Cat-back systems illegal in CA?
11-14-2004, 07:23 PM
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Cat-back systems illegal in CA?
On Saturday, I went to an exhaust shop to have my Flowmaster Delta Flow 40 replaced. I inquired about a cat-back system, and the guy tells me that they are illegal in CA! Is this true. Wutup?
Needless to say, I did not have anything done by this guy, or anyone for that matter.
All I want is a manderel bent cat-back system w/Magnaflow muffler.
Any help in the San Diego area is greatly appreciated.
Ritchie.
Needless to say, I did not have anything done by this guy, or anyone for that matter.
All I want is a manderel bent cat-back system w/Magnaflow muffler.
Any help in the San Diego area is greatly appreciated.
Ritchie.
11-14-2004, 09:51 PM
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The guy is smoking the wrong stuff.....Jeez. Everything past the catalytic is useless as far as smog is concerned....Heck they even have high flow headers and convertors that are CA legal. You my friend ran across a knucklehead. If you have them down there, I would suggest going to a 4 wheel drive parts store or Central 4wd. They won't give you the bad info.
Scott
Scott
11-14-2004, 10:25 PM
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a cop might hassle you for modified exhuast as its the letter of the law, but basically you wont get hassled as long as its not stupid loud..... hell, i drove without a muffler for a month.... never got hassled....
11-14-2004, 10:28 PM
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Jimabena74 is correct, but let's point out that it is the exhaust loudness that breaks the law, not putting on an aftermarkter cat-back. Just pick a muffler that sounds good but doesn't set off alarms. 
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11-14-2004, 10:42 PM
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Ack!!! What county you live in? Had to be a local ordinance eh? The two cat-backs I have received have the CA legal cert papers with them...carry them in the glove box. Sorry bout the ticket dude...what is a Monza tip? hehehe
11-14-2004, 10:52 PM
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He must have been seriously hasseling you...and using a technicality in the law. Most tips now are sold as purely a˟˟˟˟ical. Was your tercel lowered? Meaning was he targeting you because you were driving a car that looks "suspicious". Hell, I break the law every day with 4 inches of tire outside my fenders, been pulled over twice and no comment on the tires, cause every Tom, Dick and Harry is driving a modified 4X in Lake Tahoe. Anyways...really sorry you got a nimrod police force dude there. They tend to get off on shutting people down. Did you take off the tip?
Scott
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11-14-2004, 11:22 PM
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nope didnt take the tip off.. it wasnt a fixit ticket... just a pure viloation that required paying a fine... the tercel wasnt lowered, however none of the body panels was stright... it was the case of some vandalism being done to it earlier in the year by some jerks at school..... i did have huge tires on it though.. with niceish looking rims.. they were 15" alloys from a civic si ... with 205/50/15 tires on it
11-15-2004, 12:35 AM
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Yeah Im from so cali and the only things po pos cant bust you on is loudness and it may not exceed the 99db limit. Exhuasts dont effect emmisions soo yeah you shouldnt be worried. I recommend mike's muffler in el monte, ca.
11-15-2004, 01:51 AM
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its 95 db, however differtn sections of the vehicle code say its less.... http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c5a2.htm http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/vc/tocd12c5a2_5.htm
11-15-2004, 05:55 PM
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All the legal crap in CA... that is why I left... of course it was also because Uncle Sam said I had to... I like WA so much better. There is actually a sense of freedom here, and the ability to exercise my rights under the Constitution... That said I have a can muffler on my car and headers (read: LOUD!!), and there is no smog in this county or the previous 2 counties that I have lived in up here.
11-18-2004, 04:42 PM
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Originally Posted by PO2SIMS
I went to Express Muffler in Santee, they do good work. Once I took a header in to them because it had a leak, and they welded it up for free!!
Where are they located?
Thanks again.
11-19-2004, 09:03 AM
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Doesn't CA still use the CARB (California Air Resources Board) certification process? Basically as long as the product says it's CARB certified, it is emissions legal (probably in all 50 states, since CA has such tough emissions laws).
At least that's how it was when I was autocrossing Hondas.
At least that's how it was when I was autocrossing Hondas.
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