Anyone recently pass CA smog check with a tune?

[Gone in 60]

It does kind of make sense for COBB to do it that way - the Accessport itself is not the modification that’s actually present or being checked, the ECU tune is.

Because CA is checking ECU checksums during the OBD scan, COBB doesn’t have to worry about anyone trying to “fake” it by slapping it on a non-COBB product. Also the Smog tech doesn’t need to do anything as the ECU check is part of the automated system - the EO will automatically get registered, even for the COBB “Stage0”. Again no way to fake because modern ECUs also have the car’s VIN stored, so you can’t just plug in another car anymore.

That's pretty much what I was figuring. I'll just be happy to know that my car is legal and documented so that I don't have any challenges in the future with smog checks. I've had my fill in the past with quasi-legal cars, changing out parts before checks, etc.

 

[Dialcaliper]

That's pretty much what I was figuring. I'll just be happy to know that my car is legal and documented so that I don't have any challenges in the future with smog checks. I've had my fill in the past with quasi-legal cars, changing out parts before checks, etc.

In the same situation - when you’re young, enthusiastic and have more time, quasi-legal stuff is fine, but I’ve got more commitments now and the hassle is something it’s hard to find time to deal with

 

[Gone in 60]

Ha! That's the truth.These days, I want the smog check on my car to be as easy as it is on my wife's CRV.

And, no excuses and explanations when I eventually sell the car.

 

[Gone in 60]

Ok, update to the saga of trying to get a CARB decal from Cobb for my Stage 2 tune. I know the CARB paperwork I printed will probably suffice for my smog inspector, but dammit, at this point I'm making it a mission to get a sticker.

When we last left off, I had found the D-660-6 decal on Cobb's website as an orderable item. I ordered it, and the site calculated $8.60 in shipping, and I paid and completed the order.
Shortly afterwards, I got an email saying that my order was complete, and I got a UPS tracking number, showing .1 pounds, which sounds about right for a sticker.

I have been busy at a trade show, but well over a week later, I checked the tracking, and it still said that a label had been generated, but that the decal had not shipped yet. I called Cobb's customer service, and the rep was immediately very suspicious when I said that I had ordered the decal from their site. "Who gave you the link to it? You can't just order a CARB decal, they are controlled by the state!" I told him that nobody gave me a "link", I just found it on the site, ordered it, and got a tracking number. He put me on hold, and came back a while later saying that they had just changed the website so that the decal can't just be found and ordered. I asked him how the site was able to take my money and generate a UPS tracking number if the part can't be ordered. He stammered a bit, and said that they would refund my shipping cost.

I asked how I could get a decal if I did not have a sales receipt for a complete Stage 2 package. He replied that if I took detailed photos of each part of the kit, including the FMIC, hard pipes, cold air kit, Accessport, along with a picture of my car, and the car's VIN sticker, and emailed them to their customer service department, once they verified all of the photos, they would send me a decal. I said no problem... I was at a show, but as soon as I got home, I'd take all of the photos and send them.

I got home from the show yesterday, jacked up my car, got under it, took pictures of the FMIC and pipes, photos of the cold air kit, my complete car and the VIN, and my Accessport booted up showing that I had the CARB-legal tune. Sent all of the photos to the customer service department, and waited.

About 30 minutes later, I got an email from a customer service rep saying that "I'm not sure who here would have told you that you can send pictures of your items. None of our current Stage 2 kits are 50-state legal. Sorry, we can't help you with a CARB decal."

After I punched a hole through a wall and kicked the dog, I tried to calm down before I called, and got the person who had just sent me the "sorry can't help" email. I explained, as calmly as possible, that I did not have a current Stage 2 kit, I had what they call a "Legacy Kit", which IS CARB legal. I then directed her, again as calmly as possible, to the CARB EO page on their own website, showing the information about the legal Stage 2 kit. It was clear that she had no idea what I was talking about.

She put me on hold for 30 minutes, which I spent listening to Christmas music to try to put me in a better mood. When she came back on, she said that they all reviewed my photos, and had determined that I did, in fact, have the now discontinued Legacy Stage 2 kit, that is CARB legal. Based on that, they would send me a CARB D-660-6 decal.

