Any good California SMOG legal headers for 99 z28??
10-05-2006, 04:13 AM
#1
Any good California SMOG legal headers for 99 z28?? hey i was wondering who makes a good smog legal header set-up that i could pass with here in califonia. i know they make them "smog compliant", bbut will i really pass with these things?? thanks for any help............
10-05-2006, 05:42 AM
#2
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In CA you can not move the stock location of the cats, and all exhuast components must be CARB certified.
There are several shorty headers which are CARB compliant.
HOWEVER!
On a n/a motor shorties are pretty pointless. Good header design is about scavenging not flow. The stockers flow plenty well enough for any n/a setup you are likely to run in CA. So in the real world shorty's will net you 2-5hp.
If you plan on FI (which I highly recommend for anyone in CA) then shorties will work very well. Scavenging doesn't take place with FI, so flow is the only important aspect. And with FI you will ideally need a header that outflows the stock ones.
IMO - Don't waste your money on trying to build a monster n/a motor in CA. Save and go either FI or big cubes to achieve the HP.
There are several shorty headers which are CARB compliant.
HOWEVER!
On a n/a motor shorties are pretty pointless. Good header design is about scavenging not flow. The stockers flow plenty well enough for any n/a setup you are likely to run in CA. So in the real world shorty's will net you 2-5hp.
If you plan on FI (which I highly recommend for anyone in CA) then shorties will work very well. Scavenging doesn't take place with FI, so flow is the only important aspect. And with FI you will ideally need a header that outflows the stock ones.
IMO - Don't waste your money on trying to build a monster n/a motor in CA. Save and go either FI or big cubes to achieve the HP.
10-05-2006, 09:46 AM
#4
The only headers that are smog legal here in CA are JBA, Hooker shorties, and soon Gibson. On 1998-1999 vehicles, you will see a gain over the stock manifolds, like about 15-20. On later models, the manifolds were improved and gains are not noticeable. Many here run Long Tubes with cats and pass smog with not-so compotent inspections.
This is all false! Moving the cats is a federal offense, not CA only. Also smog regulations stop at the cats, after that you can run straight pipes or nothing at all. Exhaust does not need a C.A.R.B. EO #. The only catch is then it would be in violation of city noise ordinaces (96dB max).
Originally Posted by 300bhp/ton
In CA you can not move the stock location of the cats, and all exhuast components must be CARB certified.
10-05-2006, 09:51 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by 12secSS
On 1998-1999 vehicles, you will see a gain over the stock manifolds, like about 15-20.
Originally Posted by 12secSS
This is all false! Moving the cats is a federal offense, not CA only.
Originally Posted by 12secSS
Also smog regulations stop at the cats, after that you can run straight pipes or nothing at all. Exhaust does not need a C.A.R.B. EO #. The only catch is then it would be in violation of city noise ordinaces (96dB max).
10-05-2006, 10:11 AM
#6
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Yeah, they are called shorties, and are a waste of money, because they have flow characteristics that are very similar to stock manifolds. If you want a real gain, then you have to be illegal and get longtubes.
10-05-2006, 06:39 PM
#7
Originally Posted by Ls1CamaroGuy87
Yeah, they are called shorties, and are a waste of money, because they have flow characteristics that are very similar to stock manifolds. If you want a real gain, then you have to be illegal and get longtubes.
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10-05-2006, 10:11 PM
#12
do you plan on a big cam in the near future? i have the JBA shorties on my '99 Z28 and they made a noticable difference. Then again I don't plan on anything larger than a TR224 cam, also for smog reasons. Throwing longtubes on a stock engine will probably take your low end grunt away, on the upside once you hit about 90-100 mph you'll feel the longtubes. I put on the JBAs and am very happy with them, I guess that makes me a heretic but oh well. Depends really on what you want to do down the road, if you plan on a large cam get the LTs last. Then again WTH do I know, I am often wrong.
Originally Posted by KILLER-LS1
hey i was wondering who makes a good smog legal header set-up that i could pass with here in califonia. i know they make them "smog compliant", bbut will i really pass with these things?? thanks for any help............
10-06-2006, 12:30 AM
#14
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only certain areas seem to be really bad with street inspections in CA... basically if you live in those areas you know about it...
so i say LT's and just swap them out every two years
far as if you do get caught by a cop that knows what he's looking for you will be sent to a ref and face possibly up to $10,000 in fines (rare cases)
so i say LT's and just swap them out every two years
far as if you do get caught by a cop that knows what he's looking for you will be sent to a ref and face possibly up to $10,000 in fines (rare cases)
10-06-2006, 01:51 AM
#15
Originally Posted by RrCoX22
only certain areas seem to be really bad with street inspections in CA... basically if you live in those areas you know about it...
so i say LT's and just swap them out every two years
far as if you do get caught by a cop that knows what he's looking for you will be sent to a ref and face possibly up to $10,000 in fines (rare cases)
so i say LT's and just swap them out every two years
far as if you do get caught by a cop that knows what he's looking for you will be sent to a ref and face possibly up to $10,000 in fines (rare cases)
10-06-2006, 02:01 AM
#16
Originally Posted by SSmokin99
DAMN that's a big *** fine!! Where are these areas in CA that inspect? Think I might wanna save up to go FI
10-06-2006, 02:51 AM
#17
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southern ca too if youre around the illegal racing areas at the wrong time.
im gonna go pacesetter LTs and ORY.
pacesetter mids are 0 state legal too, add them to the list up there.
im gonna go pacesetter LTs and ORY.
pacesetter mids are 0 state legal too, add them to the list up there.
10-06-2006, 04:14 PM
#18
well it sounds like im pretty screwed then, huh? haha im mostly looking for a better sound and some performance gains, but then again, im running a cutout in the I pipe, so i dont know how much of an improvement that is really going to make.....
