California Will Start Testing for ECU Tunes

Blkkbgt

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although, I did not read everyones reply. I have kept a close eye on this. This is a joke and "easy" to manipulate if you know what youre doing as a tuner.

I am curious as to how you can manipulate the tune when they are actually comparing your calibration to others approved ones they have for that specific car.

From what I understand they aren't just looking at the check sum.
 

Stangra

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BAR Advisory Group Meeting, July 15 2021

The entire recording is a bit over 3 hours. It can be heard here in it's entirety but this will link to a relevant question about 59 minutes into it:


Sounds like BAR is very tight lipped about this, giving only a textbook answer.
 

gimmie11s

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BAR Advisory Group Meeting, July 15 2021


Sounds like BAR is very tight lipped about this, giving only a textbook answer.

I listened to the question and he didnt come off as "tight lipped" to me, but more of a pencil-pushing beuarocrat who didn't know the answer to the question. Actually gave me confidence lol.

Idiots in CA......
 

Exxit

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Has anyone, after the date, been able to verify if handhelds like the ngauge or a device like RTD will leave a signature that would affect the CVN. Some folks say each flash, even back to stock, will affect the CVN. Is this verified in cases outside of the SCT (which it seems like folks are convinced it does)

Is this any different if a local tuner flashes your ecu and then reverts the car back to the stock file? Has anyone done this and verified CVN is the same as it should be with the previous file?
 

Steve@TF

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this article has some good information

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/07/1...modified-ecu-resulting-in-a-failed-smog-test/

BAR has a library of smog data they’re going to check your ECU configuration against.
Unbeknownst to most California car owners, important changes to your biennial smog take effect this July that can affect if you pass or automatically fail. According to the Bureau of Automotive Repair, “vehicles with software not provided by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or approved through a California Air Resources Board (CARB) Executive Order (EO) will fail a smog check.”


There are two ways your local smog machine will know your ECU’s not stock: by first comparing the data stream coming out of your OBD-II system to a profile compiled through years of data collection and by verifying your cars Calibration Verification Number (CVN) on the ECU.


Comparing your car’s ECU to a known profile.
Before we get into the nitty gritty, here’s how it all started..

In 2010, California’s Governor approved Assembly Bill 2289, streamlining the Department of Consumer Affairs’s Smog test program away from the rolling road sniffer test towards an OBD-II based test for cars model year 2000 and newer.

In order for smog shops to continue operating, by 2015, smog shop owners needed to upgrade their smog machines with approved Data Acquisition Devices that communicate with BAR’s database in real-time during the test.

Since then, these smog shops have been receiving and transmitting data from your car’s OBD-II diagnostic port, compiling a gigantic database for newer cars and trucks. A California car, 2000 and newer, would’ve run through an OBD-OIS test twice since 2015.

With enough data points, smog shops have known approved configurations for your vehicle’s make and model. If your car does not match a profile within a certain degree of error, it knows you have a modified ECU.

Here’s it spelled out on their presentation slides.



Calibration Verification Number
There may be instances where CARB has not established a thorough data set on a certain makes and model, like one-offs and extremely rare cars.

This is where CVNs come in.

CVNs, AKA Check Sums, exist in almost all modern ECUs. A CVN is a set number (or numbers) calculated by running several other numbers (calculated using data programmed in your ECU) through a mathematical operation.

Your car’s ECU has a CVN (or check sum) set by the manufacturer. The same model ECU will have the same CVN values because the code between ECUs is the same.

This is useful, for example, upon startup, your ECU will compare checksums with values stored and, if they are different, will not start the engine to prevent potential engine damage.

Tuning your car will inherently change your car’s CVN and, when compared to a known CVN provided by the manufacturer, is a telltale sign you have modified software.

Tunes approved by CARB are issued an EO number, their specific CVNs white flagged as OK for smog.

What if I have a flash tune I know is not CARB approved.
It’s real simple, flash back to your original configuration and make sure all your OBD readiness monitors are set.

If you don’t, this is an example of a failed smog test result for modified software you’ll get.


This new OBD-OIS smog check wrinkle is a pain in the behind but, for 99 percent of Californians, they don’t even know it’s been going on.

For the tuning crowd, it’s time to stay ahead of the game.
 

Steve@TF

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my cars due for smog again. i put the stock filter/box back on and upload the stock tune and it passes with flying colors. based on the article i just posted, i should be good to go right? from what i read in posts earlier, they can tell if the ecu has been flashed multiple times.....? but that doesnt seem to be the case per that article. i hope not. if i end up in this mess the car will be for sale and ill just get a stock vette or something.
 

RedVenom48

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One baby step towards tyranny. Democrats are truly awful people. Guess what, there will be zero pushback.
In liberal states? You are correct. Try telling Florida they meed to start Smog testing again and take away ethanol and see what happens lol
 

Exxit

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For those worried about the color red or the color blue; you'll need to worry about who is in the oval office. The consensus is that CARB regs are due to hit nationwide by 2024. Since most if not ALL aftermarket parts are now coming with an assumed use of 100% offroad operation this makes it tough for any lawmaker, left or right, to argue that on road cars should be exempt from any emissions related regulation once its rolled out.

The very important point to know though, is if:
1. a flash tune from a tuner (some use software suite versions of what the handhelds do) that is then reverted using a handheld tuner or the tuner's OBD interface software to stock; will it report an incorrect or flaggable CVN? It seems like there would be a leniency for amount of times flashed because if I bought a whipple kit and I went from stock to whipple, and say back to stock because of reasons, then I'm above the flash count. Does that flag me?

I've read folks explain it as, a reflashed ECU may report an incorrect CVN, and if it does you'd have to take a referee appointment and verify the car is indeed running the stock tuning. Maybe showing them the file name would help? (lol joke) Its going to get messy for some folks. I'm looking at the cali folks with built motors on cams. And you may be thinking "there is no one showing up with a built motor and cams for a smog." Well a lot of the greased palms have either retired, gotten popped, or are now too scared. I'd suggest calling your "plug" and having a chat with them in a month or two when some of these nightmares actually happen. I bet soon we'll see folks on the forums asking for help on how to handle this.
 

Exxit

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Those of you who are personally close to tuners should probably talk to them.

They will not discuss any of this whatsoever. No over email, not on the phone, and not through any texting medium. Most folks are afraid of going completely out of business because their friends (the diesel crowd) are currently losing double digit millions.
 

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