Has anyone had problems passing CA smog test with long headers on their C5?

 

Don't tell them!

 

:iagree: However some are getting wise. As long as the Headers have the AIR connections and the O2 bungs/sensors, there is no reason on the planet for them to flunk ya! As a matter of fact if it all works, and is all there it would not be legal for them to flunk you on visual.
Jer
:lurk:

 

They do a visual inspection first and even if you have the sensors you may have to have a CARB sticker which tells the smog cops its approved for CA. If they are CA legal try and get the sticker from the manufacturor. A lot of places will automatically fail you on the visual if the cars modified without the sticker. It sucks!

 

i thought anything infront of the cats was illegal in CA..

edit--

no wait.. its if you move the cats forward right?


[Modified by ryan0, 10:59 AM 5/29/2003]

 

That's basically correct, unless the item has a CARB number. But there is a wide variation in how carefully the operator looks at things. Technically, even the air filter should have a CARB number - K&N does, I don't think the Blackwing does, but how many people have ever been flunked just for having a Blackwing?

 

:iagree: yep, its moving the cats that gets ya. There is no law that stops you from replacing the stock manifolds, or headers with components of the exact same functionalty (AIR and O2 connections). Yes having the CA approved sticker helps get you passed a lot easier.

Actually my 98 flunked on the first round but it was not because of my headers, it was because of my intake!! Long story short, I have the Hall-Tech snorkle and the filter was really dirty and got damp. The restriction was enough after a hard rain to cause the engine to draw air from the pump and kick off that AIR code on start up. The smog station dumped my history codes and flunked me! I cleaned the filter, and the codes never came back! Ran out the history codes and had it retested and passed!

That dam code had me running all over the place. And I must admit I sluffed off on the maint and the intake filter was really packed! The only reason I caught it was that I was driving in some pretty hard rain, and when I stopped for coffee and went to start the car it threw the code. I reset it and went on. After the rain I never got the code again. then another brief storm and wham the code! this is where I made the link. I cleanded the filter re-oiled and even after several rather heavy storms it never came back.

Jer

 

Some years have pup cats ahead of the main cats...How can you have longtubes(no pups) and still pass visual in CA.????????? :nonod:

 

:bb Oops, Mine is a 98 without the pups, good catch, you can't! If you have to remove the pups, you are toasted! :seeya
Jer

 

I have an '02 and lost the pup cats when the LT headers got installed. I know it's illegal here in CA and will fail a visual. But can anyone tell me how the heck the technician will see it in the first place? I have had non-CARB blowers on Porsche's and still bassed! Open Cone intakes and all. My car is lowered and the only way is if they get it up on a lift. the smog stations in my area don't have lifts.....

 

A few of the shops in my area got busted for improper inspections, because they did not do a visual or use the code scanner. The real question is if they are doing the older C5s without the pups, do the shops have the manuals or something to tell them not to mess with those who don't have the pups as original equipment? This might get interesting, for those of us running long tubes on cars that never had pups.

 

If it doesn't have the CARB sticker it's illegal even if it passes the test.

The sticker is about money. Each after-market company must have their product certified (pay money to the state), and if they haven't paid their tribute/tax/protection money, their products are not legal for use in California.

Some smog techs may not be able to tell the difference between stock headers or after-market, or may not care as long as the car passes the sniffer.

They all have books to show what the headers should look like, if you have a year that should have pre-cats, the danger of getting caught on the visual is just higher because they are something that's easy to see.

 

The inspectors can tell which equipment is required on each car by the VIN number. When it (the VIN) goes into the State computer at the inspection station, the list of O.E. smog equipment comes up on a list. The tech then merely goes down the list checking off as he goes.....for pups, the inspector uses a mirror and looks under the car. The pups are easy to see this way. I know, I watched them do it. Sorry. I wish I could get longtubes for my CA. car. I had them on my '69 Vette and they were awsome!! :flag

 

I haven't found any longtubes with CARB number. Does anyone know of any? Also, do 99 vets have pups?

 

Tape a $50 to the pretty Corvette valve covers and mention to the pimply face tech that if he finds anything that doesn't belong on the car, he can keep it.... :crazy: :crazy:

 

:lol:

 

:iagree: Some shops are more thorough than others and the trend is toward MORE thorough. I had long tubes on my 68 (see sig) and in my opinion, nothing beats the sound of headers + a low-restriction exhaust system. (well, except for all of the above + a big cam, but then you'd really better not expect to pass smog!)

One shop tech refused to pass my 68 because it had an open element air cleaner. It didn't matter that I had the factory assembly manual with me, the guy thought that it was a hi-po upgrade. I went to a different shop and had no problem passing. After years of going through this garbage, I am now very hesitant to get ANY aftermarket performance add-ons.