Long tube headers in CA
12-25-2006, 08:16 PM
#1
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Long tube headers in CA are long tube headers here in ca illegal? i dont understand why it would cause it to fail the snif test but will an inspector fail it just for being on the car? i just bought some long tube headers and they arent installed yet but right after i bought them i heard soemone say long tubes might be illegal in ca and it doesnt make sense to me. If they re illegal then why? can i just take them somewhere cool that will pass it for me or will it fail the comuter diagnostics part? they have all sensors an everything else so i dont see the problem
12-25-2006, 08:46 PM
#3
On The Tree
iTrader: (3)
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Reno,NV
Posts: 121
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Its illegal becuz it moves the position of the cats... Cali state law says cats must be in stock location.. LT's move them thus it being illegal.... get a catted Y go to a ghetto area pay someone not to look at it ur good...
12-25-2006, 11:36 PM
#4
TECH Addict
iTrader: (11)
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Brunswick, GA
Posts: 2,193
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
yes theyre illegal. it can pass the sniff test with a tune. some places will pass it on visual, some wont...99% of test only's will not pass. just put em in, you'll love it
12-26-2006, 01:14 AM
#6
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
your right i will love it but i wont love it if i cant drive my car becuase of no registration. do you guys recomend taking them somewhere to have them installed or trying it myself? my buddies were easy on his tahoe but i think itd probably be 10x harder in my trans am. i asked my uncle today about it and he knows a guy that will pass it because hes old and cranky and doesnt take the time to look under the car. so as long as it will pass the sniff i think im good.
Trending Topics
12-26-2006, 03:13 PM
#8
Banned
iTrader: (45)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 2,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Moving the location of the cats is illegal. Most places do the sniffer but don't do a serious visual. You could act ignorant and if they do a visual say you didn't know, and are going to switch back. Then just go to another place and try again. There are a lot of places that don't do a serious visual as long as your car isn't loud and obnoxious. That is unless you are going to a test-only station, then you are f*cked.
12-26-2006, 03:37 PM
#9
they are NOT AT ALL LEGAL you will fail smog
dont get a crooked guy to pass you, because that only gets you in trouble,
if you really want to go lt's they are the best hp gain when were talking about headers
if you care about the environment go shorties with high flow cats
dont get a crooked guy to pass you, because that only gets you in trouble,
if you really want to go lt's they are the best hp gain when were talking about headers
if you care about the environment go shorties with high flow cats
12-26-2006, 05:50 PM
#10
[QUOTE=lsx24 There are a lot of places that don't do a serious visual as long as your car isn't loud and obnoxious. [/QUOTE]
How do you know if you live in NC? From what I understand every test station in Cali does a strict visual inspection and you can't pass with long tubes. Good luck.
How do you know if you live in NC? From what I understand every test station in Cali does a strict visual inspection and you can't pass with long tubes. Good luck.
12-26-2006, 06:25 PM
#11
Banned
iTrader: (45)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 2,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by INMY01TA
How do you know if you live in NC? From what I understand every test station in Cali does a strict visual inspection and you can't pass with long tubes. Good luck.
I lived in Southern CA for over 12 years, and smogged my vehicle(s) every other year, so I know what I'm talking about man.It's not hard to find a place that doesn't give a rats *** or doesn't know enough to give a rats *** if you know where to look.
12-26-2006, 07:00 PM
#12
Originally Posted by lsx24
I lived in Southern CA for over 12 years, and smogged my vehicle(s) every other year, so I know what I'm talking about man.It's not hard to find a place that doesn't give a rats *** or doesn't know enough to give a rats *** if you know where to look.
12-26-2006, 07:49 PM
#13
Banned
iTrader: (45)
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: NC
Posts: 2,556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
You take a chance either way. There are two kinds of smog shops 1). those with a car repair business that are also licenced to smog (some of these guys are clueless) and 2). Smog only places which just do smog testing for a living (NOT test-only stations--that's a different place). The thing is who knows if any of these places take your $39 and just sees if you pass (most common), or are supposed to report a failure (I've failed more than once), in which case you're still f*cked.
12-27-2006, 01:31 AM
#16
12 Second Club
iTrader: (16)
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: central coast, cali
Posts: 783
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally Posted by camarokid02
if you care about the environment go shorties with high flow cats
Dont listen to hippies. The United States have the strictest laws when it comes to emissions, just go to 3rd world counties and you see black smoke puffing out of most cars!!! If you REALLY care about smog and enviroment, go protest in other countries.....besides that... Go with longtubes... as long as you have cats, shops will pass you. Most shops dont even know where our stock cats are located, so they wont know the difference. I pass all the time, just get them and enjoy them!!!!
12-27-2006, 01:44 AM
#17
Originally Posted by 1fastz
Dont listen to hippies. The United States have the strictest laws when it comes to emissions, just go to 3rd world counties and you see black smoke puffing out of most cars!!! If you REALLY care about smog and enviroment, go protest in other countries.....besides that... Go with longtubes... as long as you have cats, shops will pass you. Most shops dont even know where our stock cats are located, so they wont know the difference. I pass all the time, just get them and enjoy them!!!!
Great way to put it, ill drink to that 
12-27-2006, 01:50 AM
#18
Teching In
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Marin County CA
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Just remember - fines are huge for shops that pass non-compliant cars. Anybody who knows what longtubes are is more than likely to fail you once he sees them. They are flat out illegal. You will absolutely fail if you have race headers without hookups for AIR (and EGR, if 00 and earlier).
12-27-2006, 06:53 AM
#20
TECH Enthusiast
Thread Starter
iTrader: (2)
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 723
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
well the problem is i need a new cat becuase its causing my car to fail. So i went out and got rondom tech high floe cats which are supposedly legal right?then i found a good deal on long tubes and a good larger diameter legal y-pipe so i got it all. I have stock ws6 cat back so now i need a cat back and ill pretty much be set. but i didnt want tp have my new cats installed and then taken off and then have everything else installed. is it a big as a hassel as it seems? dont cats have to be welded on? god im confused modding cars is alot of bullshit you know it? and not worth it almost in ca. how does chip foose get away with it on overhaulin so much hes in ca you knw. Cause of all those old cars that are pre-smog years
