TheYonderGod

I got my car from my parents, my step dad says it has a "performance chip" in it, which "he thinks" is illegal in California. He used to swap the stock chip in before he got it smog checked, but he lost it.
Will they detect it when I get it smog checked? Does it even matter?

Burnout91

The smog station can't detect the chip; if the test is like the test in Los Angeles county, the vehicle will be visually inspected for the presence of factory installed emissions equipment, and the tailpipe will be sniffed. If the chip causes excess emissions in one or more categorizes, the vehicle will fail. If the chip causes the initial ignition timing to be more than 3 degrees out of spec, the vehicle will fail.

thtanner

iTrader: (1)

Timing is checked without the computer (EST disconnected).

armos

You can read the official test procedure here:
http://smogcheck.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Che...l_ENG_2013.pdf

They don't know what chip is in the car unless you make it visible for some reason (so don't). They don't plug into the computer port on an OBD-1 era car, only OBD-2. They probably don't even have the means to do so nowadays.
To check for codes on OBD-1 they look at the check engine light. It should come on with the key on, engine off. When you start the engine the light should turn off and stay off. If the light comes on during the test, you fail. If the light never comes on when it should have, you fail (removing the bulb isn't really that clever).

It's possible to tweak the timing with a chip, but not really with the distributor. As was mentioned, distributor base timing is checked with the EST disconnected. It has to be within +/- 3 degrees of the setting shown on the emissions label. Since they might not read it the same way you do, I think it's safest to just put the distributor base timing dead center on the spec rather than trying to push the 3 degree tolerance.
During the tailpipe test, the EST connector is plugged back in. This allows the ECM to change ignition timing depending on conditions and they don't try to validate that. I've read that slightly retarding the timing can help emissions, but if you need to do that, it's better to do it with a chip rather than by trying to squeeze it in on the distributor.

My Fiero has a surging idle with the stock chip because the stock tune doesn't work with my injectors. I don't have the 30 year old originals. I have to take an idle test, and due to the rules, the surging idle makes it automatically fail regardless of how clean the tailpipe is. I've been driving and e-testing the car with a chip that's been adjusted to work correctly with the current injectors. It always passes without issue.
I'm sure the state would say that only the California approved original chip is legal, but there's nothing to tell them what chip is in it as long as it's buttoned up like it should be. Don't make it look like you've been messing with it.

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If this car hasn't had problems with the tailpipe test in recent years, then it's likely that you might get by fine with the aftermarket chip. If you're worried, you could take a "pretest" first. That lets you see the tailpipe results without it being reported to DMV. If that goes well then proceed with the real test. You do have to pay for 2 tests but once you know it's okay you can skip that in the future.
The benefit of this is it gives you a chance to avoid getting flagged as a "gross polluter". That status means you have to get tested at a "Star" station every 1 year instead of at any station every 2 years. I don't know how long it takes to get off that list.

I haven't looked much in the marketplace here but if you need a stock or at least more suitable chip then you might be able to find someone who can burn you one. The person doing it would need to know what chip your car came with. There were different chips depending on year, CA-emissions (or not), engine, trans, drive ratio, not sure if anything else is significant.

TheYonderGod

Cool, thanks for all the info.

Edit: Got it tested today. Gas cap failed :/
But emissions and everything else were good, so it should pass tomorrow.