svtrich

i seams that the headers really help out.but can we put them on a california car and pass smog?
thanks Richard

djbrun

I'll give you the official answer, no you can not.

To pass smog at any inpection station (I said any) you would have to have your stock converters in the stock location. This means they can only be removed if they were faulty and replaced with stock or carb O.E. replacement parts. (Not sure if there are any)

Headers, to be legal could only be shorty style so the factory cats are not affected, further back causes a drop in temperature which effects the operation of the cat. (They are designed with a particulat heat and emmisions level in mind.)
The shorty headers would have to be Carb O.E. certified as well. I do not belive that any one makes them for the C6. That's my official answer.
There are shops that will still smog you if you have headers and high flow cats. Get those cats really hot before testing. That's my unofficial answer.

DJ

svtrich

california is

dbratten

From what I can find the Clean Air Act test was amended in 1992 by Gov. Pete Wilson from San Diego where by coincidence the two main owners of the LLC that owns smog stations reside. The LLC is out of Oregon to, I will guess, avoid taxes in CA.

5knives

Install Z06 factory manifolds. You wont pick up as much power but you will pick up some, they're relatively inexpensive, and you'll still pass because the stock cats haven't been moved.

wbear

Under the law that is still illegal. Those manifolds/cats were only EPA certified on LS7's. If you install them on LS2's or 3's they are no longer stock and would be as illegal as headers in the eyes of the law.

You could still "pass" if the technician didn't know the difference but I know everyone on the forum strives to follow the letter of the law and would never pull such a switcheroo.

Boomer111

Never...

gunterwalker

from what I understand you can pass smog but not the visual test. I'm sure others with more knowledge will chime in. I would have to if I lived in CA.

TRBOKEV

Im in CA and gone Z06 exhaust manifold, ZR1 (X pipe) and z06 mufflers.
This shouldnt be any problem for smog.

Dexter McCay

Just wrap them with heat wrap and try to put cats in near same location... I passed...

TPSMak

If you have a good tune and a small cam you can pass the sniffer BUT if the shop cares about the visual you will NOT pass smog. In CA Long Tube headers are not CARB approved

MSTROBES

dido. put them on when you get the smog required change them back for the test. that is what i will do. believe me the headers w/ npp it's worth it.
and enjoy.

csun213

I just passed my smog test on my 2006 A6 and the answer is no. I passed the sniff test however you will have a hard time finding a smog shop that will pass your car with headers. It is getting harder and harder. This is the reason why I removed my LG headers and will be selling it soon.

It is a real pain to remove the headers, install the stock exhaust and then remove the stock exhaust then reinstall the headers after passing smog test. Remember, you have to do this every 2 years. Plus now the police can pull you over and do a visual check any time they want. Isn't CA great.

In my opinion, it is just too much trouble plus the smog laws are just going to get harder each year.

VETFEVER

I have a complete 3" Z06 exhaust on my car and it is fantastic - plenty loud - bi-mode operation I can control from the buttons on my visor.

VET4LES

FYI. Relocating the cat's is a federal EPA law not just California. This makes long tube headers illegal in all 50 states.

I have lived in CA for many years. Before the smog laws started the smog was so bad it was miserable. The smog in the LA area was a cloud hanging over the entire county. Breathing was difficult. Many cities in California were like that. School kids couldn't compete in their gym classes on smog alert days. We never have days like now.

Boomer111

Your correct on all counts.

I believe something in the neighborhood of 75% of smog comes from other sources than autos.

I say if the car passes tail pipe let yer go.

VET4LES

cgladish

I do understand the reasoning, of why long tube headers are not allowed ( affecting the temperature of the cats ).
for what it's worth, my '98 Z28 ( LS1 ) had LTH for awhile.
prior to the big push lately on inspections, my dad was able to get it passed ( he had connections ).
when he passed away a few years ago, I got his car.
I did not have the same connections, and ran into issues with the headers.
had to switch to shorty's.
my issue is, that the position of the cats did not change from the LTH's.
they muffler shop made up a short section to the shorty's to the cats.
so in doing the smog check, the car passed fine. and as near as I can tell, the cat's were in the stock location ( as positioned in the factory floor depressions ).
so now I'm not as convinced on the requirement for the cat location.
it would seem it's just a way to make it easier for, the smog tech to visually notice any modifications.

Pb82 Ronin

Do what everyone else does...drive to Az to get a plate and tell CA to go **** themselves.

Brandon619