C.A.R.B. headers (calif legal ones)???

[Vetruck]

Anyone know of any CARB legal headers for the C220? Or the C280 for that matter? I see a few different listings for headers on ebay, but say nothing about being 50 state legal.

Alot of them I see are 2" outlet, these are stainless steel and 2.25" outlet, so I can build my entire exhaust 2.25 all the way to the rear mufler. Just wondring what kind of misery I could be getting myself into with a Calif 'visual" smog inspection. Anyone in Calif run headers and deal with smog tests?

http://www.partshawk.com/product/m2-performance-620

[RemoLexi]

I would find it pretty hard to believe that any company would shell out the cash to manufacture CA legal headers for our cars being that the market is so little and only going to decrease as the years go by.

Supersprint used to make headers but that was back in the day, no clue if anything could be found for sale or even a reasonable price considering the power you'll gain wouldnt be anything spectacular.

Check out PowerchipUSA, that may be a better option and you'll slide through smog.

[Vetruck]

Found this article on supersprint: apparently they are not listed on the website, but are possibly still availiable for $850

Article is from Feb this year (Feb 27, 2013)
http://cars.forumsee.com/a/m/s/p12-15628-0512006--fyi-m111-c230-coupe-supersprint-header-still-available.html

[Vetruck]

I really want to build my full exhaust setup next so I can get to the bodykit (don;t want the whimpy looking OEM exhaust tip sitting out back with the Brabus rear bumper) as well as I want to raise the exhaist routing tucked up better into the rear subframe so I can add a rear subframe brace accross both control arm mount bolts.

This is why I am looking into options. I am not really looking for great power additions, but for the $150 for stainless steel headers I figure WTF - I could also cut and alter them to flow better but am most worried about smog. Ill probably just end up making a whole new setup just tied into the OEM exhaust manifold

[RemoLexi]

If youre going to fab your exhaust completely and are worried about smog, what I would do is get the cheap eBay ones if availible and make it so that every 2 years you can slide the OE manifolds back on (c'mon.. Takes what an hour ?) instead of forking almost $1k for Supersprint.

You have a C220? those also had an EGR pipe dumping into the stock header, so that's something else to include!

[RemoLexi]

Oh I forgot!! I have a custom CNC'd header flange that bolts up to your 4-cyl. (assuming that's what you have) let me know if you want a pic, it's a good start if your going all custom header

[Vetruck]

I said I don"t want to screw with it at smog time. Its the wifes car, I have 5 other cars to deal with, 2 of them already a headache.

I am not messing with nonCARB parts, and not spending 1K on headers for a car that is not a racecar. I can very easily in about 4-5 hour fab a complete exhaust for the car, but not headers. Headers would be much more tricky and would require about 3 days plus non-carb colpliant. I just built this a few months ago for a friend on his Camaro- catbacks are cake work compared to headers.

So its inexpesive CARB compliant headers, or I am just building off the OEM exhaust manifold.

[Mike51809]

Supersprint does still offer them for the Kompressor but they want 1500 for them to be made in Italy and shipped here. Dyno-Comp also makes a set but for the Kompressor 6 speed coupe for 995 that I was looking in to because its the exact same engine in that car. I'm not sure if they are California legal, they have the provisions to keep the upstream 02 and the original cats though

[RemoLexi]

I have no idea what your going to find that's CARB legal.

[vaspen]

U said visual riiiighhhtt ??? Make a super big heatshield closing visual off lol and use aluminium to keep weight down haha

[Dearlove]

aluminium heat shield? let me know how that goes for you...

[Vetruck]

This post went haywire. Its a little 150hp car, not a raecar, never will be. It is subject to strict CA smog law- we live int he computer age people, thus every SMOG tech has an image of what the engine bay is suppose to look like.

