[LuxoM3]

Like many of you, I've got an F3X BMW. And we are getting those registration letters along with an ask to get our cars smogged. So here's my experience from today.

My car info:
- 2015 BMW 435i, stage 1 BM3
- 80k miles
- Minor engine mods like VRSF charge pipe and intercooler
- MPPK airbox
- New spark plugs about 10k miles ago
- New valve cover (EGR valve)
- New Oil stand gasket
- New water pump, thermostat

Been running the BM3 for 3 years.
Reflashed back to stock AND re-locked the DME about month ago,
then put about 500 miles on the car since then.

Went in today for SMOG in Norcal with a local shop.
I was mentally prepared for the tailpipe stick, ODB plug in, underhood inspection, etc.

NOPE. None of that.

Today, I learned a few things...
1. No dyno/roller test on newer cars (like last 10 years)

2. No tail pipe sniffer test, but will gas it for a visual smoke test - excess black or white smoke is a fail.

3. Yes, ODB plug-in scan... which looks for these things (see Torque App screen, which you can do yourself to "pre-test". Not my screenshot, but this is pretty much what I saw on my torque results. My EGR System segment said "Complete")


4. Yes, he does pop the hood and look for stuff. So if it ain't black and stock looking, it won't fly. (My VRSF charge pipe is black, metal.)

5. Yes, he will walk the car with a under-body mirror - looking for non-stock headers or missing cats is my guess.

6. Battery - he said if you got a new battery, drive the car for at least a hundred miles. He's seen cars with new batteries fail because the emission checks haven't cleared or readied themselves.

I was in/out in 5 minutes for the test.
Heck 15 if you count the small talk.

He did all of the above things and I was done.

So in short, with the F3X cars, it's more about the equipment working and telling the OBD2 system, yep were are good. Not so much about actual emissions.

I used the torque app to pre-check mine a couple weeks ago (as I mentioned above). Below are the actual results I got on my smog sheet.

VISUAL:
Air Inspection Sysem - NA
Computers, Sensors, Switching, Wiring - Pass
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) - NA
Fuel Metering System - Pass
Turbo/Supercharger - NA
Catalyst - Pass
Crankcase Emission Controls - Pass
Fuel Evaporative System (EVAP) - Pass
Other Emission Related - Pass
Vaccuum Lines to Sensors - Pass

My take on this, just make sure nothing looks disconnected or touched. This REALLY needs to look like it was bought off a lot and dirty from a few years of driving.

EMISSION CONTROL:
Liquid Fuel Leak Check - Pass (He did this visually)
Smoke Check - Pass (I am pretty sure he pushed a button for yes/no)
OBD2 - Pass

This sounds a lot like all the emissions/SMOG pre-checks you see on Youtube and such... all summed up in "OBD2" for the Emissions Control section.

Hope this helps some of you guys.
I've been through SMOG fails before with my 95 M3 (dead cats).
This was a cake walk.

[15Blk428i]

I just got mine done today. I’ve been running bm3 for about 6 yrs. Flashed back to stock and drove it around for about a month. Went in today after checking smog readiness and passed with no problem. The technician preformed the same inspection under the hood and checked for smoke. All good.

[ErikB]

Thanks for the info! Any issues flashing back to your tune afterwards?

[SpoolinAddict]

Originally Posted by LuxoM3

Like many of you, I've got an F3X BMW. And we are getting those registration letters along with an ask to get our cars smogged. So here's my experience from today.

My car info:
- 2015 BMW 435i, stage 1 BM3
- 80k miles
- Minor engine mods like VRSF charge pipe and intercooler
- MPPK airbox
- New spark plugs about 10k miles ago
- New valve cover (EGR valve)
- New Oil stand gasket
- New water pump, thermostat

Been running the BM3 for 3 years.
Reflashed back to stock AND re-locked the DME about month ago,
then put about 500 miles on the car since then.

Went in today for SMOG in Norcal with a local shop.
I was mentally prepared for the tailpipe stick, ODB plug in, underhood inspection, etc.

NOPE. None of that.

Today, I learned a few things...
1. No dyno/roller test on newer cars (like last 10 years)

2. No tail pipe sniffer test, but will gas it for a visual smoke test - excess black or white smoke is a fail.

3. Yes, ODB plug-in scan... which looks for these things (see Torque App screen, which you can do yourself to "pre-test". Not my screenshot, but this is pretty much what I saw on my torque results. My EGR System segment said "Complete")


4. Yes, he does pop the hood and look for stuff. So if it ain't black and stock looking, it won't fly. (My VRSF charge pipe is black, metal.)

5. Yes, he will walk the car with a under-body mirror - looking for non-stock headers or missing cats is my guess.

6. Battery - he said if you got a new battery, drive the car for at least a hundred miles. He's seen cars with new batteries fail because the emission checks haven't cleared or readied themselves.

I was in/out in 5 minutes for the test.
Heck 15 if you count the small talk.

He did all of the above things and I was done.

So in short, with the F3X cars, it's more about the equipment working and telling the OBD2 system, yep were are good. Not so much about actual emissions.

I used the torque app to pre-check mine a couple weeks ago (as I mentioned above). Below are the actual results I got on my smog sheet.

VISUAL:
Air Inspection Sysem - NA
Computers, Sensors, Switching, Wiring - Pass
Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) - NA
Fuel Metering System - Pass
Turbo/Supercharger - NA
Catalyst - Pass
Crankcase Emission Controls - Pass
Fuel Evaporative System (EVAP) - Pass
Other Emission Related - Pass
Vaccuum Lines to Sensors - Pass

My take on this, just make sure nothing looks disconnected or touched. This REALLY needs to look like it was bought off a lot and dirty from a few years of driving.

EMISSION CONTROL:
Liquid Fuel Leak Check - Pass (He did this visually)
Smoke Check - Pass (I am pretty sure he pushed a button for yes/no)
OBD2 - Pass

This sounds a lot like all the emissions/SMOG pre-checks you see on Youtube and such... all summed up in "OBD2" for the Emissions Control section.

Hope this helps some of you guys.
I've been through SMOG fails before with my 95 M3 (dead cats).
This was a cake walk.

Is there an iPhone version of this app?

[LuxoM3]

Shoot, not sure. Ian Hawkins made the Torque Pro for Android.
Maybe search on that. But generally, just look for an OBD2 app that checks for emission readiness.

[LuxoM3]

Originally Posted by ErikB

Thanks for the info! Any issues flashing back to your tune afterwards?

I haven't gotten around to the reflash back to stage 1.
I don't anticipate any issues.

I tend to charge my battery on a Friday night and
then flash on a Saturday AM so the battery has a full state of charge.

[15Blk428i]

I haven’t flashed back yet. Have to re-install my down pipe first.

[capt_slow]

This has been pretty much the SOP for a few years with the shop I get my smog from.

• OBDII readiness checks
• CAL/CVN ID check
• Visual inspection for unauthorized mods to the emissions system