GingerPowered

When a manufacturer's description states that an exhaust is not "highway legal," does that mean the vehicle isn't going to pass the sniffer during yearly inspection? For example:

http://www.sparktecmotorsports.com/b...ZtcaArR-8P8HAQ

Also, does anyone running Borla have input regarding the 4" tips on the Racing system, vis a vis the 3.5" on the Enduro system?

Archimedes

It means it has not been certified legal for on road use from either a sound and/or emissions perspective.

GingerPowered

So, I'd have no guarantee that it'd pass emissions in Texas, correct?

Archimedes

Depends on whether its merely due to sound or something like a cat bypass. Also depends on the rules in Texas. Our here in California, technically, ANY modification to the exhaust system is an automatic failure if they detect it. I had trouble getting my brand new 991 bought from an out of state dealer smogged because they couldn't see the entire emission system...

Spokayman

That Borla you referenced looks like a cat-back system meaning that the first catalytic converter in the exhaust stream (there are two per side in the 987) is retained in the car. The 2nd cat is integrated into the stock mufflers and the new Borla mufflers will not have the 2nd cat. So, the 2nd cat goes bye-bye.
My understanding is that the 2nd cat is not needed for a car to pass a sniff test if the 1st cats are working well. And, the 987 emissions software does not know that the 2nd cats are missing as there is no O2 sensor downstream of the 2nd cat.
However as noted above, you would need to verify with the Texas emissions agency to determine what they actually check for.

Partially for the reasons noted by Archimedes for California compliance, and partially for cost reasons, I chose the option of having a Carnewal muffler mod performed which removes the 2nd cat and re-plumbs the internals of the stock muffler while retaining the stock look 100%. Visually there is no difference to the exhaust system since the stock muffler casing and cat "cone" remains. Only the internals are changed.
With Carnewal the sound is good though not nearly Borla levels of sound, but also not the drone that comes with Borla systems.
I have no affiliation with Carnewal, I am simply a satisfied customer of their product.

GingerPowered

This is very helpful. I was actually wondering if there was a way to just improve the stock set up, as I really don't want the droning sound, but would like a little more oomph and a little more noise when requested.

This is prolly a common topic, but can you get similar hp and torque gains compared to going entirely aftermarket? However, I do want to get rid of the rectangle exhaust tips, completely. The round 987.2 set up looks so much better.

Schmidts Cat

From what I know. In California. There is no "snif test" anymore. Just obd2 and visual. Nothing downstream from the cats matter.

xpensivewino

California's automotive laws are so gay. For a state that thrives on the car culture, they do everything they can to run us enthusiasts out of town. Can't wait to retire and move the hell out of here!!!

MagicRat

We don't really mean 'gay' now do we folks? We mean 'bad', 'discouraging', 'overzealous', 'lame' and 'wrong', but I don't think we want to associate those things with being gay. Thanks.

Spokayman

Yeah, not sure what "gay" has to do with the emission laws. Not that there's anything wrong with that........

They certainly don't make sense in many cases, they are frustrating and joy-killing.
Stupid would be a better one-word description.....

Here in WA state, emissions are checked via plugging into the car's OBD in 2009+ vehicles, but they still perform the sniff test on some models built earlier than that.