Long tube headers in california

[Coolmanfoo]

Hello all. It is a dream of mine to have long tube headers some day however I live in case.

I've done some research and have yet to find any ca certified headers. Just wondering if any of you have found some good ones or just found a way to install them anyway!

Thanks

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[shawn3210]

There's no ca approved long tube headers....since they all take off the cats. My buddy had his installed at a shop in perris.....I know some places won't do it because if they're caught its a big fine.

 

[greymatter]

You can drive to Arizona and get a shop to install them

 

[Kahboom]

Using kooks super street 1 7/8" shorties here, can put stock cats on for emissions. Only carb legal ones in CA is JBA fitmet is not great with the JBA shorties but they work.

 

[Jewishthunder]

Almost any performance shop wouldn't think twice about installing them. Where in Ca?

 

[BluByeU]

Hello all. It is a dream of mine to have long tube headers some day however I live in case.

I've done some research and have yet to find any ca certified headers. Just wondering if any of you have found some good ones or just found a way to install them anyway!

Thanks

There are no replacement smog legal LTHs for CA residents. Yes there are shops in SoCal (don't know where you are located) that will install LTHs. Installation prices will vary, I called 3-4 shops on Fri and was quoted 700/800 dollars. One shop owner who has a very successful business told me he really doesn't make any money on installing headers on the new Mustang.

You have 5 years to get the car smogged and when that time comes, there are ways to pass the test.

 

[daltron]

I run LT's. The only thing I worry about is the occasional passing cop on the street.

 

[free]

I know tons off guys who run longtubes here in Cali, 90% of shops will install them no questions asked. As for getting caught with them, well that it as risk you have to take.

 

[LavaRed12]

"Legally" there are NO long tube headers that are smog legal in CA. The reason is, the cats have to be in the stock location, and obviously that isn't possible with a long tube header. You can have legal shorty headers because the headers stop before the cat, and the cat remains in the stock location. On the 2015+ Mustang, the drivers side header and cat are actually made as one piece. So to do CA legal shorty headers, you would have to cut your factory header/cat and weld a flange on before the cat that bolts to the shorty header. Lots of work and money for 8-10whp from a shorty header legally. Long tubes with a decent chambered muffler can be somewhat quiet and not draw a lot of attention if you have a way to pass smog here.

 

[Coolmanfoo]

I'm in the bay area. Yeah I've thought about installing them anyway. My question is when smog time comes. Being in San Francisco I can't imagine finding a smog shop that wouldn't notice haha. Would I have to swap back to stock heads?

 

[shawn3210]

I'm in the bay area. Yeah I've thought about installing them anyway. My question is when smog time comes. Being in San Francisco I can't imagine finding a smog shop that wouldn't notice haha. Would I have to swap back to stock heads?

or find a "smog guy"..... but if you can't and you have to swap it out overtime it might not be worth the extra hp....that's a lot of money to pay someone to switch to stock headers and reswitch back to long tube lol

 

[LavaRed12]

Not worth 15-20whp in my opinion, unless you know someone. GT350 manifold, Intake, cat-back, and flex fuel tune is the way to go for most people. Just have to swap the intake to pass smog which is cheap or easily done. If you want more power than that, forced induction is the only thing that makes sense, being the you can do a smog legal blower, cat-back, and e85 tune and make well over 600whp.

 

[2morrow]

Not worth 15-20whp in my opinion, unless you know someone. GT350 manifold, Intake, cat-back, and flex fuel tune is the way to go for most people. Just have to swap the intake to pass smog which is cheap or easily done. If you want more power than that, forced induction is the only thing that makes sense, being the you can do a smog legal blower, cat-back, and e85 tune and make well over 600whp.

This is definitely the way to go. Ford Performance will release their FRPP stage 3 kit by the end of the year which has all these elements and will keep your warranty intact.

What neighborhood of SF are you in OP? I'm in and out of the city regularly.

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