Who doesn't lol. The thing I hated about the xl setup is that I was always shifting to the get the car into the powerband, there is not enough power down low when your in the higher gears so you always have to downshift for any useable power. I've only had 1 test drive with the car since i've put the is20 back in and the faster spool up was definitely noticeable. I'm actually looking forward to really testing out the turbo once I've got all the stock parts back in with the new stage 1 tune.
7
Questions about upcoming SMOG check
- Thread starter Benihana
- Start date
I just went from IS38 stage 2 to Vortex standard + stock DP. As a daily, I don't mind the additional lag, but I drive pretty conservatively on the street. I literally just got back from my first track day with the vortex and it requires a completely different style of driving, which I'm slowly adjusting to, so I get what you're saying. I can only imagine how laggy an XL must feel after an is20.
FSTSNAL
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- Sacramento
- Car(s)
- 2019 DVP Spektrum R
I’m looking at setting up an llc with a virtual mailing address in Mendocino county and registering my car there. Ca plates to not draw attention registered in a non smog county.
Finally got all the stock parts in, only mods are a black majesty intercooler drop in which, modded factory airbox with aFe filter, and NGK Race plugs 2 steps colder......still thinking about installing CTS's TIP just gonna scrape off/paint the logo to make it look more OEM. Anyway, I loaded up EQT's stage 1 91 tune and I gotta say, I'm quite happy and kind pleasantly surprised. I underestimated this lil turbo its so much more enjoyable around town as I no longer have to downshift for passing power when in the lower rpms. Yeah it doesn't have the upper end punch of the vortex xl, but the xl doesn't have the lower end punch of the is20. Now gotta uninstall the COBB at some point and take it in for its first pap smear ehhh cough cough, i mean smog test.
How much more lag is it compared to is38 stage2? How much faster is the car on the new setup?
If you've looked at the dyno charts from EQT, they pretty much explain it. You're fully spooled on the is38 stg 2 by ~2900 RPM vs the vortex at ~3400 RPM.
As someone who grew up on a '02 WRX that would bog under 2500 RPM and the "auto-x size turbo" didn't hit peak torque until ~3900 RPM , my natural instinct is to always downshift to accelerate. So, as a daily, that 500 RPM difference is not a big deal. Whether on the is38 or the Vortex, I do the same blip and downshift to 4th to quickly accelerate on the freeway. On track, with my 6MT, it's a massive difference. It's the difference between being comfortable powering out of a hairpin in 3rd vs being forced to do another shift to go to 2nd because under 3500 RPM the car is just flat on it's face if you try to power out with the Vortex.
Overall, the car is noticeably faster on the Vortex. More than I expected, actually, since peak power on the dyno charts is 384 whp on stg 2 vs Vortex 391 whp (granted, is38 is Dynocom and Vortex is Mustang dyno numbers). And it pulls much harder through redline. Plus, I love how sleeper the car is with the factory DP, and to be on topic, smog shouldn't be a problem for me, other than just swapping a couple sensors and flashing a tune.
Don't have any numbers since I don't drag or do 1/4s.
Have you smogged your car yet? You can always flash to Cobb's stage 1. I believe it has an EO number.
Cuzoe
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Los Angeles
Not apples to apples, but I've passed smog check on my TDI three times now and never flashed back to stock. Most recently on Monday.
Can't speak to all the hardware stuff, I only have a Neuspeed intake which has the CARB sticker. If whatever tune you're running doesn't prevent readiness that will of course be an issue. But thus far it does not seem they are checking (or enforcing, if they are checking) the ECU software checksums.
Can't speak to all the hardware stuff, I only have a Neuspeed intake which has the CARB sticker. If whatever tune you're running doesn't prevent readiness that will of course be an issue. But thus far it does not seem they are checking (or enforcing, if they are checking) the ECU software checksums.
StorableComa
Autocross Champion
- Location
- SoCal, USA
- Car(s)
- 17 GSW S FWD
Do diesel have tail pipe/roller checks still?
Seen a few posts on FB with 15s failing due to tune. Though newer gas is only visual, readiness, and calibration ecu check now.
Seen a few posts on FB with 15s failing due to tune. Though newer gas is only visual, readiness, and calibration ecu check now.
Cuzoe
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Los Angeles
Mine is 15 (only year for diesel Mk7's) and it's never been put on the rollers or had the tail pipe check. Visual (loose at the two places I've been but YMMV), and OBD check only.
For what it's worth 2007+ diesels in CA can pass with two monitors not set. You can't have a CEL... but you are allowed 2 incomplete/not ready monitors. A pending fault, even one that will cause a CEL does not cause a smog check failure either.
My most recent experience with the pending... was on Monday
.BudgetPhoenix
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Kansas
- Car(s)
- 2009 GLI, 2016 GTI
Its a huge PITA to remove parts but I did that for many years in Cali when I lived there. A few times they didn't even do a real visual inspection lol
In the beginning I planned on doing the same, but now I'm quite happy with the stage 1 performance on stock hardware that I don't think going through all that is worth it for the extra power, especially for a daily driver.
FSTSNAL
Go Kart Champion
- Location
- Sacramento
- Car(s)
- 2019 DVP Spektrum R
My one car last 2 times has had to go to a star station where they are thorough. Have heard it is random in the area I live. Hope my golf r doesn’t have to go star in a few years.
The Star station thing seems to be random. I had a car that had to go to a Star station one time. That was it. It was a really long time ago.
I recently came across a smog guy that really doesn't look at the car. I brought my GF's Cooper S to get smogged. It has a Neuspeed Power Module. I don't think he even looked in the engine bay. He just popped the hood and glanced in the engine. I took our A3 in and it has a P-Flo. He didn't say anything about it. It does have a CARB sticker. What brought me to this guy is that the smog shop I used to use did not want to smog the A3 with the P-Flo...even though it has a EO number.
Cuzoe
Autocross Champion
- Location
- Los Angeles
I guess I'm too new to the smog game. I don't even know what a star station is 
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