California smog STAR station

Pete@FTR · Nov 10, 2013

Just got my CA registration renewal, and it says i need to go to a STAR station to get it approved. Apparently these are held to higher standards, but I can't find what specifically they will be checking. Anybody know? I have PI h/c/i, stock exhaust, a K&N intake that is carb approved so it shouldnt be and issue, and I get a misfire every once and a while in cylinder 7 (probably because of bad injector, I can fix that easily).

I've heard there can be issues with the heads serial numbers not matching the block, do the STAR stations check this? Also I have a stripped interior, harnesses (still stock steering wheel & airbags), will any of this cause me to fail?

If anyone has a list of what the STAR stations check specifically let me know.

Ferocious · Nov 10, 2013

I had to take mine to a star station.

Don't tell them that the car has a head and intake swap. They shouldn't check the serial numbers so they won't know.
I told the guy my intake was from a newer mustang and he said it will probably not pass.

Absolutely no check engine light. I was also told no aftermarket cats or hi-flo's.
Cai should be okay with carb sticker depending on who you go to. My MAC cai was approved.
Definitely get the misfire issue fixed.

Stripped interior is fine as long as horn, wipers, and airbags are intact.

I spent about 2 months trying to get mine to pass and I didn't even get close. I ended up making a call and had a shop in LA take care of me.
Next time around, i'm not even going to bother trying to pass. These CA emissions are hopeless.

Pete@FTR · Nov 10, 2013

Ferocious said:
I had to take mine to a star station.

Don't tell them that the car has a head and intake swap. They shouldn't check the serial numbers so they won't know.
I told the guy my intake was from a newer mustang and he said it will probably not pass.

Absolutely no check engine light. I was also told no aftermarket cats or hi-flo's.
Cai should be okay with carb sticker depending on who you go to. My MAC cai was approved.
Definitely get the misfire issue fixed.

Stripped interior is fine as long as horn, wipers, and airbags are intact.

I spent about 2 months trying to get mine to pass and I didn't even get close. I ended up making a call and had a shop in LA take care of me.
Next time around, i'm not even going to bother trying to pass. These CA emissions are hopeless.

So the trick is to find a sketchy shop that will "take care of you". How come yours wouldnt pass initially?

I'm going to try once and if that doesn't work I'm probably just going to buy an F250 to tow the car around and reg it as non-op. Will save a metric shit ton on insurance

daltonduree · Nov 10, 2013

pete just move to nebraska. you can tell a cop here you dont have cats and they dont give a shit.

Ferocious · Nov 10, 2013

Poxenham said:
So the trick is to find a sketchy shop that will "take care of you". How come yours wouldnt pass initially?

I'm going to try once and if that doesn't work I'm probably just going to buy an F250 to tow the car around and reg it as non-op. Will save a metric shit ton on insurance

Alot of shops will take a quick look over the car to tell you of anything that will immediately make it fail, so that will save you a bit of time and money.

I had a check engine light for a coolant sensor, the PI intake manifold, and I was also told my exhaust wouldn't pass because it's been re-welded. (I had to put the stock H-pipe back on but it was welded by the passenger side header).