"Watch your mail, we'll be sending out your sticker very soon."

 

[Dpro]

ya the phone receptionists can be a bit clueless sometimes. They made you jump through more hoops than I did. All I had to was take a pic of my AP receipt. I am guessing they are getting more and more calls about it as a lot of 14-15 owners are coming up on smogs. Seeing as that was Fords most active time of promoting car the little they did there are more 14-16 cars out there vs 2017-20019.

 

[Gone in 60]

I could see the confusion if she was a receptionist, but she was a customer support rep. Yup, the '14 and '15 cars are on smog checks now, and the distinction between their older CARB legal kits and the newer 49-state kits is going to cause confusion unless the newer kits receive CARB approval by the time newer cars get to their first smog inspections.

This is kinda funny. Cobb was at the show I was attending. I had just noticed that the tracking for the first decal order hadn't moved in a week, and I asked the rep at the show if that sounded funny to him. He said "Well, if there is a problem, I'm sure one of our techs will call you. Our guys are very proactive and wouldn't wait to make you call to see if there's a problem."

 

[Dpro]

I could see the confusion if she was a receptionist, but she was a customer support rep. Yup, the '14 and '15 cars are on smog checks now, and the distinction between their older CARB legal kits and the newer 49-state kits is going to cause confusion unless the newer kits receive CARB approval by the time newer cars get to their first smog inspections.

This is kinda funny. Cobb was at the show I was attending. I had just noticed that the tracking for the first decal order hadn't moved in a week, and I asked the rep at the show if that sounded funny to him. He said "Well, if there is a problem, I'm sure one of our techs will call you. Our guys are very proactive and wouldn't wait to make you call to see if there's a problem."

Newer kits can’t be listed for sale unless they have their EO. CARB actually came down on COBB as part of a statewide sweep of shops to make sure the aftermarket was being compliant . It was a bit on the draconian side of things. They even raided a private machine shop in Sunland that was run by my friends buddy to make sure he was not selling illegal parts alll he was doing was buidling performance engines. His engines were not even being sold in the U.S. he has bumper crop of customers in Europe. Because of all that he moved to Texas. I also know a GTR tuner who used to be based out of Riverside Moreno Valley and also moved to Austin Texas because CARB. Sacremento has a bad habit of grandstanding for the sake of the green voter. CARB pretty much follows suit. Anyways I digress . COBB actually removed their Gesi 400 cell catted downpipe from their website because it was not EO’d.
They are only selling EO’d upgrades at this stage of the game. What you do with your AP after buying it with their EO’d stage I and II tunes is on you.

 

[Gone in 60]

Ok, so the story gets better...

As I mentioned, I went to a trade show after I placed the online order for the CARB decal on Cobb's website, and after tracking showed that it hadn't moved in over a week, I spoke with someone at Cobb who said that I couldn't just order a CARB decal from their website, as they are controlled by the state.

When I got back from the show, I did all of the jib-jab taking photos, sending them, and having a long conversation with the next Cobb rep, who eventually said that they would send me a decal.

Last night, my wife handed me a stack of mail that had come in while I was away at the trade show. In the stack was an envelope from Cobb, with a decal and a picking sheet showing the details of my online order. So, this was already waiting for me. My "impossible order" must have generated a pull ticket in Cobb's warehouse, someone just grabbed a decal, put it in an envelope and sent it off. The UPS tracking didn't move since the sticker was in the mail.

I laughed my ass off. So, does that mean I have another one coming from the second person I spoke with? If so, I'll frame it and put it over my mantle along with my college degree, which was just as hard to obtain.

The upshot is that if anyone here has Cobb's CARB-legal Legacy Stage 2 kit, lives in California or any other state where having an EO decal might be desirable, and doesn't have proof of purchase, Cobb will supply you with a decal if you take photos of all of the components, email the photos to them, and have a conversation with one of their service reps. Hopefully my efforts have paved the way for others to follow.

I would post the link to the decal I was able to order from the Cobb site, but looks like it has indeed, as the first rep said, been taken down.

