It is my understanding that any visible modification will require the smog shop to report the vehicle as a failure, requiring removal of the brake each time the veh. is tested.

 

My reference to slow learners filling prisons was only meant to present my belief that we canot plan for every eventuallity. When any indiscretion is commmitted it is waiting to be discovered in ways that are often un-imaginable. I am not inclined to spend the necessary money to make a bootleg modification only to be forced to remove it and face an additional insult of being fined for it. If I cannot find a legal way to do it, I will sell the truck.

Thank you all for your sincere efforts to help me find a solution.

 

How do they know the engine wasn't recently repaired? You would have to remove some components to access the engine for service or replacement of a sensor or fix a leaking exhaust flange gasket? Ridiculous..

I don't know how the emissions "experts" inspecting these vehicles would know every single system inside and out and be able to determine what was done.. I would bet NOT 1...

 

In Cal. the smog shops have a direct computer link with DMV. To begin the inspection the inspector must input information from the DMV renewal notification which includes the vin.#. The inspector receives a picture of that engine and a detailed proceedure based on that Veh. engine and type. The first step is a visual inspection comparing the vehicle to the photos of a stock engine.
An exhaust brake would be hard to miss. The Cal. DMV has this down to a science after years of people trying to beat the system.

 

Inline exhaust brake?

 

I dont know who is doing your smog tests but the shops up hear dont even open the hood or scan the ECM until after the snap test .If it dont smoke you pass. I have yet to see 1 truck not pass,I maintain a small fleet of Dodges from 1990 t0 2008 all but the 08 are modified and half have engine brake and half of those are automatics not one has fail a test yet.also CARB states Engine exhaust brakes are exempt .you can find that on there web sight. I think you should maybe just get the newer 6.7 powered Dodge it has a brake built right in and it works great too. then you wont worry about any mods your not sure are legal
Good luck with your search
Robert