Headers in NC?
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 22
Likes: 8
From: NC
Headers in NC?
Hey, guys. I'm in NC and live in one of the counties that still requires an emissions inspection (though, apparently, my county should be exempt in the next couple of years). If any of you guys are in the same situation and are running headers on your car, can you give me some info on how you handle the inspection process?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,337
Likes: 5,115
From: Charles Town WV
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C6 of the Year Winner - Modified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
What kind of emissions testing do they do there? If its just a sniffer and they arent checking the tune you could probably get away with going to a longtube setup with high flow cats.
Thread Starter
Heel & Toe
Joined: Apr 2024
Posts: 22
Likes: 8
From: NC
Thanks for the reply. I should have explained it better. They're not just testing the actual emissions. They also have to check for modifications to the factory emissions control systems. You can get away with mufflers, but there's supposed to be a visual inspection for other modifications.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,337
Likes: 5,115
From: Charles Town WV
2024 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C6 of the Year Winner - Modified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
Thanks for the reply. I should have explained it better. They're not just testing the actual emissions. They also have to check for modifications to the factory emissions control systems. You can get away with mufflers, but there's supposed to be a visual inspection for other modifications.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,378
Likes: 6,524
From: Melbourne, FL
You find a friendly shop to do it. Hell, half the shops I used to go to in NC would barely look at the cars. And they sure as hell weren't gonna get underneath the car to check for emissions stuff. Way too much risk for them of damaging the car for a $35 inspection.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 1,934
From: Ulta Vista, AZ
So your emissions were just visual? They don’t actually scan anything?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 1,934
From: Ulta Vista, AZ
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 6,419
Likes: 200
From: Wilkes-Barre Pa
Tuner can fix any codes set from headers for the emission check. Did have one place give me a hard time about the washer fluid being disconnected since tank was being used for alky though.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 1,934
From: Ulta Vista, AZ
Passed 14 emissions tests with headers before getting title switched to classic on year 15. The chevy dealer even installed the headers.
Tuner can fix any codes set from headers for the emission check. Did have one place give me a hard time about the washer fluid being disconnected since tank was being used for alky though.
Tuner can fix any codes set from headers for the emission check. Did have one place give me a hard time about the washer fluid being disconnected since tank was being used for alky though.
I never said they look for headers as headers aren’t an emissions problem.
Lack of cats are though. Yes tuners can shut off the cat readings, but if they physically aren’t there and they look, they will fail you on a visual.
if you have high flows, then they pass the visual.
PS: shutting off the sensors turns them to not ready if memory serves me. I think PA law is that you cannot have more than 2 se does not ready. So just make sure those are your only ones.
Again it depends on the shop and if they follow the law or not.
Drifting
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 1,935
Likes: 1,127
From: Peoria, AZ
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Modified
My car has Belanger Custom Tri-Y Headers and MagnaFlow High Flow Cats and A & A S/C and passes emissions cleaner than from the factory. I live in Metro-Phoenix. Now that the car is more than 15 years old, and on collector car insurance, our emissions law allows the car to be exempt from doing emissions test. Great to say the least!! Good luck in N.C.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2022
Posts: 3,340
Likes: 1,934
From: Ulta Vista, AZ
My car has Belanger Custom Tri-Y Headers and MagnaFlow High Flow Cats and A & A S/C and passes emissions cleaner than from the factory. I live in Metro-Phoenix. Now that the car is more than 15 years old, and on collector car insurance, our emissions law allows the car to be exempt from doing emissions test. Great to say the least!! Good luck in N.C.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,378
Likes: 6,524
From: Melbourne, FL
A couple times they didn't even move my C4 because they couldn't figure out the parking brake. They just check that it had lights and a horn and we're good. That car had race seats, 6 points harnesses, and I usually took the steering wheel off to get out easier. Come to think of it, I probably got it inspected with the steering wheel removed before too. Definitely got it aligned one time like that, because they came out to pull it in before I had left and were like "uh... What's up with this" and I had to reconnect it.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,502
Likes: 717
From: Sausalito CA
Can't speak about NC testing.
But Calif, does a visual for modifications and an ODB test for software mods.
I have heard even a Catch Can will be a Calif failure.
They no longer test emissions (on a rolling road) at the tail pipe.
As for a shop, bending the rules, many shops in Calif do not wish to risk their Smog license, I'd assume the same for NC.
Headers are a direct visual fail.
Option 1 Z06 manifolds or some type of NC smog legal (ala CARB certification) header.
Option 2 whenever testing is required remove and reinstall the exhaust system.
My vote: although there are so many benefits for headers, (including tone and weight) I would vote for the Z06 manifolds.
Good luck.
But Calif, does a visual for modifications and an ODB test for software mods.
I have heard even a Catch Can will be a Calif failure.
They no longer test emissions (on a rolling road) at the tail pipe.
As for a shop, bending the rules, many shops in Calif do not wish to risk their Smog license, I'd assume the same for NC.
Headers are a direct visual fail.
Option 1 Z06 manifolds or some type of NC smog legal (ala CARB certification) header.
Option 2 whenever testing is required remove and reinstall the exhaust system.
My vote: although there are so many benefits for headers, (including tone and weight) I would vote for the Z06 manifolds.
Good luck.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 17,378
Likes: 6,524
From: Melbourne, FL
My buddy had a catless cammed C6 that was tunes to run really rich and it'd hurt your eyes if you hung around it idling too much. He never had any issues getting it thru emissions testing, even before he made buddies that could do it.