 

[Darkflamedesign]

Well … I took my ST back to the smog guy ( since I failed visual) and added a mishimoto air box.
I am also runny a Dizzy stage 2 tune on her.…… all passed - No drama. Even the readiness pre-test.
Took plate off and stored in car “ if “ needed. I added magnets to lip edge of plate for easier removal and adding if some copper is lookin for EO plate.

I was wondering if tune was gonna get me but A ok. Plus it better pass - I only got 32425 on the mileage for 2014.

 

[M-Sport fan]

Does that Mishi air box have any kind of bottom cold air inlet??

 

[Darkflamedesign]

Does that Mishi air box have any kind of bottom cold air inlet??

Yes - forgot the duct but it still passed.

 

[Gone in 60]

Just passed through my regular smog guy. Running the Stage 2 Cobb package on the CARB OTS tune.

Not sure if this made a difference but since we’ve had constant rain lately, I’ve been running regular gas on the Eco position on my tune since I don’t need to drive fast.

Initially I didn’t say anything about my mods or tune. The guy poked around under the hood with a flashlight for a while until I mentioned that I have the CARB EO information for everything. He asked if I had a sticker so he could grab the EO number. I showed it to him and he said “ok, all good.”

He studied my oil catch can for a bit but didn’t say anything about it. I painted it matte black and put it on the shock tower in the back, so it sort of blends in, and the hoses run under the engine cover, so it’s pretty stealthy.

No problem passing.

 

[New_Daily]

Ok, so the story gets better...

As I mentioned, I went to a trade show after I placed the online order for the CARB decal on Cobb's website, and after tracking showed that it hadn't moved in over a week, I spoke with someone at Cobb who said that I couldn't just order a CARB decal from their website, as they are controlled by the state.

When I got back from the show, I did all of the jib-jab taking photos, sending them, and having a long conversation with the next Cobb rep, who eventually said that they would send me a decal.

Last night, my wife handed me a stack of mail that had come in while I was away at the trade show. In the stack was an envelope from Cobb, with a decal and a picking sheet showing the details of my online order. So, this was already waiting for me. My "impossible order" must have generated a pull ticket in Cobb's warehouse, someone just grabbed a decal, put it in an envelope and sent it off. The UPS tracking didn't move since the sticker was in the mail.

I laughed my ass off. So, does that mean I have another one coming from the second person I spoke with? If so, I'll frame it and put it over my mantle along with my college degree, which was just as hard to obtain.

The upshot is that if anyone here has Cobb's CARB-legal Legacy Stage 2 kit, lives in California or any other state where having an EO decal might be desirable, and doesn't have proof of purchase, Cobb will supply you with a decal if you take photos of all of the components, email the photos to them, and have a conversation with one of their service reps. Hopefully my efforts have paved the way for others to follow.

I would post the link to the decal I was able to order from the Cobb site, but looks like it has indeed, as the first rep said, been taken down.

View attachment 52994

So, just a question on eligibility for the EO, I'm assuming you have to buy some of their hard parts that have an EO (for example their CAI) but just owning an AP doesn't grant you access to an EO?

 

[Gone in 60]

So, just a question on eligibility for the EO, I'm assuming you have to buy some of their hard parts that have an EO (for example their CAI) but just owning an AP doesn't grant you access to an EO?

If you just have an AP, you'd probably qualify for Cobb's EO number for the AP itself. Here's the EO info from their site:
https://cobbtuning.atlassian.net/wi...815618/CARB+EO+numbers+for+COBB+Ford+Products

To qualify for an EO for one of their system that includes hard parts, and you don't have a sales receipt for those parts, then, as was my experience, they will make you show pictures of the parts you do have before they will issue a CARB decal. You can download and print their EO information from their site.

 

[Dpro]

If you just have an AP, you'd probably qualify for Cobb's EO number for the AP itself. Here's the EO info from their site:
https://cobbtuning.atlassian.net/wi...815618/CARB+EO+numbers+for+COBB+Ford+Products

To qualify for an EO for one of their system that includes hard parts, and you don't have a sales receipt for those parts, then, as was my experience, they will make you show pictures of the parts you do have before they will issue a CARB decal. You can download and print their EO information from their site.

