[flash968]

correct - most cars registered here must pass CA smog - there are a number of zip codes in CA that are exempt though - that list is dwindling, and the number of states stepping up to CA testing is increasing rapidly

within the next couple of years all states will be using the same testing standards as CA - it's all part of a federal mandate that overrides state control in areas that have poor air quality - the more people and cars in an area, the poorer the air quality - when it hits a certain level (tested twice a year by the EPA) then the federal testing standard kicks in

bad news for those of us running stuff that doesn't pass CA smog

i seriously doubt the chip is the problem though - the testing here doesn't get into the areas where the mixture would be rich, so more than likely it's a bad cat - aftermarket cats aren't very good at cleaning things up, so if you have one of those, i'd look at that

the O2 sensor is also another place to look - they only last about 60k miles, and tend to foul before that