I am not looking for tremendous performance gains, car does well enough for its intention- that intention is a daily driver for the wifey and well as a grocery getter. As stated, I want to change the exhaust system because I can build it myself very inexpensively since I weld and fabricate, and I can do all that legally under CA laws as long as the CAT stays where it is in relitive positioning (however I can run one single highflow cat as I currently do (I quickly weleded that in when I first bought this car.)

All I was asking is are there any of these somewhat inexpensive stainless steel log type so to speak headers that sell for about $150 that are E.O. certified. would be nice to yank the dual I-pipe and just fab a single 2.25 off those headers al the way to the tail. If notm then I do not need other redneck suggestions that will get me into problems here. I am very experienced with cars as well as CA laws, so I asked a very specific question- does anyone make a CARB compliant header? If not then I will build off the OEM manifold...period.


So far I have ONE answer to my question, and that is SuperSprint.

I do not need other redneck suggestions.

[vaspen]

my "redneck" suggestion was just a simple way to hide any visual modifications to your car im sorry I don't live in communist California I live in pa man... my county only has a visual inspection requirement that isn't even upheld aslong as your not racetrack loud .. whereas Pittsburg has stricter laws on emissions

after reading some law I found a example that may help so don't bash ..

""Can I remove my stock exhaust manifold/catalytic converter and replace them with a header/catalytic converter combination on my RX-7?

Not legally. As mentioned above, CARB or the EPA does not allow relocation of any of the stock catalytic converters. They require that all original catalytic converters be in their original positions, and replacement of multiple catalytic converters with a single non-exempt "high flow" performance unit is not allowed.

Although using a header (or downpipe) and catalytic converter combination might pass a tailpipe test at a California tailpipe emissions test, it would NOT pass the visual inspection portion of the test. Since the engine configuration of the rotary engine in the RX-7 is rather unique, it is possible that some test station technicians may not be familiar with the this layout, and they may not even notice that a header (or downpipe) and/or replacement catalytic converter has been installed.
http://www.racingbeat.com/mazda/performance/faq/emissions.html

[Vetruck]

my "redneck" suggestion was just a simple way to hide any visual modifications to your car im sorry I don't live in communist California I live in pa man... my county only has a visual inspection requirement that isn't even upheld aslong as your not racetrack loud .. whereas Pittsburg has stricter laws on emissions

after reading some law I found a example that may help so don't bash ..

""Can I remove my stock exhaust manifold/catalytic converter and replace them with a header/catalytic converter combination on my RX-7?

Not legally. As mentioned above, CARB or the EPA does not allow relocation of any of the stock catalytic converters. They require that all original catalytic converters be in their original positions, and replacement of multiple catalytic converters with a single non-exempt "high flow" performance unit is not allowed.

Although using a header (or downpipe) and catalytic converter combination might pass a tailpipe test at a California tailpipe emissions test, it would NOT pass the visual inspection portion of the test. Since the engine configuration of the rotary engine in the RX-7 is rather unique, it is possible that some test station technicians may not be familiar with the this layout, and they may not even notice that a header (or downpipe) and/or replacement catalytic converter has been installed.
http://www.racingbeat.com/mazda/performance/faq/emissions.html


I guess some people don;t know how to read questions

[RemoLexi]

I think the answer is, no. nobody makes a header for a C220 that passes CA smog vision test.

Just too expensive for a company to go through those kind of hoops for a market that just isn't there.

No clue about supersprint, but why on earth would you spend that kind of money with little or no return.

[Vetruck]

I think the answer is, no. nobody makes a header for a C220 that passes CA smog vision test.

Just too expensive for a company to go through those kind of hoops for a market that just isn't there.

No clue about supersprint, but why on earth would you spend that kind of money with little or no return.

After two days of searching, I think I have concluded the same answer. Thank you.

Ill just fab everything after the dual exit and merge it into a single 2.25" shortly after the connection to the dual OEM exhaust manifold- leave the single cat in place where it needs to remain, remove the resonator, and here's the kicker, I am serously thinking on then splitting the pipe at the end right before the tail muffler and run it into two oval mufflers (one placed flat, the other a few inches past place angled- both welded together but remaining separate) with each having a slighly different pulse length from the entry pipe length. Each will have a separate outlet to each individual tip.