I got the EO for my AP based on showing a purchase receipt for my AP. I emailed them a copy of it. At the time I got mine they told me that was what I had to do.
I purchased the Intake after that because it literally has the largest crossover pipe on the market and is Smog legal here.

 

[New_Daily]

Got it, thanks. I guesss the main question now then is the usefulness of the EO for the AP? As weve covered here, you can pass with a tune loaded, and if you show up to test without your AP plugged in, I cant see the EO for the AP being too useful?

I got my AP used so I unfortunately don't have any original receipt, but I assume I can contact Cobb and explain and see what they say.

For the intake, I don't have that yet but tentatively plan on getting one and when I do it will be the Cobb because it has the EO.

Especially with the factory turbo, an intake was never priority for me because of all the reported very minimal gains, with inferior filtration so it didn't seem worth it.

 

[Dpro]

Got it, thanks. I guesss the main question now then is the usefulness of the EO for the AP? As weve covered here, you can pass with a tune loaded, and if you show up to test without your AP plugged in, I cant see the EO for the AP being too useful?

I got my AP used so I unfortunately don't have any original receipt, but I assume I can contact Cobb and explain and see what they say.

For the intake, I don't have that yet but tentatively plan on getting one and when I do it will be the Cobb because it has the EO.

Especially with the factory turbo, an intake was never priority for me because of all the reported very minimal gains, with inferior filtration so it didn't seem worth it.

Having the EO sticker on the car and having the EO is useful because some smog techs are like oh you have an EO you are on the up and up you are good.
By law they are supposed to look under the hood and poke around to make sure stuff is as it should . If they see an apparent mod but ya have the EO present they are less likely to question.

Its really kind of a personality game. Some smog techs could give two …. about this stuff if it reads all your sensors in ready mode.

 

[New_Daily]

Having the EO sticker on the car and having the EO is useful because some smog techs are like oh you have an EO you are on the up and up you are good.
By law they are supposed to look under the hood and poke around to make sure stuff is as it should . If they see an apparent mod but ya have the EO present they are less likely to question.

Its really kind of a personality game. Some smog techs could give two …. about this stuff if it reads all your sensors in ready mode.

Yeah, I get all that.

My question came more from the assumption that individual EO's are specific to specific parts. i.e. the AP carries a unique EO and without the AP in your car the tech would be like, why do you have this (assuming he then looked up the info of what the EO covers).

So you're saying either COBB was granted a blanket EO for them to use.....or that having an official EO displayed on your car the tech will see it and just assume you're all good or.....something else?

 

[Dpro]

Yeah, I get all that.

My question came more from the assumption that individual EO's are specific to specific parts. i.e. the AP carries a unique EO and without the AP in your car the tech would be like, why do you have this (assuming he then looked up the info of what the EO covers).

So you're saying either COBB was granted a blanket EO for them to use.....or that having an official EO displayed on your car the tech will see it and just assume you're all good or.....something else?

The EO covers their stage systems, which include AP with stage 1 and 2 tunes.
https://www.cobbtuning.com/2018-ford-fiesta-st-usdm-s/ scroll down and you will see all the packages which include AP, Intake, RMM,+ intercooler. You can buy parts( outside of the RMM) or the whole system and you get the sticker because all those parts required approval by CARB. Hence why they no longer market their Gesi 400 cell cat downpipe because they have not as of yet been able to get it certified..
This is much like Mountune used to do with the MP215 package which had two different configurations . It also had an EO and used to have the sticker as well D-Resonant was initially a MP215 users and has the sicker on the car. Difference is Mountune stopped trying to get the MP215 package supported after 2016.+ . They are cheap asses basically.

 

[New_Daily]

The EO covers their stage systems, which include AP with stage 1 and 2 tunes.
https://www.cobbtuning.com/2018-ford-fiesta-st-usdm-s/ scroll down and you will see all the packages which include AP, Intake, RMM,+ intercooler. You can buy parts or the whole system and you get the sticker because all those parts required approval by CARB. Hence why they no longer market their Gesi 400 cell cat downpipe because they have not as of yet been able to get it certified.

Got it, thanks!