Z

There wasn't some sort of oiling setup in the kit that you got? Tim is using a modified adapter that fits between the engine's oil filter and engine block to supply oil to the supercharger. There's no need to modify the oil pan or anything like that.

John..

Smog Legal is easy....just detune it come smog day.

Randy V

And to get around the visual inspection you...blindfold the smog tech?

bcdavis

That's the big problem in CA.

You have to find a pretty clueless tech.

At the very least, you would need to have all the smog stuff intact.
Things like crankcase breather baffles usually upset them!

I had a friend get a big ticket, and was forced to remove his supercharger from his NSX, when the tech saw it, and said it was illegal. Now he has a big pile of SC parts in his garage...

You really need to research how you are going to deal with the smog check issue, if you are going to supercharge in CA. In other states, just the pipe sniffer is all you need to fool. But here, you need to come up with a damn good way to hide it or something...

Jim bailey - 928 International

I believe Chris is active military and MAY be allowed to have out of state plates . No 928 supercharger will pass the VISUAL inspection for the California Smog unless you find a blind and / or very poorly informed technician . They would not even get to the part about sniffing the tail pipe to determine IF it were polluting . The only legal modifications must be CARB (California Air Resources Board) certified tested and PROVEN not to increase pollution at the manufacturers expense $$$ . To date , I believe NOTHING has been certified...... no headers , no adjustable fuel pressure regulators , no chips , no larger injectors , aftermarket engine management , stroker kits , blowers or turbos .......They act like cars are here to provide transportation only..........

Tim Murphy

If they are that picky, you could remove the supercharger, bracket, fans, and intake plumbing. Remove the intercooler, plug the water lines and pull the fuse for the pump. Then reinstall the stock fans and air cleaner assembly. The car at this point would be back to looking totally stock. I suppose you would have to put the stock fuel regulator back on too, maybe an adjustable one so you could lower the fuel pressure so you don't have problems with the larger fuel injectors making the car too rich. I think you could do this in about an hour once you had it figured out.

Mike LaBranche

The society of California is nuts. Nothings legal yet _most_ of the go-fast stuff is from California. Half the auto population of CA is illegal with aftermarket parts that aren't CARB cert'd. How 'bout just toss a $10,100,1000 fine, let the good times roll, and be done with it. Cure your deficit as well.

Mike LaBranche

And, back OT, I'd buy into a kit if I had an S4. Final price would be between me and the seller. Sounds to me tho... that to ignore GoRideSno's offer would be, uh, foolish. Who can argue with a couple hundred more ponies on Monday?

CMW

To all,

The Smog issue was probably the second biggest reason I was going to sell the kit. I thought I read about certain smog checkers that are mediators. In other words it may not be stock, but it still meets the clean air standard. Also as long as the item is not illegal by California Law. Has anyone heard of this?

Chris W

PeteS

There are quite a few Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds, Corvettes, and who knows what all else driving around with superchargers on. There are kits for those cars available from a number of sources and manufacturers that claim to be 50 state emissions legal and C.A.R.B. certified. Why should the mere sight of a supercharger installation be enough to cause a California emissions inspector to freak out?

Richard S

I live in a small town near Modesto, only 2 smog shops. I go to the first shop, pop the hood, and the tech instantly says "Hey, that engine didn't come in this car." I'm thinking there is no way this small town Gomer knows the difference between a 1980 928 engine and a 1984 Euro S 928 engine....but he pionts to the twin distibutor, then to the LH fuel injection, and says "That right there gives it away. Without state sticker approving the engine swap, I can't smog it for you." Wow, I get the only guy in a 100 mile radius that actually knows how to do a visual inspection on a 928. So....I just casually drive over to the other smog shop, keep my mouth shut, let the tech run the test, and drive home with a passing cert.

Anyway, there is a process to get California to approve an engine swap, and issue a sticker for the car. But I don't know if that process would work with a super-charger installation. I spoke with a bay area 928 owner that put in a Chevy motor, and went thru the state process...they were mostly concerned that all the proper Chevy smog equipment was properly installed and working correctly, did their inspections and tests and issued him approval. It's a big gamble to go to all that expense, only to have the state say "no way".

Rich
1980 5 spd with 84 Euro S motor...passed smog.

bcdavis

I've passed the visual inspection with headers, etc...

If the tech does not know the car very well, they will look at a book,
and it will list the parts to look for. They look for cats, egr, vapor return,
crankcase ventilation, smog pump, and all that stuff. They look to see if
all the proper stuff is there. They do not usually look at what is "extra".
So if you had a uneducated inspector, they might not notice the supercharger,
if it was under a plastic cover, or if it was flat black, not all polished, etc...

But if you get a guy who really knows cars, and fuel systems, they will
recognise a supercharger immediately, and they will look for the CARB
stickers. If you don't have them, you are nailed.

As far as engine swaps, the law is that the car must have all the smog
equipment that the newest engine is supposed to have.
So if you have a 83 car, with a 90 engine, it needs to have
all the smog gear that the 90 had. If you have a 90 car,
with an 83 engine, the 83 engine needs to have all the
smog gear the 90 engine is supposed to have. And they
have to pass the emissions requirements of the newer
vehicle. In other words, you could never put a 454 Chevy
in a Honda Civic, and pass smog, even if the 454 had all
the smog equipment in the world, and ran incredibly clean.

CMW

I did some research and this is what I found so far...

http://smogtips.com/visual_inspection.html

http://www.superchevy-web.com/tech/0308sc_blownlegal/

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/levprog/labeloal.pdf

">People keep talking about these superchargers. Can you pass a CA smog
>inspection with one?
>Steve

The Sebring supercharger comes with a California exemption number, which
means that it has been certified to be smog legal in California. I haven't
needed a smog check since installation, though. Has anyone out there? Can
you relate your story?

cu,
Gary"

Oxnard, CA – Vortech Engineering has introduced a supercharging system for the 2003 6.0L GM truck. This new 2003 6.0 GM system is 50-state smog approved under CARB EO #D-213-19 and is complimented with a 3-year limited warranty. All components are included in the kit to bolt the system to a stock vehicle, such as injectors, high-flow fuel pump, by-pass valve, brackets, hoses, hardware, and air filter. The kit will allow you to run
all your factory accessories including power steering and A/C."

If my kit/ our kits are basically based on the 4.6/5.0 Ford Mustang Kit it seems that for a visual inspection they would have to look at every part.
I will check tonigh on the after cooler and S/C to see if they are stamped, as well as the other parts that I have.

Chris W

bcdavis

I bet if you installed a supercharger off one of those CARB legal kits, then you could pass inspection, because it would have the sticker on it... As long as there is some attempt to be legal, and most of the stuff seems to be hooked up, they will just focus on seeing what the sniffer says.

Gregg K

I'm blown away this all fits under that hood! And only one day to install?! Someone please hide my checkbook!!!!!!!!!!