Long story short, got pulled over by the CHP and my intake and strut bar have 2 go. His excuse for the strut bar was "It does not belong there". So back to stock we go.

I was lookin for the TRD drop in filter but apparently it is for the SuperCharger only, http://www.trdsparks.com/displaypart...&parts_id=1359. True? or can it be used on non SC tC's.

 

A drop in filter will get you zero gain in HP. I'd say just go back to stock and be done with it. Don't waste the money. K&N makes one too...

The strut bar I would fight. To my knowledge there's nothing (even in CA) that says you can't have that. I would ask them to provide the law that says you can't...

I do find it strange that one says Supercharger only... but again, don't bother.

 

wow they made you take a strut bar off?? thank god i dont live in cali.

not sure about those filters but i believe i saw somebody say they sucked, could be wrong though. You can get a k&n drop in for that price though.

 

the cop is a moron to cite you on the strut bar. there's absolutely nothing wrong about it being there.

 

There is a drop-in TRD filter for non-supercharged cars, at least for 07+.

I paid $38 for a K&N drop-in from my Toyota dealer (I pay dealer cost + 15% there though).

They don't make any noticeable power (none on the dyno from what I've seen either) but they are reusable, so it will pay itself off in... 60,000 miles or so... :p

 

That would be the only reason right there. You just have to remember to clean it every x number of miles.

 

I did not argue over the strut bar because the cop gave me a free pass. No fix-it, no state ref garbage. I was able to use the old "I was in the Military" excuse. Luckily for me he was a former Marine, me being former Navy.

As for the strut bar the cop did have a small hand book which displayed pictures of different engine bays. He compared the engine bay on the hand book to my engine bay and pointed out the differences.

 

Wow... that sounds... thorough. He seems well educated on the subject.

 

That's weird. I've had my hood popped before and they never said anything about my strut bar except that it looked good. where in SoCal were you when this happened?

 

I was on the 105 going west getting on the off ramp toward Hawthorne blvd. I had a feeling I was getting pulled over as soon as I passed him. SuperWhite + Carbon fiber hood and lowered= pull over

 

damn now i know to watch myself on the 105

 

Do the '08 tC's have a different size air filter than the '05-'06? K&N has a 05-06 and a 07-09 and there is a $7 difference between the two. If there is no difference I can save those 7 bucks. My stock filter looks like it has been through hell and back.

 

Interesting... not sure if they're different or not actually. I know the MAF sensors are slightly different, but didn't think the filters were. Really though unless you can find solid proof they're the same, I'd stick with the right one even if it's a few $$ more.

 

^^ Thax, I guess I'll play it safe. I think they might be different because they have a different part#. Usually they will use the same part# but change the model year and jack up the price.

 

let me go see if mine has a part number on it

 

part number 33-2252 is what i have had for over a year

 

07-09 part # 33-2252

05-06 part #33-2300

what yr is yours?

 

08

 

Just some FYI if you live in Cali. The CHP is actually trained in spotting and stopping modded cars,which would explain why he had that handbook. The sheriff and LAPD are more geared toward city violence and drug confiscating. Don't get me wrong all three of them will pull you over if u break the law, just expect a more thorough search of your car if you get pulled over by the CHP.

So... If you have a modded car

CHP= Avoid at ALL costs
LAPD/ Sheriff= Avoid IF possible

 

Ya, I don't know if having to compare pictures in a "handbook" to your actual engine bay is really "trained" though. Well, ya, they know what to look for in order to pull you over - but that doesn't mean they know jack ____ about any of it.