Need some quick help from CA folks!!! Buying out of state 3rd gen

[TheDurk]

Yeah it's my 97. There are different exhaust parts when your order them though and I have a federal emissions sticker instead of the cali one. Is there really no difference?

Pretty sure the only difference in EXHAUST emissions is due to the supplier of aftermarket parts. Replacements for use in California must be CARB-approved, for EACH manufacturer, even though there is but a single Toyota part. Many after-market suppliers don't bother to get the CARB approval and can't be sold in California. The labels are different because I believe there were EVAPORATIVE emissions differences in 1997 and the vehicles had to be CARB approved to be sold in CA even though they were no different.

Can you find a 1997 Cali. spec Toyota 4Runner part number? I can't. Lots of Canada Spec. but no Cali. spec.

Now the Cali. 2000 will have two cats instead of one, an A/F sensor in front, different cross-over piping and manifold, and a different ECU. Also, you may have difficulty getting 49-state parts shipped to California from aftermarket suppliers as they will not normally have CARB approval.

 

[Hog1983]

Umm? In order to get base decals on several bases in CA we still have to smog our vehicles. I have 2 vehicles registered in AR and camp Pendleton requires a smog...

 

[Hog1983]

I guess what I meant us, it's likely it has passed smog if it has a base decal.