so... I did some calling around and found out exactly what makes the intake systems illegal on our cars for the state of california. It's not the intake system but its the filter itself. Apparently toyota uses a special filter that filters out the carbon in the air which keeps it within emission standards.

Naturally the wheels are spinning and what i'm going to attempt is probably stupid but worth a shot... My friend bought a brand new tC just like mine which he isnt mod'ing so what i think i'm going to do is take both are cars to get ref'd. But what i'm going to do is take the factory filter and try and work a piece of it into the intake system/filter and get it ref'd and see what happens.

Anyone think this will work? Today... I hate california. Why is it that TRD can install their intake system from the dealership and get away with it? There's gotta be a way around this or something...

 

But rember TRD's in mad expensive right. Plus isn't K&N and Injen pending CARB?? Good luck and good work on the research, I won't have had the paitence.

 

even if u hacked the hell out the of factory air intake, and some how manage to not mess up your MAF sensor/ratings and still runs fine. Its still illegal in a cop's eye.

 

Eventually, most if not all states will have higher emission standards. Cali is one of the few states to do it first. But I do feel your pain. When I was researching CAIs, I couldn't decide on one. After reading on this site the gains are minimal to nil, I just decided it was worth the $220-$340 for an CAI. Good luck on your research and let us now the outcome.

 

no one is pending carb..... like mentioned... removal of the charcoal filter and the fact that the charcoal filter was there stock....

is because why there are and never will be any aftermarket intakes that will be carb legal..

same applies to the '06 xA/xB intakes as well.

even if you try to hack the stock charcoal filter and install it into your afermarket cai...... it's still visually illegal... and very much a pointless thing to do.

TRD as well as most other current companies can sell their current intakes because of the little quote that they add.. "for offroad use only"

 

Well... I talked to TRD and guess what they said, on the tC their intake system is illegal unless for off road use... So, one thing I know for a fact that can be done is if you can get your car ref'd with your CAI and show that your within emissions standards you can fight it in court if you choose to. The thing is TRD and Injen both said that with the wide open air filters you wont pass. Period. I don't know why but I'm guessing that because of all the filtration in the factor filter that is where the power loss is. So with the wide open tuning filters you get your gains... But still... there's gotta be a way. It hurts to think about having to take out the lower pipe to put in the factory system... I'm going to figure something out damnit...

 

^squall posted while i was typing... and he's right. I wish they could develop a charcoal filter to put on the end of the CAI system so you don't have to swap out the whole thing, only the filter. That would be more convenient wouldn't it...?

 

thers always the DocI GFintakes..

 

Damn, I need to be extra careful now to not get pulled over. So even if your car passes smog, you can still be ticketed? Has anyone had their car smogged with a CAI and passed? This is bull shizzznit!

 

Well, the way I see it is to try and not draw attention to your car. And an exhaust system is DEFINATELY a dead give away for a ticket. And if you have headers and CAI, your screwed. So, i'm going to stay low key and try not to get pulled over.

^To answer your question yes... you can be ticketed even if you pass smog. BUT, you can fight it in court if you can prove your car was within emissions during the time of the ticket or with the CAI on the car. It's not easy to have it pass with the CAI on tho. The court is going to ask for an actually emissions report with numbers on it, not just a signature from a ref. I'm pretty sure at least... If they are that **** about it...

 

I'm ____ed at the guy who installed my CAI and HKS exhaust. He stated that even though the CAI said its not CARB legal, that it had since been approved. Thanks for the heads up TrueSlide.

 

No problem, I'm trying to find out if there are any filters out there that will help with emissions and no compromise performance. AEM did alot of research on this DRYFLOW filter but I dont know how it effects the emissions.

Here's an information link about the filter. http://www.aempower.com/files/dryflo...eabusetest.pdf

I know that on certain vehicles AEM has been approved for california emissions... http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...rmktdevice.php

...if it's due to the filter that they are using then maybe i'll just swap filters and take the power compromise. It can't be that drastic and any intake modification is better than the factory air box...

 

The main reason for the charcoal filter on the stock intake is to absorb fumes from the unused gasoline in the fuel delivery system when the ignition is off.

If you can find someone that has the TRD supercharger and is running an aftermarket intake, you can use the intake from the stock s/c. It will allow a little more airflow and gets rid of the resonator so it will be slightly louder. Then get a drop-in filter for it.

 

Truthfully... I'm just ____ed off, I don't want to take out my Injen and use a drop in due to the fact I spent the money and did the work myself. I'm not going to let some damn cop treat me like a piece of $hit because I want to enjoy my damn car. I'm finding a way around this... Besides, I think get better gas mileage, the stock airbox restricts alot of airflow and fuel is dumped into the engine... The tC was made to be mod'd. I'm just not going to get an exhaust because it draws too much attention. I'll wait till I PCS again...

 

All of this carb crap isnt even about the enviorment. if that were the case all goverment vehicles would be hybrids. its just to cut down on illegal street racing. and in cali thats a big thing. if you go out and spend $250 dollars on a damn intake you cant tell me youre not going to stop light race/freeway race someone. granted you wont race the big V8's but you will race that tc in your rearview> and thats what they are trying to cut down on, is stop light races ending up in tc's with a soccer mom with four kids in the car.

Now on the same token im not praising these "air quality standards" either im just stating the real resaon these laws are in effect. the only people that care about the envoirment are the "tree huggers" (i use the term loosely), which i certinly am not otherwise i doubt i would be a member of this board.

whew...

not trying to add insult to injury but this is why i made the comment

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=162616

 

thats some bull crap! stupid lawws!

 

Move to Florida...we don't have any emissions testing here. w00t for FL.

 

i dont like gators or hurricanes!!

 

sorry to say, but you're fighting against two of the biggest forces in the world. california law and mother nature. for me, i don't like the idea of being pulled over for something so asinine. i just keep it under regulation, and enjoy it as much as i can.

 

cops cant pop your sh#t anyway. your hood/engine bay is a locked compartment, just like the glove box, trunk, and that lunch box you have in the back seat.

in the great words of jay-z
"my glove compartment is locked and so's the trunk in the back, and i know my right, so youll need a warrent for that".

now if your racing or speeding or at a meet, that gives them something called probable cause, and that my friends is a butt raping waiting to happen.