# California Legal Exhaust Question



## btchplz (Mar 12, 2005)

So it's time to upgrade the exhaust system! I want to see if the pro's in California can chime in on this one.

I want to upgrade the exhaust system, and I was thinking of headers, X Pipe and keeping the stock tips. Not sure what this will do to the smog check. As you all know, California is very strict with the emissions and I don't want to be put in a situation where I can get fined.

But, I really want a deep throaty sound from my goat. What do the pro's recommend? Does anyone have any suggestions? Pictures?? Links?? Approximate cost?? And where can all this be installed locally?

I apologize for the loaded question, but I am anxious to get my Goat sounding like she's breathing FIRE!!!


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## LS2~N~BLUE (May 16, 2006)

*Cali.*



btchplz said:


> So it's time to upgrade the exhaust system! I want to see if the pro's in California can chime in on this one.
> 
> I want to upgrade the exhaust system, and I was thinking of headers, X Pipe and keeping the stock tips. Not sure what this will do to the smog check. As you all know, California is very strict with the emissions and I don't want to be put in a situation where I can get fined.
> 
> ...



I aslo live in cali and im in the same boat as you. i want to just put an x pipe in and change out the mufflers with some flowmasters or magnaflows which is fine for smog. but for the headers i think the only ones you can get are the shortys. and they have to have a carb number. so as long as you dont mess with the cats and put smog legal headers youll be fine.:cheers


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## socal gto (Mar 10, 2006)

If you want to cheat in the mean time get the shorties with the catless midpipes. Come smog time all you have to do is put the cats back on and you shouldn't have any problems. That is what I am going to do. I should be putting on my headers today. I hope everything works out because I had to wait 1 month for the parts and another couple of weeks before I could get around to installing them.


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## btchplz (Mar 12, 2005)

In reality, we don't have to smog the car until it is 5 years old right? What are the chances of getting pulled over and having a cop investigate the exhaust system?

Has anyone had that happen to them?? IMO, the exhaust would have to be pretty damn loud to catch that attention. 

So, X-Pipe with a muffler will pass smog. Shorty headers, should pass smog. Remove Cat-Backs, won't pass smog.

I think I got it. 

Does anyone know why removing the cats or getting the long headers cause you not to pass smog???


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## mjadams87 (May 19, 2006)

i dont think cops are going to investigate your exhaust. they'll just give you up a fix it ticket for noise pollution if its too loud. You'll probably want to throw on your stock headers, get it signed off, then get a photo copy of that "signed off" ticket to keep in your car incase you get pulled over again. 

as far as sound,i dont know how loud your system will sound but i just installed the SLP loudmouth I and was worried it would be too loud for my area (i live in Los angeles, near the LAX). To my surprise it fails the noise pollution by only 1db. California law states that the exhaust should not exceed 95dba 20 inches away from the tip at a steady state of 3k rpm. with the loud mouth I it is 96 dba (wow!). I think they would cut you that slack considering some of the harleys around here are gettin pretty close to 120 (i cant even hear my car over them). 

so if its TOO not loud, you should be ok.


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## LS2~N~BLUE (May 16, 2006)

*Well...*



btchplz said:


> In reality, we don't have to smog the car until it is 5 years old right? What are the chances of getting pulled over and having a cop investigate the exhaust system?
> 
> Has anyone had that happen to them?? IMO, the exhaust would have to be pretty damn loud to catch that attention.
> 
> ...



Well it all has to do with the guy who is smoging it. they have to do a visual check and if the stuff doesnt have a carb # then they wont pass it. carb stands for california air research bord. and they are the ones that get all crazy on the air polution. And for the cats, well that is pretty much smogs main deal. Cats are what cleans the air the most. and on there smog test results it will show high HC if you dont have cats or if they are bad cats from just being old and worn out. the carb people will only put carb numbers on parts that they fell wont do to much pollution. hope this helps!


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