I am looking into getting a 96 Formula soon, and i want to replace the stock exhaust. I want to get a B&B Triflo catback, but i am wondering what the best route for headers and y-pipe i should go with. Being that in Texas they are supposedly going to start emissions testing. I want to know what headers/cats/y-pipe i should look for that will still give me good gains.

Thanx,
Tony

 

If you want to go with emissions legal headers....Then theres a bunch of shorties out there to choose from...Slp, Mac, Edel, BBK, Rk, As&m, Pacesetter, Hooker etc...

The only Long tube Headers that'll pass emmisions are FLP's are they are over 1,000...

 

I have read that it is illegal to move the cats, but if you get longtubes and have highflow cats, then you can pass the smell test, am i right? And many people do that. But i am wondering how far they actually go to check emissions. Will they actually look and see if the cats are moved as long as it passes the smell test?

Tony

 

All longtubes wont pass emmisions unless they are the FLP's cause they use cats...

It is illegal to remove the cat. I really dont know "many" or any people here in IL that get LT's and high flow cats and then pass emmisions..

The only time anyone will check emmisions is when u take it to the testing facility. Other then that, maybe if your car is too loud or something a cop will check to see if u have a cat or not. Then the car gets impounded possibly.

But i still have no cat.=) I just put it back on when i take my test.

Are u sure that the are making emmision tests madatory? If not, then just get some Hooker LT's or similar and dont worry about the rest of the detials...
If you arent sure, i'd just get some top-end shorties, but thats me..

 

You're gonna have two parts to your inspection (If they do it by the book) The sniffer check is the easy part. And that's part II. The visual inspection is what kills most people. There are relatively few headers that are 50 state smog legal. As far as it goes out here...if you put any aftermarket parts in your car...they must posess a C.A.R.B. number (California Air Resources Board) or it immediately fails. I know my old Edelbrock TES had a C.A.R.B. number stamped on a plate welded right on the headers....Even then, I had trouble..a few shops wouldn't test my engine. JBA has or did have CARB approval...some guys have put headers in that have that "not legal for use on any california highways or roads" stuff, but if you call JBA and tell them that you lost your old plate...they basically send you a buisness card that has the Executive Order number that makes them legal. BBK's are not smog legal...but they do have all the necessary connections...I guess they lost or never had the CARB cert (Even though they're based here in Southern California) I'm not sure if the MAC's are legal. Anyway...if your car is tuned well, you should be running pretty clean anyway...as long as you have all the connections, and a decent cat..you should be able to pass smog...I did. Sorry this ran a little long...but that's a quick breakdown from what I know....Good luck!
~Mutt