Monch

well i've been searching around for an aftermarket exhaust setup info for the past couple of days. as it turns out things are not as rosy as I thought they'd be.<IMG src=smileys/smiley19.gif border="0"></P>


I live in california and as I found out it's illegal to put any long tube header on for street use - major bummer. I then thought - bassani mid length. well, anything which tampers with the stock h-pipe (emissions equip technically)is illlegal. So the bassani system is out since i would have to use their x pipe. After searching for a bit it looks like I can only install JBA shorty headers (since they have government approved C.A.R.B.#'s) and a cat back exhaust. Or in other words, only things which will bolt up directly to the stock H-pipe.</P>


Now, obviously, I want to stay legal only so that I don't have a major hassle when it comes time to smog test and get my car registered. But spending $1000 bucks on a header and cat back exhaust just doesn't seem worth it if the mid section bottleneck is still present. Kinda sour's the deal don't it? To make matters worse I've heard that federal law prohibits someone from changing the cat's until the car is 5years old or has 50,000 miles. my car has about a thousand miles on it.</P>


What I'd like to know from you guys is, what r my options? Have you ever heard of anyone failing a smog inspection if they had a replacement - catted - x pipe installed? Have any of you ever been hassled for having after market headers / x-h pipes? And perhaps the most important question, what systems (header / x - pipe / cat-back) do you know of that would allow for the stock h-pipe tobe swapped out in a couple of hours just for a smog test.....<IMG src=smileys/smiley16.gif border="0"></P>


sorry for the long post and questions, but i fear the governenment doesn't want me to have too much fun.</P>

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2003 GT, Vortech S/C

mdvaldosta

Actually you CAN replace the stock h-pipe BEFORE 50k miles IF your stock h-pipe is damaged... can you say... SPEEDBUMP or POTHOLE? So you can replace your stock h-pipe with a nice high-flow setup after all

Monch

ahh, a way out.....or should i say in.....</P>


would i have to prove that the original was damaged? </P>

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2003 GT, Vortech S/C

horatio102

No, because you threw out the damaged stuff. &gt;wink wink&lt;

(but by all means keep it in the garage in case you have a need for it)

And shoot 50k? I thought I was breaking the law when I put a high flow cat on my RS - apparently not since I've got 56k on it now. Sweet.

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91 GT roadster 5.0, black
86 W250 Power Ram 5.9, red
02 Dakota 5.9, silver

Monch

right on, thanks everyone, i think thats what i'll do. jba shorties, magnaflow cat back and some sort of x pipe which is a direct replacement for the stock h pipe. i'll just have to spend a bit more $$ on induction now to get the HP gains I wanted.</P>


any suggestions on actually bolting it up so the bolts don't "freeze" on after a couple of years of hard use? </P>

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2003 GT, Vortech S/C

mdvaldosta

anti-seize compound... like the opposite of loc-tite <IMG src=smileys/smiley2.gif border="0">