Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
03-19-2007, 07:28 PM
#11
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,225
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: CrazyAl
Wow, this is the fifth thread about this in the last week or so?
Anyway:
In the USA, NO longtubes are street legal. They all violate the Clean Air Act (a FEDERAL law), becasue they move or replace the OEM cats. The law reads that you cannot replace or move the stock cats, period.
Section 203 of the US Clean Air Act, 42 US Code, Section 7522
Anyway, practially speaking, that law isn't particularly relevant. What matters most is your individual locale's inspection policy. Some places are stricter than others. But so long as you have cats you can pass a sniffer test.
Wow, this is the fifth thread about this in the last week or so?
Anyway:
In the USA, NO longtubes are street legal. They all violate the Clean Air Act (a FEDERAL law), becasue they move or replace the OEM cats. The law reads that you cannot replace or move the stock cats, period.
Section 203 of the US Clean Air Act, 42 US Code, Section 7522
Anyway, practially speaking, that law isn't particularly relevant. What matters most is your individual locale's inspection policy. Some places are stricter than others. But so long as you have cats you can pass a sniffer test.
Didn't I say that?
ORIGINAL: hawgman
As for the original question. Technically installing LTs will indeed violate emissions laws. Any modification to the exhaust system ( including relocating the position of the cats ) will violate the law.
As for the original question. Technically installing LTs will indeed violate emissions laws. Any modification to the exhaust system ( including relocating the position of the cats ) will violate the law.
03-19-2007, 09:44 PM
#12
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location:
Posts: 2,544
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
Yeah, you definatley got it right Hawg, I just wanted to make it 100% clear. This topic comes up all the time despite people like you posting the correct answers.
The big problem is that people differentiate between local laws and the federal ones.
For example, my county has no smog test of any kind. So my LTs don't violate local or state laws. But the Fedaral one is a different story.
The big problem is that people differentiate between local laws and the federal ones.
For example, my county has no smog test of any kind. So my LTs don't violate local or state laws. But the Fedaral one is a different story.
03-20-2007, 03:56 AM
#13
Join Date: Mar 2007
Posts: 41
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: Iwasaricer
this is kinda off topic but from what boostaaddict said.. is it true that if you don't get any aftermarket installations "approved" by the CARB then if they find out, they can impound your car?
this is kinda off topic but from what boostaaddict said.. is it true that if you don't get any aftermarket installations "approved" by the CARB then if they find out, they can impound your car?
03-20-2007, 04:03 AM
#14
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 2,173
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: hawgman
That's because California doesn't have to have a state inspection for 7 years from the time of purchase.
That's because California doesn't have to have a state inspection for 7 years from the time of purchase.
03-21-2007, 08:11 AM
#16
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,225
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: cdmsaleen
I could have sworn it was only 4 years after a new car purchase that it is smog test exempt......tests begin at year 5.
I could have sworn it was only 4 years after a new car purchase that it is smog test exempt......tests begin at year 5.
03-21-2007, 08:12 AM
#17
I ♥ Acer
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 3,225
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: CrazyAl
Yeah, you definatley got it right Hawg, I just wanted to make it 100% clear. This topic comes up all the time despite people like you posting the correct answers.
The big problem is that people differentiate between local laws and the federal ones.
For example, my county has no smog test of any kind. So my LTs don't violate local or state laws. But the Fedaral one is a different story.
Yeah, you definatley got it right Hawg, I just wanted to make it 100% clear. This topic comes up all the time despite people like you posting the correct answers.
The big problem is that people differentiate between local laws and the federal ones.
For example, my county has no smog test of any kind. So my LTs don't violate local or state laws. But the Fedaral one is a different story.
04-13-2007, 05:08 PM
#18
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 26
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
LT in Cali are definatly a big no no, and if the inspection is done as required the tech is required to look at the cats to verify that they are there and had not been modified. The replacement of non OEM (read high flows) cats on any vehicle with less then 80k miles and under 8 years old is a violation of federal law, and this will cause a fail of the visual inspection part of the California Bi-Annual inspection.
By relocating the cats down streem to get the LT on it causes the cold start to go out of specs, the cats take way too long to get hot which will get you a sniffer fail if the car is cold when tested.
By relocating the cats down streem to get the LT on it causes the cold start to go out of specs, the cats take way too long to get hot which will get you a sniffer fail if the car is cold when tested.
04-13-2007, 09:13 PM
#20
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Los Angeles Ca
Posts: 2,127
RE: Do Long Tube Headers make your car not emissions legal?
ORIGINAL: hawgman
DonW and plenty others from that coast have all said that they wouldn't need inspection until 2011 ( and that is with early purchase 05s )
ORIGINAL: cdmsaleen
I could have sworn it was only 4 years after a new car purchase that it is smog test exempt......tests begin at year 5.
I could have sworn it was only 4 years after a new car purchase that it is smog test exempt......tests begin at year 5.