CARB Legal Headers in California

[Crisiz]

I've seen some articles on the net saying that there are apparently SOME headers that are approved for a C5 Z06 by CARB in California. Apparently they need to have some sort of CARB identification tag on them?

Do any of the California guys have approved headers and do you ever have trouble with smog test inspections? How much did they improve HP or Torque?

Also, if I can use CARB legal headers on my 02 Z, I'm sure they will be shorty style. If I switch to the shorties and put heat wrap on them can I significantly reduce under-hood heat? I don't suppose the shorty headers will improve HP much.

:-?

[MTPZ06]

Originally Posted by Crisiz

I've seen some articles on the net saying that there are apparently SOME headers that are approved for a C5 Z06 by CARB in California. Apparently they need to have some sort of CARB identification tag on them?

Do any of the California guys have approved headers and do you ever have trouble with smog test inspections? How much did they improve HP or Torque?

Also, if I can use CARB legal headers on my 02 Z, I'm sure they will be shorty style. If I switch to the shorties and put heat wrap on them can I significantly reduce under-hood heat? I don't suppose the shorty headers will improve HP much.

:-?

Only shorties are CA smog legal (have CARB EO#'s). I run B&B shorties which are a step header design with equal length primaries, and are widely believed to be the best design of shorties for our cars. They are good for 10rwhp...and they are expensive if you buy new. I found mine used for $350 and then had them ceramic coated to reduce heat. The other benefit is that they are about 14-15 lbs lighter than the stock manifolds.

[Crisiz]

Thanks MTPZ06. Ever have any issues with smog test? Do the headers you have mate right up to the rest of the stock exhaust? Do you think we can run high flow cats legally in Cal?

[NORTY]

Originally Posted by Crisiz

Thanks MTPZ06. Ever have any issues with smog test? Do the headers you have mate right up to the rest of the stock exhaust? Do you think we can run high flow cats legally in Cal?

The flow of the cats isn't addressed in the CARB regs, but their LOCATION is. The location must not be changed. This is why Long tubes aren't legal in Cal.

[Crisiz]

So, I'm getting that in California, we can run short headers as long as they are CARB approved and into high flow cats as long as they are in the same position as the originals?

Can anyone comment on cross overs and whether they are allowed?

Also, how much underhood heat can be reduced by using ceramic coated or heat-wrapped headers?

[MTPZ06]

Originally Posted by Crisiz

Thanks MTPZ06. Ever have any issues with smog test? Do the headers you have mate right up to the rest of the stock exhaust? Do you think we can run high flow cats legally in Cal?

No issues...I run the B&B's and a Honker intake which both have CARB EO#'s, and I have those ready to present to the smog guy if he asks, but I've never even had to. As far as the cats go, as long as you run high flows in the same position as the stockers, I don't think there is an issue, provided the car passes the snifer test. I've never seen the smog tech crawl under the car to make sure I have "stock" converters...not to mention that all converters will eventually fail at some point in time, so a replacement is inevitable at some point.

[TM-Z06]

I believe JBA headers are also CARB legal

[MTPZ06]

Originally Posted by TM-Z06

I believe JBA headers are also CARB legal

Yup. BBK's are as well, but only B&B's have equal length primaries which is where I feel they make more power than other shorties.