Carb legal ls1 swap

[Risu2112]

I'm in the middle of one of these swaps right now 408 area code, One of the major problems is the headers, they go right into the steering column. Fabing headers to work around this is a major red flag at the bar station.

[g6civcx]

Originally Posted by Risu2112

Fabing headers to work around this is a major red flag at the bar station.

Find a block hugger header that is 50 state legal.

[soreballz]

^The problem with block hugger headers is that they don't sound super sexy like long tube headers do. lol

[g6civcx]

Originally Posted by soreballz

^The problem with block hugger headers is that they don't sound super sexy like long tube headers do. lol

Do you want to sound super sexy or do you want fitment and the ability to avoid jail/impoundment?

[dtc 360RT]

Originally Posted by racepar1

As far as I know as long as the engine is the year of the car or newer, all the smog equipment is hooked up and functioning, whatever OBD system the motor came with is functioning, and everything behind the MAF or in front of the cats is either OEM or carb approved for the engine then you should be good to go.

i believe this to be true as well......the owner of pantera efi(huge stand alone efi managment maker for ls engines)has told be the same. also told me if you tell them its a pre1995 engine with upgraded ignition they'll just do a sniffer test out the pipe.

considering he does this a lot, i believe him. anyone else have other experiences?

[na3j nitsuj]

Originally Posted by g6civcx

Do you want to sound super sexy or do you want fitment and the ability to avoid jail/impoundment?

just use the block hugger to get it bar'd and then change to something that sounds sexier!

[racepar1]

Originally Posted by soreballz

^The problem with block hugger headers is that they don't sound super sexy like long tube headers do. lol

Get the block huggers to carb it, then make some sexy ass 4-1 long tube headers. That's what I would do.

[Risu2112]

Yeah I'm not saying there aren't workarounds, just that headers are one of the bigger complications of the swap in CA.

[g6civcx]

I honestly do not like how they regulate the structure of the drivetrain. If they really cared about air quality, they should only regulate what's coming out the tailpipe. Who cares how you do it provided the exhaust is clean?

For example, if you took an LS-series and made it cleaner using aftermarket parts, that would be illegal if the parts are not CARB-exempt.


I'm a big proponent of regulating what is done, and not how it's done. Regulating how you do something just stifles innovation.

[racepar1]

Originally Posted by g6civcx

I honestly do not like how they regulate the structure of the drivetrain. If they really cared about air quality, they should only regulate what's coming out the tailpipe. Who cares how you do it provided the exhaust is clean?

For example, if you took an LS-series and made it cleaner using aftermarket parts, that would be illegal if the parts are not CARB-exempt.


I'm a big proponent of regulating what is done, and not how it's done. Regulating how you do something just stifles innovation.

It is a fucked up system. The carb program has NOTHING at ALL to do with actual emissions. It is all about money. I have heard, and this is un-confirmed, that companies pay up to $10,000 per year per part to get a carb sticker on it plus testing fees. The initial cost is somewhere around $50,000 to get a part carb'd from what I hear. Also the companies have to provide test cars that have VERY little mileage on them. The fact is that a stock SR emits less emissions than a stock KA does, but it cannot be done legally because nobody has come up with the cash. I have heard that one company was VERY close to carb-ing an SR swap, all they had to do was pay the fees, but the cost was sooooo astronomical that it simply didn't work.