For my 95 Lt1 A4 I have S.W. Long Tube Headers on the way with RT high flow cats and the X pipe. Will leave the back-end stock or go with Borla muffs, not sure yet... My question is will i be able to pass CA emissions test???

 

With Long Tube Headers - NO

 

I agree, only the "shorties" have a CARB number. I'm not aware of any long tubes. Also on 96 and newer you are supposed to have stock cats, you should be fine on that end since you have an 89.

Hopw this helps,

Mo

 

I just waged a bitter war with California about this crap.

Short answer: Hell no. You will fail the visual.

Long answer: Hell no. The parts on your list:
The only thing legal is the "95 LT1 A4" (they havent made Corvettes illegal yet). There are no long tube headers legal on Corvettes and the X-pipe is an illegal mod. The guy at the smog shop may not ding ya for the X-pipe (since he may not know if its stock or not) but the headers will almost certain fail you on the visual portion of the test. As for passing the sniffer, it may depending if you have any engine mods or if you have a custom tune.

 

How can the x-pipe be illegal? If it's installed after the cats, it effects nothing.

As for the rest, no way in hell.

One caveat - there are some rural counties in the northern part of the state that apparently don't have to deal with CARB... If you live there, you might get away with it.

 

The x-pipe is a modification to the factory exhaust system. Since it has not be evaluated by the California Air Review Board on the impact the modification will have on emissions on 1995 Corvette, it is illegal.

ANYTHING you modify on your car that effects how the engine produces emissions is subject to screwtiny from the state of California. Exhaust, camshaft, cylinder heads, EGR, forced induction, timing, intake... the list goes on and on. Take a look at this website to see the extent California has gone to control aftermarket parts. Some of these mods do not pretain to Corvettes, though some do. Bottom line, if it doesnt have an E.O. number and it makes the car more powerful, it is most likely illegal.

 

If it does not have an EO number it is illegal.

If the tech does not know a thing about it, he may pass it.
I know someone who moved from CO and had headers installed while there. he came back and passed here because the tech did not know any better.

The EO number is a money thing. we will never win with that, even when the car passes the sniffer.

 

No LT Headers are legal, even those with AIR fittings, due to the fact that the O2 Sensor position is changed (and Heated O2's aren't legal), though anything after the CAT's (and second OS Sensor if OBD II) is legal to the best of my knowlege.

Heads, Cam, and internal stuff can't be checked (Stroker Cranks etc), so if you make the numbers you'll sneak through.

Intakes, Headers and CAT's, Power Adders etc all need CARB numbers technically speaking...

Doug

 

No, they are illegal because companies who manufacture full length headers have not request E.O. number approval from California. You could move the oxygen sensor all you want, so long as it meets CARB approval (which requires emissions testing)

Might want to check that knowledge again. Going to a bigger pipe, more/less CATS, dual exhaust, X-pipe, mufflers... its all illegal without an E.O. number period. For pete's sake, K&N air filters required an E.O. number.

Technically speaking, the whole system sucks and needs to be revamped. It costs $5k+ (per car) to test for an E.O. number. If California wants, they can request individual years to be tested even though the engine/exhaust are the same (for example: 1992 and 1993 LT1 are ok but 1994 LT1 may require testing). Though it costs about $25 to drive my car down to the smog station and have it tested. What kills me is the guys at CARB say that they are on our side (car enthusiasts) and that California does not have to allow us to modify our cars.

 

I will check the site later, it's currently unavailable, but I don't agree with your comment.

And here is why - EVERY cat back exhaust system is SMOG legal and does NOT require a CARB EO number. It's that simple. These parts are AFTER the cats, EPA doesn't even care about them. Things done AFTER the emissions controls have no effect on them. There is no way that something mounted after an unmodified cat (short of one of those rear mounted turbo kits, but thats different), has no effect on the emissions.

I agree, anything that modifies the EGR, heads, cams, etc, induction and timing are effected by CARB. No question. But an x-pipe? Mounted 2' behind the cat? No way.

Under your assessment, the Corsa, Borla, Magnaflow cat back systems require a CARB EO number.

An example - http://www.corsaperf.com/c6x.htm - this is the C6 X-pipe from Corsa... 50 state legal - and no listing for a required CARB EO number. I even checked the instruction manual.

The same for the C4 cat back systems - http://www.corsaperf.com/c4.htm

The bottom line is this: Once the emissions controls are done, the options are not regulated.

I will read your link once it comes available. I got an error re: database unavailable.

 

From the K&N FAQ Page:

5. Are K&N filters emissions legal?

All K&N direct replacement filters are emissions legal. They do not require any modifications and go directly in the stock air filter housing. Universal clamp-on filters may not be legal in states where under the hood modifications are not allowed. Since they can be used on just about anything, it would be impossible to have all the different filters tested for all possible applications. Check your local laws if you are unsure.

