OK, here's the deal. I want to get myself a CAI yet I am VERY hesitant being that it is not CARB legal...I live in Connecticut even though I doubt it matters as I believe that it is CARB legal nowhere.

So here's the question. The poll speaks for itself as whether or not you would buy or did buy a CAI even though its illegal.
But what do all of you guys do that have the CAI when inspection time comes around??
Remove it temporarily?!?
How do you all pass inspection when you have it??
Doesn't the illegality of the car put you at risk for tickets/impounding if ever inspected (for whatever reason)?

Thanks all!

 

I'm kinda interested in what people do about passing inspection with a CAI...any input??

 

bump

 

we have 5 years before inspection here in cali since the car is new.

You have 2 options, either put it back to stock for inspections, or do what I am doing, and get a C.A.R.B. sticker from another product from the same company, and stick it on your product.

 

And that actually works? Here in Connecticut, we don't have 5 years. I'm not sure exactly, but it is either 2 or 3 years I believe. It seems like too much of a big deal to remove it and reinstall it. If you are gonna do that, you better be able to do it yourself!

If only they made a legal one!

 

Is this what everybody does, or does somebody else have a secret?

 

honestly. uninstall and install takes 1 hr tops if you have done it at least once. and why should it matter. you only go in for emissions once every 3 to 4 years? in chicago we go in 4 years after the purchase of a new car. and its a simple removal. i dont see what the big fuss is about. if you dont want to go through the trouble of 1 hr of your life then dont get it.

 

Understood, yet I haven't done it myself and honestly, I'm afraid to. Probably wouldn't be a big deal and my stepdad could help me, but it LOOKS like a big deal. So far, people say it is extremely basic. You make a good point, but it would just be easier if there were a better way. Were you able to do it yourself roflitzjinno and am I talking to a mechanic? lol

Anyone have any real/justifiable information that a CAI is coming out with CARB certification or would that be impossible as several people have ventured to say?

 

Anyone know if any short ram is CARB legal?

 

nothing is. well... except for the stock one.

 

Um... last I knew - CARB means nothing in CT. Get whatever you want... your concern outside of CA is emissions testing.

 

no intake is going to be legal on the tc because if u open up the stock air box and look on the top piece, underneath it, there is a special filter with a screen mesh that sucks up sum lingering fumes back into the the intake manifold. no intake will have that so therefore no intake will ever be legal. the only bad thing about buying an expensive intake for the tc is since its never going to be legal, then if u get cited you'll get a phat fine for tampering with emissions equipment. thats the fine amount (about $300) on top of the $200-$300 you paid for the intake itself. your best bet if your not a brand ***** is to get an intake from ebay. that'll only cost u about $60. so if u do get a ticket for it , it won't be that bad of a hit for your wallet. as for the install takes about 20 mins. to take out the stock air box and 20 mins. to install the new intake. only 3 bolts that hold the stock air box on (in the inside of the box) and 2 clamps that hold the breather hose and the stock intake tube on. its very easy. anyone can do it. just put the car back to stock for smog time and re-install when done with smog. unconvenient i know but unfortunately thats whats going to have to be done if u want aftermarket intake.

 

Ah, that finally makes sense. I was wondering why I didn't recognize the CARB term, while emissions testing is a big thing here. I guess even still though, that a SRI or CAI cannot pass emissions testing either!

 

Depends on how strict your emissions testing is. Most of it will be via exhaust gases and such. Which the intake won't change too much. That's where you have to worry about replacing a header and losing a cat.

 

California Air Resource Board. CARB. if u can get any car parts to pass CARB and get their approval, chances are that u can use'em anywhere in the U.S. with no problems. too bad most tc parts aren't going to be CARB legal tho. because every performance part for the tc has to remove sum part of the emissions system making it illegal. funny that toyota would make the tc like that since the whole scion thing is "customization".

 

Best thing to do is go to a reputable shop (not where you'd normally get inspected) and just ask them about it. Ask them what they do for emissions testing and that should give you an idea what you can and can't do with yours.

 

CARB= California Air Resources Board

 

true that intake won't affect the actual emissions test but here in california we have 2 parts to the test. a visual and actuall test on the machine. even if it passes the actuall test it won't pass the visual part because its not CARB legal.

 

Yea, or even the dealer...just to ask questions. If they tell me that it will pass inspection with a TRD CAI (for example), i'd get it in writing, then I can have it inspected there. After all, they do sell them at the local dealers (not that i'd buy it there)

 

In connecticut, there obvious is no CARB regulations, just emissions testing. Rather than having to go to the dealer, does anyone from CT know whether or not a CAI is legal here?