Is there such thing as a legal cam by california standards?If so which ones?

 

Any part that potentially affects the factory design emissions controls without a CARB Executive Order number is by definition 'illegal'. No cam has an EO# to my knowledge.

I have a cam, and I've never been questioned about it, or whether I had one.

 

I don't see why the Hotcam wouldn't be.

 

The hotcam wouldn't be simply because GM didn't (and probably never intended to) certify it in California. Whether it would do as well or better on the sniffer is irrelenvant in the gestapo state of California - the EO (C.A.R.B. executive order) is the only thing that matters. There are a bunch of cams that would pass if not for the EO requirement in CA.

That's all "technically speaking" of course.

 

Im not from CA but think about it how many police are going to rip apart your motor and check your cam specs? None just try to keep the idle high and the chopping to a min and you could put a pretty big cam in there.

 

We have dyno emissions testing here. Big cam ain't gonna cut it. I passed with a CC305 and friends have passed with the Hotcam.

 

Victor is that you?

It's really hard to fail just because of a cam. The LT-4 should have no problems whatsoever. Even my lumpy unknown cam passed smog with no problems. If you're tuned right, almost any cam will pass.

 

yea even my friend has the wrong engine in his car and the smog guys cant tell it apart... hes supposed to have 390 (ford) but he has a 460...

but i think tuning is everything.

 

Uh, not true. Unless there's some magical tune out there that has even eluded Steve Cole at TTS or Mike Morgan at MMS, no tune in the world is going to make a 'large' cam pass CA emissions testing. Sorry.

The CC305, LT4 Hot Cam and a few other of the 'tamer' grinds (generally >112* LSA and <230~232 duration, but they are not mutually exclusive numbers) will pass as long as the remainder of the emissions systems are functioning properly. I've 'heard' of another fellow in CA that passed with the CC306, but his car supposedly ran dangerously lean.

The only magical 'tune' I know of to pass a large cam in CA easily is one that rings of a few hundred dollars to pay the tech off.

 

True...But let's be honest. How many of those huge, monster, custom-cam guys are going to try to smog their cars? Realize we're talking real-world, daily-driver cars here. Of course, the rest of your emissions equipment has to be up to par.

Victor, if it gets down to it. I know a couple good shops in East County that are fair, and rodder-friendly.

 

lol i need to work at a smog shop hehe then i could check it myself...
"hrmmm whats this"

 

I generally agree with you, but I also think your statement I quoted above was a bit misleading. Also, keep in mind that there are a lot of guys on this board and others who are running CC306's and larger cams in their 'real-world' daily drivers in other states where testing is less stringent. Most (if not all) of those same big grinds they run will not pass here. The CC305's and LT4's pass frequently enough for me to feel safe about recommending them to others who legitimately smog their cars. One caveat: The emission threshold standards change every two years (read: lowered), and there will be a point in time where even the tame cams may have difficulty passing.

As far as the original question: No cam is technically legal. Can you get a tame cam through the program? Yes, even on a stock tune.

Ahh, the joys of living in Kalifornia. Killjoys.

 

Here Here. When I brought my Camaro in from out of state (I was in the military) it didn't even have a catalytic converter on it. It also has a really serious cam in it. So I had a cat installed in it and had to get it smogged for my base sticker. The guys in the shop said it would never pass when they heard me pull in, but it passed with better emissions than the volvo they tested before me! Still, I've decided that my next car is going to be pre-smog...just because it is SUCH a pain in the *** to try to do anything with a newer car. At least they repealed the new car tax......maybe it's a start in the right direction!

 

Yeah its me. Im just looking ahead on what could happen if i put a mild cam in there. When it comes down to it itll be 2 years from january. Like i said just looking ahead!!

 

isnt the lt4 cam carb legal?? i meen they did make lt4 vettes and **** in california and they come with it stock