CARB legal headers for the boyz in CA?

the98stang · Feb 12, 2006

OK so I have some cash and I'm trying to decide on my next mod. I WOULD go with LT headers, but they are illegal here in CA, and I wouldn't want to swap them out when smog time came around. So, should I buy some shorty headers and fork out the $500 for 4-5 WHP? Or should I leave the stockers, and buy a X/H pipe (which I heard was illegal as well, but my 3.8 passed with a H pipe) with catback exhaust?

Are JBA and BBK the only shorties that are CARB legal? Where're the best place to buy?

Thanks for helping me out guys...

Tanner

ADRENLN · Feb 12, 2006

i dont know whaere the best place to buy is, but if i were going to do shortys they would be jba. i think they get a bit better power then the others. ford racing has some shortys too. jba are the best as far as power goes.

if you ever go forced induction the jba's will make almost as much power as l/t.

the98stang · Feb 12, 2006

ADRENLN said:
i dont know whaere the best place to buy is, but if i were going to do shortys they would be jba. i think they get a bit better power then the others. ford racing has some shortys too. jba are the best as far as power goes.

if you ever go forced induction the jba's will make almost as much power as l/t.

I plan to stay N/A so the shorties will never make the same HP as the LT's in my situation lol.

What's the WHP rating on the JBA's? I found some used FRPP shorties on ebay for 100 dollars....

bdcardinal · Feb 12, 2006

to my knowledge the FRPP ones arent legal. im plannimg on going with the JBA ones, as they are the best shorties out there.

the98stang · Feb 12, 2006

bdcardinal said:
to my knowledge the FRPP ones arent legal. im plannign on going with the JBA ones, as they are the best shorties out there.

Is it really worth the money though? What are the HP gains with shorties?

I read a few posts where you said aftermarket X/H pipes are illegal in CA. But my 3.8 had a catted Mac H pipe and I passed. Was the mechanic an idiot or something? Do they make CARB legal H/X pipes?

ADRENLN · Feb 12, 2006

well i dont know about the legality of the frpp ones, but the jba will only make a couple of rwhp more then them. maybe a 3 rwhp difference. i was under the inpression you were paying full price for any headers you would get.

for 100 bucks then go with the frpp ones. the power difference between the 2 is not that much but the price is. thats only if you think they will pass emissions

Kilgore Trout · Feb 12, 2006

According to the FRPP catalog, FRPP headers are the finest short headers you can buy

bdcardinal · Feb 12, 2006

anyone will say their parts are the finest you can buy.

yes for 4.6L mustangs, any aftermarket H or X pipe is illegal in CA. to my knowledge there are some legal pipes for 3.8s.

John Smith · Feb 12, 2006

I wouldnt waste money on shorty's. I dont think the HP increase justifies the expense.

wms004 · Feb 12, 2006

the98stang said:
OK so I have some cash and I'm trying to decide on my next mod. I WOULD go with LT headers, but they are illegal here in CA, and I wouldn't want to swap them out when smog time came around. So, should I buy some shorty headers and fork out the $500 for 4-5 WHP? Or should I leave the stockers, and buy a X/H pipe (which I heard was illegal as well, but my 3.8 passed with a H pipe) with catback exhaust?

Are JBA and BBK the only shorties that are CARB legal? Where're the best place to buy?

Thanks for helping me out guys...

Tanner

Shorties aren't worth it. The equal length shorties (bbk have some gains up top, but sacrifice power down low. Personally, i like some power down low. So, just do and X-pipe with cats and a catback and be done. As long as the X pipe has a carb number stamped somewhere on it, it won't be a problem to smog.

Unless you install longtubes yourself, its gonna be 500 bucks install, and 400 bucks for a dyno tune on top of the cost for the headers themselves.

Wade

the98stang · Feb 13, 2006

wms004 said:
Shorties aren't worth it. The equal length shorties (bbk have some gains up top, but sacrifice power down low. Personally, i like some power down low. So, just do and X-pipe with cats and a catback and be done. As long as the X pipe has a carb number stamped somewhere on it, it won't be a problem to smog.

Unless you install longtubes yourself, its gonna be 500 bucks install, and 400 bucks for a dyno tune on top of the cost for the headers themselves.

Wade

Do you know of any CARB legal X/H pipes?

If I bought the shorties, I could install them myself. I've heard its a bitch but I have worked on many other cars that are far more complex than the 4.6L . But, maybe the shorties aren't worth the money.

trailblazr81 · Feb 13, 2006

I run an O/R H pipe... Just swap every 2 years for smog. Its only 6 bolts and 4 wire connections. I would think that you could do the longtubes, have a catted x/h pipe and be OK. You have all the O2's hooked up and cats so it should pass the test. Ive never had a smog check guy crawl under my car (which is lowered) to check and see.

03ghoststang · Feb 13, 2006

wms004 said:
Shorties aren't worth it. The equal length shorties (bbk have some gains up top, but sacrifice power down low. Personally, i like some power down low. So, just do and X-pipe with cats and a catback and be done. As long as the X pipe has a carb number stamped somewhere on it, it won't be a problem to smog.

Unless you install longtubes yourself, its gonna be 500 bucks install, and 400 bucks for a dyno tune on top of the cost for the headers themselves.

Wade

out here in cali if you have any aftermarket midpipe it illegal even if it has cats because there is no carb number to them

the98stang · Feb 13, 2006

trailblazr81 said:
I run an O/R H pipe... Just swap every 2 years for smog. Its only 6 bolts and 4 wire connections. I would think that you could do the longtubes, have a catted x/h pipe and be OK. You have all the O2's hooked up and cats so it should pass the test. Ive never had a smog check guy crawl under my car (which is lowered) to check and see.

They would fail me if I get LT's. And I'm not going to swap out the H/X pipe every time I have to smog the car. That's a huge PITA.

wms004 · Feb 13, 2006

03ghoststang said:
out here in cali if you have any aftermarket midpipe it illegal even if it has cats because there is no carb number to them

I'm "out here in cali" too. I was just at a smog shop and as long as the aftermarket pipe has a carb number on it (which magnaflow, bassani and most others do), they will pass you as long as the cats pass sniffer.

Wade

stng · Feb 13, 2006

I have heard before that you cant pass smog with LTs but I had my car smogged with the LTs in place at the local Ford dealership and they passed me no questions asked... I did however have to temporarily weld in some Magnaflow Cats into my H-Pipe, but that was it.

the98stang · Feb 13, 2006

stng said:
I have heard before that you cant pass smog with LTs but I had my car smogged with the LTs in place at the local Ford dealership and they passed me no questions asked... I did however have to temporarily weld in some Magnaflow Cats into my H-Pipe, but that was it.

Lol you must have gotten lucky then. Smog laws are strict in my town.

Can some one PLEASE list X pipes that have that da*n CARB number for sure?

03ghoststang · Feb 13, 2006

i doubt that there are true catted X-pipes that have a carb # that is why i have my stock H in the garage. Because you never know how much of a a-hole the smog tech will be specially in L.A

wms004 · Feb 13, 2006

03ghoststang said:
i doubt that there are true catted X-pipes that have a carb # that is why i have my stock H in the garage. Because you never know how much of a a-hole the smog tech will be specially in L.A

Try going to bassani's website, getting a carb number, and taking it to a shop. X-Press Lube in Calabasas will smog you if you have that.

Wade

northsky23 · Feb 13, 2006

do bbk catted h-pipes [for lt's] have a carb #/where is it located?

CARB legal headers for the boyz in CA?

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