Are there any long tube headers legal in California?
 

I am looking at installing some headers on my car, after I install some 4.10 gears. I notice that everybody here recommends long tube headers to everybody who is looking to upgrade their exhaust. But I think that it is illegal to install longtube headers on a car in California because of SMOG (dont remember where i heard it, or why it would be illegal). Could someone tell me if there are any longtube header systems that are legal in California, and if they are all illegal could someone tell me why they are illegal?

Thanks!

Nope! only shorty's are CARB legal. I would put LT on anyway. ;)

Thats really dissapointing. Are there any good shorty headers out there that provide good performance and better sound? I would put on longtubes but I dont want to deal with SMOG problems.

Here in good old CA it’s just as illegal to move an emissions component from its original location as it is to completely take it off. Long tubes will move the front O2’s and if your car came with pup cats, well their gone now. Has nothing to do with tailpipe emissions, a long tube car with high flow cats can be very clean. I have often wondered why nobody has ever tried (maybe someone has?) to get CARB approval on there long tubes. Think maybe the O2’s get moved too far downstream to react the same as when there closer to the heads, as they would be with stock manifolds or shorty headers.

Bassani long tube headers have been working on CARB # for sometime now and so far has not gotten approval.
You are correct on your reasons for LT not being legal in CA.
The aft O2 sensors are relocated and this causes them not to heat up as fast (I beleive this is what happens to them) often this trips the ECL throws codes for the aft O2 sensors.
I had Pace Setter shorties with a CA CARB #. They gave a nice sound..but low HP output, so I went to Bassani LT. Passing the sniffer is no problem it's the visual that may fail you if the tech spots them.
Go for it.

SLPRC5

I would imagine it comes down to money. The testing and approval process from CARB is not cheap.

Thanks for all the help guys! I will have think about buying the B&B Shorties.

jus put em on:thumbs:

I wish I could but SMOG is too much of a problem. Other wise I would have a HUGE cam, kind of like yours lol.

It will still pass the sniffer test no problem. Just put them on. Chances are the tech wont even know the difference. Just make sure you still keep the cats!

Or, just take it to a "vette friendly" smog tech. As long as it passes the sniffer, the visual inspection can be whatever they want it to be.

You guys are making me go back and forth on my Decision!! But you are now giving me hope that someday I will have some American Racing headers.

Go with the B&B shorties. They are stainless and have equal length primaries, and will give a solid 10rwhp. Longtubes give about 25, but that's with highflow or no cats and an x-pipe.

Also, you could buy the bassani off-road x-pipe and street legal x-pipe that replaces the stock h-pipe only. Have them put together, and you've got a bolt-up offroad mid section between the shorty headers and catback that you can easily replace with the stock cats/h-pipe once a year for inspection.

Struggling with this decision myself, because for me it's shorty's or nothing.... battled CARB before and don't care to do it again. :rofl:

If you are thinking of shorties, look at JBA also as they have CARB certification on their shorties for vettes too.... :thumbs:

Good luck...

Most tuners will tell you shorties arn't worth the money for the amount of power you gain. Remember hp is one thing and torque is another. Plain and simple you'll never gain a decent amount of tq with shorties. Your money is better spend on a set of heads or a cam. I'm from CA and I said screw it and put LT's on my car. With a Vararam and Z06 Ti exhaust my car threw down 346 hp and 365lb tq which are decent numbers. You'd never get close to that with shorties. If I were in your position (which I was) I'd call some tuners and get their advice. That's a lot of dough to throw down on 10 hp...if you're lucky. Remember the stock manifolds don't flow much worse than shorties. You're talking $100 per hp....that's a lot of money. Just my $.02

Well stated:iagree:

Good Idea, Thanks a lot. What kind of LT's did you get?

I think that the Bassani Lng. Tub.s will pass emissions in cali. maybe give them a call.

Gez, Half of the people in California are illegal immigrants who don't have a drivers license and you guys are worried if long tube headers are illegal>:flag:
Norm

:lolg:
Wait, I live in California :mad: :cuss :toetap:

There is no problem passing the sniffer, it's the visual that will nail you. So you have to find a smog shop that will over look the LT headers. BTW I have Bassani long tube headers, Magaflow high flow cats and X pipe. I love the fit and quality of the Bassani headers.