Need Help w/ CA Regulations

ABizzLe · May 14, 2009

I have a 99 GT with o/r x-pipes in it. I'm currently looking for a catted h-pipe or x-pipe but due to CA regulations no shop will install/order aftermarket parts anymore.

I need to find something that will pass smog. It's too much of a hassle to put stock ones in and out(I cant find any stock h-pipes anyways).

Anyone have any suggestions? I was thinking of ordering a catted H/X pipes and having a friend install them so I can pass smog. Some online shops wont ship to CA addresses though . . .

Any help is appreciated, thanks.

BTW, a lil about my stang:
- bbk cold air intake
- bbk plenum
- 75mm throttle body
- bbk x pipe
- full SLP loud mouth exhuast
- bbk long tube headers
- bbk under drive pullies
- bbk short throw
- 24 lb ford racing fuel injectors
- king cobra heavy duty clutch along with light weight Pressure Plate.

CobraRed_96_GT · May 14, 2009

Give Last Call Racing in SoCal (lastcallracing.com)a call, they'll hook you up no problem with a catted H or X. Just walk into an exhaust shop and tell them you want this in there. Or do it with friends, i've done mine by myself more than once.
I know plenty of people that smog with high flow cats and pass.

Best of luck

ABizzLe · May 14, 2009

Thanks for the reply and website. Are those mid pipes on the website 50 state legal or will they still pass smog?

Im going to have to find a friend or do it myself, because none of the exhaust shops around where I live will touch aftermarket cats/pipes because of new regulations.

CobraRed_96_GT · May 14, 2009

ABizzLe said:
Thanks for the reply and website. Are those mid pipes on the website 50 state legal or will they still pass smog?

Im going to have to find a friend or do it myself, because none of the exhaust shops around where I live will touch aftermarket cats/pipes because of new regulations.

Catted mid's aren't 50 state legal due to laws about changing the position of a cat, especially eliminating 2 of the four. But upon the smog dyno they dont go underneath your car, the sniffer it. If it passes you're good. The guys at that site will 100% ship you any of those pipes.
By the way, where you located?

ABizzLe · May 14, 2009

Antioch. North Cal East Bay

darkside03gt · May 15, 2009

The laws you speak of are NOT new. they are long standing laws that state you cannot remove/replace correctly functioning emissions equipement. There are big fine for replacing things like the cats unless they stop working or are stolen.

Some people have passed with high flow cated h-pipes like the one from MRT and Magnaflow. However they are usually right on the limit. Also if the guy smoging your car is sharp your other mods like your TB, plenum and even your cold air if its not 50 state legel will prevent you from being tested. They may not catch it but it is something to think about.

CobraRed_96_GT · May 15, 2009

darkside03gt said:
The laws you speak of are NOT new. they are long standing laws that state you cannot remove/replace correctly functioning emissions equipement. There are big fine for replacing things like the cats unless they stop working or are stolen.

Some people have passed with high flow cated h-pipes like the one from MRT and Magnaflow. However they are usually right on the limit. Also if the guy smoging your car is sharp your other mods like your TB, plenum and even your cold air if its not 50 state legel will prevent you from being tested. They may not catch it but it is something to think about.

I can point to 3 people i know of in Sac that pass w/ catted pipes. Basically, dont go to a random shop. Ask around. Such is life in Commiefornia

ABizzLe · May 15, 2009

CobraRed_96_GT said:
I can point to 3 people i know of in Sac that pass w/ catted pipes. Basically, dont go to a random shop. Ask around. Such is life in Commiefornia

Thanks for all the replies, and I have been asking around. I have friends helping me out also right now.

I'm looking at some BBK H-pipes which say they come with 50 state legal cats.

1999 Ford Mustang BBK X Pipe, BBK H Pipe, BBK Exhaust

That should be alright shouldn't it?

BTW how's your SLP catted X? might go good with my loud mouths instead of these BBKs

slayr281 · May 15, 2009

As far as I know, there are no legal aftermarket catalytic converters, at least by California's CARB. Magnaflow (Carsound) had some universal ones, and I recall reading that California recently removed that legal exemption. Legally speaking, the only smog legal midpipe system is the one that originally came from the car, and dealerships will do their very best to talk you into spending ludicrous amounts of money to get it back on your car, even more if it's an older car.

