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Shocker: California to Start Checking for ECU Tunes During Smog.

anotero

Autocross Champion
Location
Hither and thither
Car(s)
Mk7 GTI
I've also lived in So Cal (mostly in the San Fernando Valley) all my life. I remember back in the 80's...we'd have something called a "Smog Alert". Those are the days where there would be an orange haze around the city. We still have our bad days...but not nearly as bad as it was back then. I also have asthma...the cleaner the air...the better off I am.

My GTI is modded...but I think flashing my car back to stock every couple years isn't that much work. I don't have to smog till 2025. New CA cars do not have to smog for 8 years...so you got plenty of time to mod your car before you got to smog.

There are also parts of CA that do not require a smig check.

Also...how is the smog station going to check for a tune? The VW dealer can't even do that. The ECU data has to be sent to Germany to see if its been flashed. Is VW going to give the state the ability to check if the ECU has been flashed? That's how VW checks if the ECU has been modified.
Bingo.
 

aaronc7

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
17 S3
Read up on CVN. It's a checksum that is computed from the tune on the ECU. It's my understanding that the shops/database will have a list of "OK" CVNs, if yours does not match any of those--busted. It's a simple OBD/UDS command that a scan tool can read, no different than reading your box code or DTC info etc.
 

GreatFallsofGreen

Ready to race!
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
GFG 7.5, 6MT
APR’s CARB certified tune why I chose APR over EQT. I think 034 has their tunes undergoing approval too according to their IG account.

Stage 1 should keep me legal and satisfied with my GTI until more car enthusiast EVs roll out at towards the end of the decade!
 

Chogokin

Autocross Champion
Location
So Cal
Car(s)
GTI Sport | Audi A3
Read up on CVN. It's a checksum that is computed from the tune on the ECU. It's my understanding that the shops/database will have a list of "OK" CVNs, if yours does not match any of those--busted. It's a simple OBD/UDS command that a scan tool can read, no different than reading your box code or DTC info etc.
The CVN is pretty interesting. It seems like a bunch of numbers that add up. If they don't...your ECU has been modified.

Is this a potential way around it?

https://mechanics.stackexchange.com...he-calibration-verification-number-cvn-unique

"If you have intentionally modified the software on the ECU, you need to make sure the actual checksum values(s) equals the value expected by the software. This is done by changing the value the program side wants to see, so in simple terms there will be a part of the software which looks likes this:

'All data in the previous sector must equal 123xyz'

You would need to calculate the new checksum and replace '123xyz' with the new value.

The checksum value and verification is completely contained within the ECU so it doesn't matter if you swap two ECUs over from say 318 to a 118 (as long as you program the keys, immobiliser, VIN etc)."
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
Testing is not free regardless. But if you can't pass with a tune, now you have to flash to stock and resmog. So you pay more that way.
Okay. Then just flash back to stock. If you use Cobb switching back to stock is free.
 

anotero

Autocross Champion
Location
Hither and thither
Car(s)
Mk7 GTI
One of the best ways to get rid of smog is to expand public transportation, including electric such as trams and trolley buses. Which would require state and local governments to divert taxpayer money toward real projects instead of endeavours with dubious benefits. Emposing restrictions on car makers and drivers is the easy way out (not that they don't help).
 

Chogokin

Autocross Champion
Location
So Cal
Car(s)
GTI Sport | Audi A3
Okay. Then just flash back to stock. If you use Cobb switching back to stock is free.
This is the silly part. You flash to stock...then you reinstall the tune. What was the point of it all? The tune is still there. Its uninstalled for all of 10 mins. If you have a 2k and newer vehicle...all they do is plug their computer into yours and basically check for codes and see readiness monitors are set. They don't even go on the rollers any more.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
This is the silly part. You flash to stock...then you reinstall the tune. What was the point of it all? The tune is still there. Its uninstalled for all of 10 mins. If you have a 2k and newer vehicle...all they do is plug their computer into yours and basically check for codes and see readiness monitors are set. They don't even go on the rollers any more.
I guess it's to scare people or catch the ones that don't know the laws and discourage people from tuning.
 

aaronc7

Autocross Champion
Location
USA
Car(s)
17 S3
The CVN is pretty interesting. It seems like a bunch of numbers that add up. If they don't...your ECU has been modified.

Is this a potential way around it?

https://mechanics.stackexchange.com...he-calibration-verification-number-cvn-unique

"If you have intentionally modified the software on the ECU, you need to make sure the actual checksum values(s) equals the value expected by the software. This is done by changing the value the program side wants to see, so in simple terms there will be a part of the software which looks likes this:

'All data in the previous sector must equal 123xyz'

You would need to calculate the new checksum and replace '123xyz' with the new value.

The checksum value and verification is completely contained within the ECU so it doesn't matter if you swap two ECUs over from say 318 to a 118 (as long as you program the keys, immobiliser, VIN etc)."
Cobb, APR etc could definitely find a workaround for this. But it's definitely not in their interest to do so, so you won't see them attempting to do anything like this.

Some other tools from overseas are already doing CVN "correction" apparently.

Cobb is actively working on CARB approvals for their tunes and 'packages'. Not sure what that will look like for EQT and other protuners. The Cobb software won't let ProTuners edit things that affect emission control devices, so logically all Cobb tunes should also be CARB approved, but I suspect each individual tuner would need to coordinate / get approval to do so.... add their CVN to the 'list' if you will.

This is all part of the same reason why Cobb software you can't actual DTCs etc, just prevent a check engine light from illuminating etc. If you look at their recent updates, they are putting a lot of effort into EPA/CARB compliance stuff (as I imagine others are such as APR etc).
 

Chogokin

Autocross Champion
Location
So Cal
Car(s)
GTI Sport | Audi A3
From everything I've read...Cobb's tune isn't that great. I think I'll go with a Cobb later in the year...but with an EQT or 5150 tune.
 

nosmirk

Go Kart Champion
Location
SoCal
Car(s)
7.5 DSG
Testing is not free regardless. But if you can't pass with a tune, now you have to flash to stock and resmog. So you pay more that way.
Unless someting changed, just about every place will retest for free within 90 days. I've never had to pay for a retest.
 
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