Now, the next item:

6. Are K&N Fuel Injection Performance Kits – FIPK’s street legal and will I have a problem passing state vehicle inspections due to the altering of my air box?

K&N FIPK’s are legal in all 50 states. Each FIPK has been submitted and has received exemption by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). Since California has some of the toughest emission laws in the country, their approval has been accepted as legal by other states. Each of these kits comes with a high temperature sticker with the CARB exempt “EO” number. This sticker differentiates approved devices from non-approved devices. As long as you have the approved sticker you shouldn’t have any problems with vehicle inspections. Typhoon Intake Systems have either been submitted for CARB exemption or they already are CARB except. You can enter a part number on our search page to determine CARB status. Our AirCharger intake kits may not be legal in states where under the hood modifications are not allowed. Check your local laws if you are unsure.

In short, it's half right. The stock replacements don't require any special numbers, it's the FIPK's that require EO numbers, because they modify the air box.

Exactly what I would have expected, actually.

CA has issues. CARB has become a real political monster, disguised as a good thing. Sure, it does a required job, but I wish they would give us some options.

For example, a performance car waiver, with annual inspections and limited annual miles. It would allow for us to have a hot vette and still use it, as long as it blows clean. That's all the requirement should be. If it passes the smog machine, it's legal. How it gets there isn't the issue.

The real problem is LA... the basin, thanks to the foothills to the east and the Pacific to the west traps the gunk... add in 15 million folks, and the air is junk. From what I have read and heard, it's seriously improved from 30 years ago, tho.

My MIL remembers being a teen, growing up in LA, near USC, and having her lungs BURN from simply walking to and from the bus. That's bull.

 

Then please call CARB and let them know this. Before I decided to make my C4 an off road vehicle; I asked and then argued about those very same points. If I was going to pull my headers, I wanted something to offset the loss. They shot down every idea I had with the exception of parts with an E.O. number. The guy made it very simple: if your modifying your engine or exhaust, the part has to have an E.O. number or be a replacement part (or qualify as a replacement part if a OEM part is no longer available).

Must be changing stuff again. They have changed two E.O. numbers in the last couple of months. They say "what changes" and when you show them evidence to prove it was changed, they plead ignorance and send you to someone else. Either there is some shady stuff going on or there are some real "winners" entered data for them and they are just now catching the mistakes.

Seriously, I am done with this conversation. Honestly, I dont care anymore. Modify whatever you want, do whatever you want, so long as your happy and your car doesnt get impounded. I am sick of CARB and their f-ed up ways. Thinking about this crap again burns me up. My C4 is an offroad vehicle now, so CARB.

 

If there is one thing I have figured out, not even the CARB "experts" know what is legal and what is not. In short, they have no idea of how to enforce their own laws.

uh, hm. I sence anger and frustration, which is obvious, but there is no reason to take it out on me.

My 92 has Corsa's on it, and it's passed CARB 2 years ago with nary a question. The inspector didn't even care to ask about an EO Number.

 

Was not intending to take it out on you. The fingers were intended for CARB, not you.

Oh yeah, and CARB. I think I am going to make that a part of my signature.

 

I agree with Bogus on his comments. I have passed maney Calif insp. with an open lid K&N installed. He never looked twice at it. The 'X' pipe the CARB boys don't give a damn about......However.....Anything that modifies or amphilies noise in an exhaust system is illegal in Calif (27151a CVC)......so if a officer takes a disliking to you for whatever reason, and your exhaust system isn't stock....stand by for a ticket. Don't ask me how I know.

 

F*CK IT, I guess I'll just have to switch every thing (exhaust wise) back to stock every 2 years...Right
I agree with the CARB sign out........

 

I just ran a search... using the web site that P'nut posted, I checked for exhaust mods.

Corsa is not listed for a single EO number. It lists ONLY header mods.

I think, P'nut, when you went into visit with CARB, you ran into a problem - you tried to do TOO much, and they started saying no to EVERYTHING.

I suspect if you had not tried to modify the cat placement, this problem would not exist.

As for emissions, my feeling is simple - it's the responsable thing to do. If I want to race, I will have a race car. But for the street, I feel it's the least I can do to have a working emissions control system. If only to help ensure a cleaner environment for our children, and their children.

 

Mine passes CA smog every time with lid, k&n, intake manifold, runners, heads, cams, long tube headers, borla exhaust, ignition, and tune.

I guess they don't have eyeballs, but the numbers are good.

 

So what your saying is just find a smoger that wont look but just snif's.......right ?

 

Have you been called into a test only center? What did they say about the LTs?