LT5 Mods that will still pass CA emissions??
 

It seems that with the NOX levels lowered in Cali...the LT5's are barely squeaking by.

Can anyone that is familiar; list the mods that will allow better performance while still passing CA smog?

I would assume intake and head porting would not affect the emissions?

I have heard from others that Haibeck can burn a smog check chip as well as a performance chip.

Shorty headers with pre-cats? Does anyone make LT5 shorty's?

Obviously cams would be out of the picture.

What about larger displacement?

Lastly, 4.10 gears and an aluminum flywheel should have no factor.

Thanks! :thumbs:
B-R

Any mod needs to have a C.A.R.B number or it’s not legal to use in Ca. No headers were ever certified so no headers. A catback system is certified so you can use that. To give you an idea as to what your up against I just smogged my bone stock with 24,000 miles and it barely got by the MAX Nox level @504 when the max is 545. Not too much can be done in Ca as far as mods go. Marc H can work some magic with a chip if needed.:D

Maybe a quick trip to Infineon Raceway to get some of this... :D


https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.cor...7896477291.jpg


Here's some good input on attempting to control Nox...Last thread is very informative.

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=44564

Actually you can squeak by with headers if you you have a 92 or older since the cats are welded to the exhaust manifolds are ARE discontinued. It will cause a trip to the smog ref each time, but you can if you want to spend the time.

There is atleast on car running around that has headers in Ca and from what I remember at one point no cats were available and the only option was headers with aftermarket headers by that a stretch getting to that point. My 91 has the cats welded to the manifolds from the factory I believe. If a company in the past would have done a he certification on a set of headers I’d have a set on my car already. To the OP,don’t think that leaded 114 Octane gas would be too kind to a set of catalytic converters.

No problem getting my 94 under 500 NoX with a modified chip that kicked in the EGR at 13 mph. Mods: SW headers, 63mm TB, ported top end, Magnaflow cats, Corsa exhaust. I live in in Northern Virginia which has as tough emission limits as anywhere. Just passed my last test. No more for after 25 years.

That's a better policy is to only look back 25 years. Cali has a bill floating around to move the exemption from Pre 1976 vehicles to pre 1981. However, strings attached; Your 1976-1980 vehicle must still get a smog check and if it fails as second time after mechanical work performed...all one has to do be garnered exemption status is "Pay a Toll to CA of $200"!!!! :willy:

By the way; I love the patch in your Avitar!

You are only going to make around 410-420 crank hp best case with factory manifolds (on the early cars). Even if you port the manifold, you need to couple that with a good set of headers to get the 450+ hp these cars are capable of with the chip/pipes/porting bolt-on low-hanging-fruit type of mods.

Anything beyond 450-500 hp starts to get expensive, but at least the car is satisfying uncorked and on stock cams. If you live in an unenhanced zip code where you can avoid the biannual smog check hassle, then go for the headers and the supporting chip for them. I'm not sure I would own a stock zr-1 after having run modified. You want to be able to pull on stock LS6's.

replies below:

Yup, but good old CA has to pass a visual as well. If they see headers, your done and off to the smog ref. Laws in CA are so screwed up, you could do a new LS3 swap, be perfectly fine on smog and still fail because you can't swap motors anymore without the trans, computer and gas tank (gas tank, really). Thus, it has nothing to do with emissions and all about taking your money.

I have heard and read that BG 44 will help a cars emissions? Also, if there are any gasket leaks can't that be determined with a can of starting fluid?

https://www.bgprod.com/catalog/gasol...ystem-cleaner/

early cars cant have headers. What will happen is youll have to see the smog ref, they will find a stock one somewhere on the national parts locator even if it takes them weeks, youll have to buy and install it. $$$ Telling ya from experience. This state is fd with smog.

I dont see why, if someone had LTs/smog rails and cats they couldnt get a pass what comes out of the pipe is the same?? Course nothing round here makes sense.

MOVE off the Left Coast. I'm not being an AZZHAT. Its CARB and they have been lowering the allowable limitations on NoX which are programmed to continually be lowered already up until 2025/ 2030.

Cars in the past that used to breeze by or be pretty close cannot/will not meet the newer and future standards. They need to allow a collectable car waiver and move on. CARB WONT.... allow that

Otherwise sell the car or move. CA the land of fruits and Nuts.

How far does CARB go??? Watch Dirty Money on Netflix about the VW Clean Diesel Scandal.

:iagree:
Sold my 97 van, and C4s in part due to this. Used to pass by a landslide, then barely made it. Went back to carb'ed stuff less hassle BUT with property seizure laws its a risk driving those if the smogs missing too.
PD wouldnt worry about too much but CHP.. area Im looking at has no smog even on newer cars .So its hot big deal.

LOL.....I can't believe what you guys on the west coast go through.....Its like, why even own a performance car if they make it so difficult to pass inspection....Last week I got my 91Z I expected up in NY......Its just a safety inspection.....10 bucks,look at the car-yeah looks good, hears your sticker...

Sell the Z,buy a nice 5 series BMW and call it a day....Either that or make friends with a cop or maybe you have a family member on the job who can give you a PBA card.......Leave it in the window if you off street park the Z and mod the crap out of it.......Either way good luck.....Must be frustrating..

The only good thing in Kalifornia is the weather... between fires and earthquakes of course. Politically if you are anywhere right of center you are not welcome or represented.
H
:cheers:

Another problem with smog stations the guys doing the smog test are so paranoid about loosing their license they try too hard at times to smog the car and it will fail. After my car failed twice I took it to a referee station and the guy didn’t do half the crap the first 2 guys did.

:iagree::iagree::iagree::yesnod:

Yup! Add to it stock LS2s and 3s! It truly makes a C4 Z a "wolf in sheep's clothing". :smash:

Mercury Marine? Another route one could possibly take to big power yet meet emissions...

.

green is beautiful

Saw it the other night, interesting

zrc john they want all old cars off the road period. Someone has to pay for the bailout and buy these new.

I wouldnt do anything other than a catback and would do a smog pretest before it was even bought. Having to keep one stock is a big turn off...on porting if youre moving more air you need more fuel. Could Haibeck help out, maybe but thats a lot of work and money for a what if.

The old po box thing doesnt work anymore, has to be smogged within x miles of your primary residence. Hard to own a car you have to hold your breath on to get tags