a$$hole-free environment"

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I'd like to see ics: of your GAB setup too. Unless you butchered it, he shouldn't have even seen it without looking hard.

And, yet Another reason I suggest using a Speaker cover instead of just drilling holes. It will also cut the debis down large. And you can use a speaker port as a velocity stack, further increasing HP numbers/efficiency.

If I wasn't doing a CAI I'd show you guys my plan for this.

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

The ECU was trying to figure out was going on with the added air, that's why. Overcompensating/undecompensating.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

NmexMAX

iTrader: (22)

I didn't read just like you didn't search for the DR mod.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

You da man.

It's all good, it's better when you say it anyways, your imput is much more respected/believed.

trooplewis

iTrader: (1)

BTW, I think the NO emission in the GAB smog check was a mistake. At 15mph, your ECU won't know the difference between a GAB mod and the stock snorkel. The only resistance in the intake would be the filter, and that would be consistent with both checks.

Something else is wrong there besides a couple of holes in the airbox.

If there was to be a difference, it would be much greater on the 25mph check than the 15mph check just due to the nature of the mod.

Nexus67

iTrader: (23)

FWIW, that's the first thing I saw. I didn't want to be the first to ask so thanks

Maybe the tech needs to slim it down one time.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I'm getting the impression you guys don't realize just how huge of a difference those readings are.

The FIRST one is the Stock set-up.

The SECOND one is the GAB mod if I'm reading this right.

The increase in emmisions with the GAB (altered) is HUGE, and VERY close to a fail.

I was thinking the same thing.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

For one parameter at 15 mph only. Everything else is really close. Like I said, I highly doubt the GAB was the only reason it was so high. It can depend on how long you drove the car prior to testing, how long you sat in line with the engine running, or if you waited with the engine off, how long it was running immediately prior to the test.

There are several cars that come stock with open air filters, like the Mopar 10 Challenger, it even has a function hood scoop and way more filter area exposed than you get with the GAB and it will pass with no problems.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

I agree, I'm not saying that's why, I doubt it's the main factor, I doubt if it's even relvant at all.

Then again, no pics of his GAB job, so hard to say.

It just seemed from a few peoples posts that they either had the two backwards, or didn't understand what they were reading.

shdwonthsun

iTrader: (1)

this needed to be said again. tester was just being a douche. an INTAKE mod wont change exhaust readings, especially at 1600rpm. if i had to guess what caused the difference, it was probably engine temperature

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Ah, I see.

Even with no cats on our cars at all, they'd probably pass a sniffer test. I had a '77 Cutlass with a 455 swap and no cat that passed the emission standards for that year. The engine was out of a '73 Delta 88.

Rods03Max619

iTrader: (5)

Damn it in the same state. Going to see how it goes in December with Injen Intake since its Carb pendiing, some shops will not even test you with a after market intake gutted one cat not both, due to the sniffer, so if I dont pass just buy the front not both but the rear only has like 20,000 miles and the Fastcat Cattmans like less than 10,000 hope I be good...

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

in cali. smog is a 3 part test. theres no way around it. 3 parts are "functional" ..."emissions"...and "visual" if you fail any, you fail it all.
sure, id agree it was a waste of time, more smog released driving back..but he had me by the gonads.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

front axles lay on te dyno and its supposed to calculate the weight...thats def. no right. beats me..
and about the personal info...i hope i can trust ALL my fellow orgers. as far as i know, all those dont mean diddly. anyone can walk around any parking lot(anywhere) and see and jot down ones vin # from the windshield and lisc. plate is obviously there. no biggie.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

not entirely true. the gases from the crankcase are released into the sealed filter housing, with gab they flow to the air. this was the biggest deal the technician said for the difference in #'s as this should contribute to the co/no's#. car had been driven 150 miles prior to going to smog. i made a trip to la and back and stopped into smog...im convinced the run time had nothing to do with this.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

side note: im sure all you know, or should know the maxima ses light triggers commonly from air entering the gas tank if the cap isnt closed propely...irony in this is. test 1, gas tank pressure tested (opened) passed that test but failed because of gab right...
second time, redo all tests, including gas tank pressure...passed all.
:drumroll:
soon as i drove off to the first light my ses popped on!! had that popped on the way back to the station he wouldve failed me (wouldve never tested me)
drove home, pumped some fresh 91 shell. closed gas cap well. 30 miles into it lights gone. before anyone starts saying check codes...i KNOW its that. 100%
10 miles to station each way. takes about 20 miles for it come on...30+ to go off from all my past experiences.

SeedyROM

Having just finished my GAB today and being a SoCal resident, this got my attention.

I don't have to smog for another two years but I usually try to stick to smog shops that my mechanic and/or people I know nearby use. That way I can get an idea of the operator is super strict or not on the visual aspect. This helped me tremendously with my Z, which is known to scare smog techs even in stock form

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

^^2 years till smog. gab that bisssh. i use the og method. wire hanger. if you dont know what this is, search. that is the OG gab way. not the 4 holes on top, thats the refined v.2.0 gab way.

SeedyROM

What I meant was I actually did do the GAB today. I was surprised to hear how much it growls now

I chose the drilled method though, mostly because I was a bit paranoid about how well the hanger would clamp/hold the K&N filter in place. Getting a proper seal there is essential to keeping dust out so I didn't mind hacking my case to keep that tight fit.

Scottwax

iTrader: (8)

Then how do cars with open air filters from the factory pass? How do after-market intakes get CARB approval?

The crankcase gases he is talking about would not flow out of the GAB airbox since they enter the intake tube behind the airbox, not in front of it.

TunerMaxima3000

iTrader: (4)

As stated earlier, the guy is doing it 'by the book'.

By the book it states: Any modification that alters the state of the Factory intake, exhaust, EGR, Fuel tank, or any other emmisions related control, shall result in a visual failure.

a33_ridah

iTrader: (10)

def. right about that being behind the filter part...
didnt think about it as i was "repeating" what the tester said tho.


n


exactly, by the books.
on the flipside, this guy was cool to talk to. joking about bs and all. funny thing is after he failed me, we were talking about how i have the filter holder housing at my house...hes all "i feel empathetic..if you bring it back ill retest for free"