AMGPower88

So Im considering if I should get the power pipe for our cars but unfortunately in California, I believe we have to get a smog check once every year for cars older than 5 years.. How do you guys, specifically in CA, deal with passing emissions and smog without reverting back and forth every year from stock?

Petakii63

Unless, they do a visual inspection. You should pass because primaries are still intact.

AMGPower88

Ohhh, so secondary cats and resonators wont make a difference then? Obv I will leave primary cats in place... Can anyone confirm this???

boomer8800

is it only the STAR smog centers that do the visual inspection?

AMGPower88

I just called up one of the shops here in the bay area in CA and supposedly they do real good work but the guy told me that he wouldnt even be able to work on my car, because their shop could be fined for removing the secondary cats or resonators. He said even if I go to another shop and they do it, I could be the fined or responsible. Apparently, in the past year, many smog inspection places here in California have switched over to the "STAR" program where they are much more strict on inspections, visually and mechanically so if they see that anythings out of the ordinary, no matter how well-made the straight pipe is, they wont pass you for emissions and smog. I wonder if other smog places have switched over to this as well?? Even if you go back to stock, it will be very difficult to pass. Well, thats just great!

H20 MRV

Easy answer, Buy a second hand set of down pipes and gut the secondary's,


ANY good muffler shop can do this and put it back together like it came out the factory,


And you can take them in as they are not modding your car, just a part, Then get your normal garage to swap them over " As its got a rattle " and keep your std one : )


And no one is any the wiser...