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Forum > General Smog Check > Question

I think I know the answer but, Will a Muffler that is going Bad cause you to fail a CA Smog CHeck?

I had a Repair Done to my Jeep last time I had a smog check the repair tech had to drop my gas tank to repair a EVAP hose, When he did so he removed the rear drive shaft (damaging the Ujoint) and Banded on the exhayst pipe causing a couple hairline cracks to form, a couple months ago the Damaged u-Joint failed causing the drive shaft to hit the Muffler putting a small hole in the side of it. I had to rplace the U-Joint, Drive SHaft and Pinion Yoke as a result to drive the vehicle. Am I right to assume that the damaged Muffler will cause the Jeep to fail a Dmog CHeck this time around?
Answer:

The smog test does not test the muffler of your Jeep and you will not fail for having a hole in it, but we don't recommend you take your car in for smog testing if the hole is large because... it may dilute your Jeep's exhaust to the point the smog machine will not allow the smog technician to even begin the smog check.

 

If your Jeep's muffler is intact but has hole/s consider this: Smog machines are calibrated in California (every three days) and are designed not to allow the testing of vehicles which emit oxygen levels exceeding the smog machines preset limits. If the holes on a muffler were large enough to where fresh air would be vacuumed into a car's exhaust stream, the test results would be incorrect, and the smog machine may not even allow the smog inspection to begin or continue. Worst case scenario would be the smog test begins, and is aborted halfway. You'd be required to pay the smog inspection fee, without getting smog check results or a smog check certificate. We have to recommend you get the muffler replaced before the smog test.


posted by SmogTips Support

 

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