BlueRidgeMark

What happens is that you have to pass CA emissions if you want to drive it in CA.

If it fails and cannot be corrected, you have two choices: Scrap it (and prove you scrapped it!) or remove it from California. You are not going to get it registered there.

There is a multi-step process for trying to correct it, and I don't recall the details, but the bottom line is, you'll pass or you don't drive it.

97grand4.0

What does the emissions sticker say?

dave1123

NY passed a law in 1996 that any vehicle that was initially sold as new in NY had to be CA emission equipped. My 2000 WJ was sent to a NY dealership for sale and has CA emissions. However, it was transferred to a dealer in PA for the initial sale. 12 years later, it was bought at auction and brought back to NY where I bought it at a used car dealer. PA only requires Federal emissions as far as I know. SO, you should be able to go to a state that only requires Federal emissions and buy a car equipped with that and register it in CA. That would be logical, but then again, it's CA. Who knows?

Ralph77

My understanding is up till '00 XJ's could be either Federal or CA Emissions. All '01's are CA Emissions.
Now my '00 is a CA Emissions. I did find a '00 in the boneyard that was Federal Emissions. Stole the engine wiring harness and the computer.
We are not going to talk about that though. Wink, wink.

So what you guys are saying is that even though it might pass with flying colors in a Federal Emissions state if it does not pass in CA you are SOL?
I have to assume it won't because why would they bother making CA Emissions vehicles if Federal ones would pass anyway.

For an '00 Federal Emissions XJ it would require the engine harness, cause of the extra 2 O2 sensors (total of 4), and the computer from a CA Emissions vehicle.
Not to mention the front cat. Can be done IMO.
But then now the VIN on the computer won't match the VIN on the vehicle.
And didn't somebody say that is a no no?

So it almost sound like you would have to scrap a perfectly good vehicle even if you could make it pass CA standards.

Glad I don't have any plans on moving there.

BlueRidgeMark

Yep. Too bad, so sad. Not their problem.

00t444e

No emissions testing or inspections here.

97grand4.0

Like Jeff Foxworthy says, you might be a redneck if you have an engine hanging from a tree limb in your yard.

BlueRidgeMark

Or if you have two non-running, and one running but not inspection-worth XJs in your yard.

5-Speed

There is a loop hole that most dont know about if its a "federal" vehicle. Here is an example.

If you have a CA vehicle and have to replace the cat, you have to replace it with a CARB compliant cat or it wont pass visual. If you buy an out of state vehicle with "federal" emissions and for whatever reason, the cat was replaced with a normal non CARB compliant cat, it will still pass CA smog since it was still up to "federal" standards before being brought to this horrible place. Same goes for any other part that has to be replaced. Once registered in CA though, any part being replaced has to be replaced with a CARB approved product. But again, as long as the parts on the vehicle, before being registered in CA, pass federal law, it will pass CA emissions.

00t444e

Well I have one good running XJ and another XJ and ZJ that technically run but aren't road worthy right now, none of them would pass inspections if we had them, so do I qualify?