[Vetruck]

Here's a quick concept of the muffler idea. Note the pipe length is diefferent distances entering and exiting to give different pulses out each tip.
1510

These crooks want over 1K for some simple shiney metal I could build for under $200 with a better sound. Sell if to a "Mercedes owner" and jack the price thinking they are all rich idiots
http://www.eurosportdesign.com/p-826-mercedes-w202-c-class-eisenmann-exhaust.aspx?gclid=CJ-j08qWi7kCFYN_QgodLQ4Atw

[RemoLexi]

May I ask whats the point in all of this if it's only the grocery getter car? ... You've got your race vette, why would you want to listen to a keychain sized 4-cylinder engine ?

[Vetruck]

Because I half assed welded in a new cat when I got the car a year ago and I now want to go back and free up the exhaust routing and make it more efficiant since it is fairly inexpensive to do. A better size exhaust routing for this sized HP motor is 2.23", not 2" like it is from the factory. Also a 20 year old muffler is dated technology just like the 20 year old cat when it comes to exhaust restriction. I do NOT want the car sounding like a fart can like I hear so many cars do, this is wy the use of dual rear mufflers will change pusle tones. I measured a few things under there and am even loonking into using two differrent length mufflers parallel at the tail with no resonator and the current highflow cat in the car now.

The main reasons are tailpipe appearance with the new BRABUS kit, alliviate a little resonator rattle from age, and the above mentioned freeing up a few ponies also as a byproduct in reducing current flow restrictions (helps a motor breathe, reduces heat, makes for longivity- fairly simple things that are not rocket science).

I will also be getting to other things on this car later like taking out the current cooling fan setup and replacing it with a puller electric unit on an anti dither controller. This frees up grss HP that the net result of the mechanical fan lowers, it give better mileage, quicker warmups, and overall better reliability of the motor over the years. I do this to ever car I own.

Threse are just little touches to make a car more efficiant, responsive, and reliable. Not a big deal in short, but major differece over the life of a car. Same wth running full synthetic oil as well as my top secret Polytron I have secretly stashed that cuts motor wear by 97%- My good friend used to import it from Russia by the 55gal drum but gave up on lack of millions to market it like Prolong etc. This stuff is far better. I was able to get 640,000 out of my original V8 350 in my 1989 pickup- hard miles.

[Vetruck]

Besides, I would not be listening to the typical as you put it "keychain sized" 4 banger noise like so many do. Exhaust sound fabrication is an art. You have to aproach it like musical instuments and understand tone (or should I better list: Tones, as in a combination of single tones). This is how you make a little motor sound like it has a little meat to it without the fart can sound.

If I followed your thought with the entire car, why touch anything then? why not just leave it absolutely 1994 oem stock and look like every other typical middleaged lady car putting around town. I want this car for the wife for a daily driver, but I also want it to stand out in a crowd and I have that talent to make a car unique without having to go into being a full racecar or look like a kid owns it.

[Vetruck]

When I build a car, I beat to my own drum. I like getting on internet boards like this for this car to reseach just what it out there as well as what other have done. SOme things can be a no brainer and follow the masses, other things I often find will lack, or I will simply have a desire to modify or reengineer something if I feel I can do it better than what I am finding. I have alot of experience with cars, and I always pull off a look with a car that makes my car unique from others. Simple classey little touches that all add up but are never too much. Spend time on the things that matter, and be creative.

Now with that last statement, sound from a car matters. I am making this a sport/luxury car and it requires a little meat tone, but yet a quiet meaty tone. Only something that sings when the rpms come up- like an orchestra- not a tin can. Otherwise, it sould be a quiet as possible if that can not be accomplished. Time will tell.