eahillen

So I got my headers put on 7 days ago up at ACG in San Diego-- who did an incredible job at an incredible price. 3 days ago I got pulled over from a cop as I pulled out of my driveway apparently he was was driving down the street I live on and he heard the cold start and gas I put into her to warm it up a bit.

Lame situation but he gave me a ticket for modified smog equipment and I have to take it to a state referee now so my question to anyone with experience is it better to go back to stock before I go to the referee or show up as is to buy time.

Also has anyone ever put their own long tube headers on or off? Is it a labor intensive task? I have a decent mechanical know how and a fairly extensive garage. Thanks Eric

BerBer63

busted

eahillen

Pretty much all I can do to understand he's just doing his job and not being a dick.

JCH

Wow, bad luck. Where in San Diego do you live? I'll be sure to avoid the area!

eahillen

East county. He got me in Santee but he was a San Diego highway patrolmen based off what his uniform said.

betrezra

Wow that is bad luck on many levels. 1st that he heard you, 2nd that he gave a shi#, and 3rd that he wrote a ticket with you in your own driveway on private property.... I mean I've started many things in my shop way before all the emm equip is hooked up just to test things out.

Anyway.....

1. Do headers have carb number? If no then you could have a problem.
2. I would download a copy of the regs/law regarding mods in your state/county.... or call a smog shop for guidance.

You have a couple paths here:
1. If you are 99% sure you'll fail an inspection of this sort..... then put stock parts back-on before hand.
2. OR just make the visit and IF you fail... they will make you take it back to stock and repeat the visit.......
This is just all my guess.

Very sorry for your situation.

I have 2 LEO's in my neighborhood who stop by on occasion to see what I'm building or working on...... one had just returned from a triple digit road test of his project car and was telling me how it handled at those speeds.... ... so I have gear head LEO's around me.... thank goodness.

Girard@ACGautomotive

Eric,

If we need to swap them out again then we will definitely make it as painless as possible.

Sorry to hear of the troubles man... Hope you get to enjoy them for a bit before the inspection.

Just keep me in the loop!

-Tal

CoolBDPhenom03

Do you only have headers? If you still have your primary cats, you should be able to pass.

eahillen

I wasn't in my drive way I had pulled out and was about 100 yards down the street when he turned the lights on. They do not have a carb number on them so I guess I will switch them out. It's not jut the emissions testing I have to see a state referee and from what I understand really get in it to make sure it's all legal.


Tal the ticket is dated for the 9th of Jan so I will be in touch probably mid December to have the headers swapped back to stock, then back to the long tubes mid Jan.

Girard@ACGautomotive

Unbelievable. Well enjoy them for a bit and let me know when you want to bring it in. I hate it when this stuff happens man.

Are you coming out to SoCal Euro next weekend?

bhamg

Note that CA law views any non-CARB modification to your exhaust system as "tampering." If there is evidence of welds or cuts you have "tampered" with a sealed system. Do not expect to put anything over on the referee - he/she knows what they are doing...and what they are NOT doing is overlooking anything to do you a favor.

When all is said and done there is a category you should look for, whether its on an emissions report or some form the referee gives you, and that is "gross polluter." Worst case, if you are listed as a gross polluter with CADMV you will be required to pass a yearly inspection, so play it straight and narrow with the referee. Good luck, the **** nanny state is here to stay in CA. Wait till OBD3 is implemented...

eahillen

Bhamg, thanks for the info I will be sure to return it to stock.


Tal unfourtanetly I won't be attending I have some out of state friends coming into town.

Merc63

It's a 10-12 hr Job pulling headers, it's not hard, just turning nuts. But to get to those nuts is the problem. Better hope you have small hands and lots of patience.

Get a friend over to help you and giver.

CoolBDPhenom03

Well, if he had headers and primary cats, he could pass a smog easily, but I guess this is a totally different level of inspection. Sucks, man.

Merc63

Id suggest looking into a good X pipe to tone down the exhaust a bit.

Mine was way too loud without it.

betrezra

Crazy thing... you car with lt's is cleaner than most 80's, 90's cars on the highway!!

GL.

chuthis

Dealing w/ the state ref is no joke. Swapping back to stock will pretty much be the only way to go. Sorry to hear.

Good luck with everything.

b16

I've been through the CA referee process a few times with modified Honda's.

1.) anything between the inlet of the intake all the way to the last CAT must be OEM or have a C.A.R.B number on it (this includes your headers).
2.) do not try to "get by" with anything, their visual inspection cross references with the repair manual for your car. They will see the headers and fail you.

This is not just a "smog test" they are inspecting for any tampering of smog equipment which includes all exhaust before the last catalytic converter. Mufflers are not a SMOG item and only need to comply with Db levels.

Hope this helps, CA CARB laws are a ****ing joke. The politics in this state can go to hell.

johnnyblaze

Got nailed for a modified smog equipment with my Turbo 350z. Ended up pulling the whole turbo system just to pass. Its an awful ticket, I'm just amazed they nailed a Benz. Usually they are going after the modified japanese imports, like the poster above me. Some cops in certain counties really know what they are looking for when it comes to cars, especially, San Diego county. Because of the large race scene a lot of the officers are taught what to look for.

USCGTO

OP, sorry for your unfortunate ticket.

And, I am so glad I moved out of that ****-hole kommiefornia..

CoolBDPhenom03

That's intense. I really don't understand half of the laws in this state (outside of revenue generation).

VividRacing

I wonder if they'd notice the charcoal canister delete, they could probably fail you if you had it removed.

johnnyblaze

From what I remember, a drop in filter is legal, the open element filters are not, unless they are completely carb legal with a sticker. Only K&N open element kits have CARB legal stickers. I doubt they would go as far as opening the airboxes because it simply isnt a smog device. Its usually what they visually see in the engine bay and what they see from underneath the car.

ProjectCamaro

Just another reason not to live in California, with a state controlled by so many liberals you're always screwed.

arctichaze

That's why I gave up on modifying cars as far as performance. CA laws are the most strict in the nation. Its just a matter of time before an officer pulls you over and hands you one of these referee tickets unless of course your car is a garage queen. The C63 stock exhaust is loud enough that sometimes these people actually think you have an aftermarket exhaust on it.