Massachusetts small block modification limits

[Chris-90LX]

I have a quick question to any to any of our regulars who live in Massachusetts and have a modified small block with EFI.

About how far can you go with heads, camshaft, and injectors before you have too radical of a motor that will not get past the sniffer at inspection sticker time?

I’d like to build or buy a naturally aspirated 302-crate motor that will still get by and make some serious power for a small block.

Just for the sake of discussion the motor will be installed in a 1990 Mustang with a 5-speed.

Thanks for the read!

Later, Chris

 

[KCoppola]

anything with a C.A.R.B number will pass....pretty much anything that doesnt say " race only" ON IT.......provided you still have a smog pump and cats

 

[cevtv]

anything with a C.A.R.B number will pass....pretty much anything that doesnt say " race only" ON IT.......provided you still have a smog pump and cats

The only state that the C.A.R.B number really means anything is California.



.

 

[GREYFOX4INCH]

i just went for inspection in mass, i put my cats on for the test. they failed me for safety because i have flowmaster cat back and it was still "to loud" in mass it is ileagal to have modified exhuast. you cant get away with much. most aluminum heads can come with the abilaty to still use emissions equip. but your cam must be "emissions leagal" and say it on it. i would say keep your air pump, cats, and facory muffs. you may need them to pass.

 

[crazypete]

They can fail you for anything. They could probably fail you for having an air freshener hanging from the mirror since that is obstructing the mirror. I'm not joking either.

Just find a shop thats cool and you'll pass. Thats the bottom line. Dont go to official looking places but to the more run down looking places that need your business. Have cats and smog equiptment hooked up and nobody should give you heat about it.

 

[Chris-90LX]

I’ve been very fortunate since I’ve owned the car. The motor is stock and still got past the sniffer w/o having the cats installed.

My big concern (like I mentioned) about emissions is how far can you go building a naturally aspirated motor and still get past emissions testing.

I presently installed a high-flow 2-cat X-pipe and emissions have been a breeze.

The new motor being planned for 2006 or 2007 will be a more high performance application and could be making an honest 300 to 350hp.

I’m looking to find message board members who have motors making some power and still can get stickers w/o hassle.

I’ll be talking to some local engine builders when I get a chance, but I just want to see what combinations seem to working well.

Thanks for the input!

 

[crazypete]

My bone stock mustang: Bone stock....right down to the OEM exhaust, was failed on nitpick crap when I made the insane mistake of taking my car to a dealership once.

My current vehicle with all that junk in the sig, including a carb on an EFI car, passed this april.

I reiterate: it's not what you do, it's where you go and who you know.

 

[7-UP BILL]

I say why bother living in a place that is that anal about whether your exhaust is stock or not, (cat-back). There are plenty of states that aren't antwhere near as a PIA. And they have better weather to boot.

 

[cold96snake]

yup, mass sucks.

 

[Chris-90LX]

Mass is far from the best and the worst when it comes to inspection stickers.

Sometimes it all depends on which place you go to and who drives the car in.

Example:

Years and years ago (when in high school) a buddy of mine failed to get an inspection sticker for the same sound reason. All it has was a real dual exhaust system and it was “too loud” according to the inspector guy’s ear.

Now get this, after a couple days went by the car returned to the same place and received an inspection sticker.

Nothing was done to the car at all. My friend’s mother brought the car in and it suddenly was fine.

This shop looked at my teenage friend as another damn kid with a loud V8 engine, but a 40 year-old woman with the same car and in a skirt is fine.

 

[GREYFOX4INCH]

HEY i would try that if my mom could see over my hood scoop, ... or drive my car.
owell ill teach my grilfriend to drive stick and see what happends.
maybe ill teach her in the rain hehe.

 

[91LX302]

I reiterate: it's not what you do, it's where you go and who you know.

Ain't that the truth, when I had my mustang I always went to the station in town with the fox vert parked out front. The guy that does the inspections owns it, so he understands, plus he was in my auto shop class in hs.

I used to work at the chevy dealership down the street and when they did inspections they checked EVERYTHING. I saw them fail 2 year old Tahoes for bad balljoints/tierods and then charge the owner $600 to "fix" it and "make it pass." Technically it failed but that's just ridiculous.

 

[stangpride5.0]

This my friends is when it is very handy to have a few friends in the sticker bussiness