Chris is right though, as long as you have a midpipe with a catalytic converter on it, you should pass the sniffer, and most places will stick their head under to see that there is infact a cat on it, and pass your visual inspection.

I have previously passed smogs with a Magnaflow catted X-pipe, and passed my most recent with a Bassani catted x-pipe. You'll pass the sniffer with no problem, provided you have a halfway decent tune on your car, and nothing crazy like cams. The high flow cats on most aftermarket catted setups flow rather well, and don't rob you of the power that your stock exhaust setup did. There is only a few rwhp lost when compared to an off-road midpipe, and you don't have to worry about smog, or being hit with a massive fine from a cop having a bad day (no cats is a violation of Federal, not State law).

Occasionally, you'll find an exhaust shop scared to touch your midpipe due to some legal implications from making your car not smog legal, which is dumb considering that you're already driving around with an off-road pipe. If you've got some buddies, you could do it with jackstands and a basic toolset. Just get underneath, take off 8 bolts, drop the pipe, and toss in the new one. Let the car cool for a couple hours, the exhaust is hot, but the transmission holds its heat even more.

ABizzLe · May 15, 2009

slayr281 said:
As far as I know, there are no legal aftermarket catalytic converters, at least by California's CARB. Magnaflow (Carsound) had some universal ones, and I recall reading that California recently removed that legal exemption. Legally speaking, the only smog legal midpipe system is the one that originally came from the car, and dealerships will do their very best to talk you into spending ludicrous amounts of money to get it back on your car, even more if it's an older car.

Chris is right though, as long as you have a midpipe with a catalytic converter on it, you should pass the sniffer, and most places will stick their head under to see that there is infact a cat on it, and pass your visual inspection.

I have previously passed smogs with a Magnaflow catted X-pipe, and passed my most recent with a Bassani catted x-pipe. You'll pass the sniffer with no problem, provided you have a halfway decent tune on your car, and nothing crazy like cams. The high flow cats on most aftermarket catted setups flow rather well, and don't rob you of the power that your stock exhaust setup did. There is only a few rwhp lost when compared to an off-road midpipe, and you don't have to worry about smog, or being hit with a massive fine from a cop having a bad day (no cats is a violation of Federal, not State law).

Occasionally, you'll find an exhaust shop scared to touch your midpipe due to some legal implications from making your car not smog legal, which is dumb considering that you're already driving around with an off-road pipe. If you've got some buddies, you could do it with jackstands and a basic toolset. Just get underneath, take off 8 bolts, drop the pipe, and toss in the new one. Let the car cool for a couple hours, the exhaust is hot, but the transmission holds its heat even more.

Appreciate the reply. I think I'm going to do it with some friends. I've already checked around everywhere and the shops won't touch my car. I just need to find some jack stands.

CobraRed_96_GT · May 15, 2009

ABizzLe said:
Appreciate the reply. I think I'm going to do it with some friends. I've already checked around everywhere and the shops won't touch my car. I just need to find some jack stands.

When I lived in NorCal a member, WhyAsk, drove down and we put a O/R H on his car (even if i put the 02 MIL's in the wrong bungs). Doing it with a couple friends and a couple beers is the way to go Good luck.

blubullett · May 16, 2009

Call around to your local junk yards, someone will have a stocker you can swap on for the test then take back off. If my test wasn't coming up you could borrow mine but I gotta swap it back on next week sometime. All aftermarket x and h pipes are illegal in CA. They will fail visual inspection, it doesnt matter if they pass the emmissions dyno or not. If the shop looks at it they will fail you. If your not hurting for money then get an illegal smog, its lke 300 bucks though.

ABizzLe · May 17, 2009

My uncle suggested that also. I've already been to one, but I think I'll look around a couple more.

I also just realized that I have long tube headers . . . I'm gonna need to get me some shorties

This is so much work and money, so exhausting.

CobraRed_96_GT · May 17, 2009

Lt's can fail you just inspection, good luck. One less thing you need to do to make power,though.

Need Help w/ CA Regulations

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