I just moved from AZ to CA and I have to get my car registered, so I took it to an inspection and smog station.......... and failed.

I purchased my Z with a no-name cold air intake already installed, so I cleaned the filter and that was that. AZ doesn't shove their nose up your a$$ for every little thing you do to your car, so I never worried about it.

Apparently you have to have a CARB certified intake in California to be able to pass smog inspection. Well I don't have the special little sticker that means nothing more than the fact that the company that made the intake paid California to allow them to pass here. Because we all know that a cold air intake is nothing more than a freakin' piece of tubing and a basic cone filter, except a CARB certified one is made with ridiculous amounts of engineering and jam pack stuffed with magic pixie dust so that it won't affect the air quality out here, even though it has nothing to do with the exhaust portion of the car

I'm annoyed.

Regardless... I have to figure out what to do. I can replace the whole unit with a CARB certified one (I think I'm looking at $180). Or I can buy or borrow an original intake for inspection and then put my CAI back on afterwards. I really don't want to spend any money right now though. This move killed me financially and I'm not back to good quite yet.

What would you guys recommend?

 

Pics of intake?

Most likely if it's a no-name intake you would be better off with the OEM intake so you should just find one locally and swap it out to pass CARB and use it going forward

 

I took this pic the day I got the car, so don't judge the dirt! lol!

I was thinking about getting a Jim Wolf Pop Charger (since it has the CARB sticker) and installing it onto the aluminum tube I have now. I don't know if they would work well together well though.

 

I can't see your photo but that is also a good idea, the aluminum tube should work fine

 

Yeah Cali sucks like that. I think the JWT is one of the only ones with a CARB number. What about your exhaust? If its aftermarket it might not pass either.

 

Exhaust is stock. But I've heard that anything cat-back is legal. Anyone know if that's true?

 

This is one of those things where I've heard it both ways. Try is and see what happens. I know the NISMO is the only one 50 state legal cat back.

 

Can anyone confirm this? I'm getting smogged tomorrow and I have a pro n1..
If it's case by case maybe I should call the shop first to make sure.

 

i know newer injen cold air intakes have a c.a.r.b sticker. im assuming a lot of the main name brand intakes have them also. intakes are usually pretty similar in design, i think they will all get a c.a.r.b. cert. sticker if they apply. exhaust too, i dont see how a cat back system could affect emissions.

 

The Stillen intake is also C.A.R.B. certified.

If you like your current intake just find a stock intake in the classifieds section and swap before your smog test. To save you some time and aggravation, I'd look for a stock Z-tube too. A picky tech will fail you on the aluminum tube. Basically, any changes from the air filter to the cats have to be stock or C.A.R.B. certified.

In California, your will be ok with a Cat-back system.

Ugh, Cali smog tests one of the few things I hate about Cali, that and the lack of 93 octane haha. Good luck man.