AFM Delete and California Smog

[Marky Dissod]

I agree more value with DOD delete but in CA you have to pass smog or no sale.

The presence or absence of cylinder deactivation, in and of itself, has NOTHING to do with passing smog testing.
CA does not use aftermarket tuning software, or a hex or binary editor, to check for the presence or absence of any features.
They check that every readiness monitor reports ready. They check for any error codes.

So far as 'detecting a different cam':
A 'Volumetric Efficiency' table is used primarily as a backup for and checkup on the Mass AirFlow sensor's expected accuracy.
Tuners call it the VE table. If the MAF is turned off, it becomes even more important.
The values in that table are a function of the ability of the intake manifold, heads, cam and lifters, and exhaust manifolds to flow
(although not necessarily of engine size - two different engine sizes can share quite similar VE tables).

If fear of CA smog testing skews you against upgrading the cam, GM has cams that are EXTREMELY similar to each other, except for the cylinder deactivation feature.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Yes this whole thread has been to prove that you can have a full AFM delete and still pass California SMOG as I have documented here

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

Yes this whole thread has been to prove that you can have a full AFM delete and still pass California SMOG as I have documented here

I agree I would be able to pass CA SMOG assuming no outside viewable changes.
A new owner along with a dealer might be able to find out if there is some level of AFM delete. If that is not a worry then you are good to go in CA.
I'm going to talk to a couple of shops here to see 1 - will they change lifters/cam and 2 - how much will it cost? Shops here are charging $120/hr.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

I would just not bring it up. If the buyer asks if it had the AFM deleted they will be happy to hear it already has been. Other than that you can 100% sell a Tahoe that smogs AS-IS

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

All things being equal I don't want to lie.
FYI - in CA there is no selling "as-is" to get around the required passing SMOG cert.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

One solution I came up with after deep googling. Sell the car only to people out of California.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@2006Tahoe2WD That's not what I mean, I'm saying that you smog the Tahoe and then sell it smogged as-is.

You might be over thinking this.

 

[mikez71]

@2006Tahoe2WD That's not what I mean, I'm saying that you smog the Tahoe and then sell it smogged as-is.

You might be over thinking this.

If I remember right, the rule was the seller was responsible for smogging it, and it had to be within 60 days of sale or something like that.

Makes sense. The Tahoe I'm looking at has 68k miles.

So you haven't bought it yet, and are already worried about selling it?

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

okay, makes sense, I smog it .... the cert. is good for 6 months. Yes overthinking, yes worrying about selling before buyiing.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

@mikez71 The seller is "responsible" for Smog but that doesn't mean that two men can't agree to a smogless sale. Just outline the facts in the bill of sale (as-is, smogged or not smogged), get signatures from buyer and seller, and collect your money.

Most of the used cars I've bought have been without smog. I'll test drive the vehicle and want to buy it but the seller says they will smog it tomorrow and I'll usually ask to knock the price down a couple hundred bucks and buy it on the spot without smogging it first.

I don't know what the law specifically says about it but I understand that all sales are final. If you bought an as-is car with lowering springs on it and you didn't realize it until you got home that's on you not the seller.

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

I have read countless threads on multiple forums and on sites selling "tuning" software or services. I don't yet have a feeling that how the CA software currently works is described with any authority. You ask 30 people and you get at least 30 different opinions. It is interesting that HP Tuners doesn't seem to describe that they can pass the CA computer test but BB says they pass. It still remains somewhat of a mystery. The common pieces of info. that come up involve the VIN, a table that CA CARB has and a file check sum (CVN). The CVN is two bytes.

 

[Marky Dissod]

I have read countless threads on multiple forums and on sites selling "tuning" software or services.
I don't yet have a feeling how the CA software currently works is described with any authority.

Any pcm /ecm / tcm tuner that publicly explains this in too much detail, will ruin it for both future tuners and any future customers unwilling to learn how to self-tune.

You ask 30 people, and you get at least 30 different opinions.

If that person has never tuned their or anyone else's pcm / ecm / tcm, that opinion ain't even a piece of schidt, it's a fart with no substance.

HP Tuners doesn't seem to describe that they can pass the CA computer test, but BB says they pass.

HPTuners is a tuning software dealer. They will never take ANY responsibility for anything anyone does with their software.
BlackBear is a pro tuner who (probably) uses HPTuners, might use EFI-Live (almost sure he does not use TunerCAT).

The common pieces of info that come up involve the VIN, a table that CA CARB has and a file check sum (CVN). The CVN is two bytes.

Pretty easy to get the VIN right - leave it the hell alone.

Which table (or tables) does the CARB have, or have access to?
Very strongly doubt that CARB can read or detect ANY tables, because
the CARB never downloads / reads pcm / ecm /tcm files.
Know for a fact that CARB has checksums and checksum verification numbers on hand for GM diesel vehicles (DuraMax LB7) since '01.
Don't know about Ford or Chrysler-Fiat or any others - but I very highly doubt that even the emissions testing equipment at a STAR test site can detect anything other than checksums and cvns, which don't need to be downloaded.

 

[Dustin Jackson]

Just to throw chaos into this thread, Jasper engines has a CARB certified AFm deleted reman block they can sell in California. So this topic is acknowledged at a high level

 

[2006Tahoe2WD]

Any pcm /ecm / tcm tuner that publicly explains this in too much detail, will ruin it for both future tuners and any future customers unwilling to learn how to self-tune.

If that person has never tuned their or anyone else's pcm / ecm / tcm, that opinion ain't even a piece of schidt, it's a fart with no substance.

HPTuners is a tuning software dealer. They will never take ANY responsibility for anything anyone does with their software.
BlackBear is a pro tuner who (probably) uses HPTuners, might use EFI-Live (almost sure he does not use TunerCAT).

Pretty easy to get the VIN right, leave it the hell alone.

Which table (or tables) does the CARB have, or have access to?
Very strongly that CARB can read or detect ANY tables; they never download / read pcm / ecm /tcm files.
Know for a fact that CARB has checksums and checksum verification numbers on hand for GM diesel vehicles (DuraMax LB7) since '01.
Don't know about Ford or Chrysler-Fiat or any others - but I very highly doubt that even the emissions testing equipment at a STAR test site can detect anything other than checksums and cvns, which don't need to be downloaded.

(2006Tahoe2WD, a private message awaits you.)

I would have to dig up the link again regarding the table CARB is purported to have. The table is a list of check sums found on vehicles like the one being tested. For example if in CA there are 5,000 2016 5.3 Tahoes there should be a fairly limited number of different check sums that CARB "sees". If your check sum is "unique" then you don't pass.

If the answer to all of this is just right the original check sum in the file after "tuning" that works....IF..... the car computer and CARB doesn't recalculate the check sum.