California State Referee
03-13-2014, 08:49 AM
#1
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California State Referee
Alright guys 
didn't really know where to start this thread but, I have an appointment with the state referee for my "modified exhaust" I had my midpipe on when I got pulled over, the great sound the CHP heard was my agency power system. So my question is should I replace my whole system back to oem? Or just my midpipe for the referee test which I think will require only smog, visual and a decibel reading. The AP catback is pretty quiet when paired with the oem catalytic converter, but I'm not an expert, so I would love to hear opinions. Also I don't wanna take off my ap catback if I don't gotta.
didn't really know where to start this thread but, I have an appointment with the state referee for my "modified exhaust" I had my midpipe on when I got pulled over, the great sound the CHP heard was my agency power system. So my question is should I replace my whole system back to oem? Or just my midpipe for the referee test which I think will require only smog, visual and a decibel reading. The AP catback is pretty quiet when paired with the oem catalytic converter, but I'm not an expert, so I would love to hear opinions. Also I don't wanna take off my ap catback if I don't gotta.
03-13-2014, 10:24 AM
#4
I don't, but they're not stupid, it's easy as heck to tell if your part is OEM or Aftermarket.
u don't have to believe me, go ahead and do what you planned to do, if u somehow got it, good for u, but if u failed, hate to say i told u so.
oh, even i don't live in Cali, but I do know how visual test is like. the place I live now (overseas) does exact some thing. they go by book to check and see if u have aftermarket parts.
u don't have to believe me, go ahead and do what you planned to do, if u somehow got it, good for u, but if u failed, hate to say i told u so.
oh, even i don't live in Cali, but I do know how visual test is like. the place I live now (overseas) does exact some thing. they go by book to check and see if u have aftermarket parts.
03-13-2014, 10:35 AM
#5
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I don't, but they're not stupid, it's easy as heck to tell if your part is OEM or Aftermarket.
u don't have to believe me, go ahead and do what you planned to do, if u somehow got it, good for u, but if u failed, hate to say i told u so.
oh, even i don't live in Cali, but I do know how visual test is like. the place I live now (overseas) does exact some thing. they go by book to check and see if u have aftermarket parts.
u don't have to believe me, go ahead and do what you planned to do, if u somehow got it, good for u, but if u failed, hate to say i told u so.
oh, even i don't live in Cali, but I do know how visual test is like. the place I live now (overseas) does exact some thing. they go by book to check and see if u have aftermarket parts.
03-13-2014, 02:01 PM
#6
Damn, cops in Cali are viscious right now. I got pulled over for loud exhaust and no front plate last week, luckily the cop decided to be nice and only cited me for no front plate. My friend a couple of weeks ago also got pulled over for loud exhaust on his S2000 and another one of my friends for tinted windows and loud exhaust on his IS300. I suggest putting everything back to stock, you will most likely fail visual like nycgps stated if you only do do a portion of the exhaust. Inspection officers do not take too kindly on anything aftermarket.
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03-13-2014, 02:17 PM
#7
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Of course, my life can't possibly be that easy. Thanks for the advice...I'm thankful he didn't smell my midpipe otherwise I would have been in deeper ****.. So I guess just to eliminate risk I'll replace the whole thing 
stupid exhaust hangers.
stupid exhaust hangers.
03-13-2014, 02:42 PM
#8
Rotary Evolution
if you have the stock parts you should put them all back on. unless you have a decibel meter then you have no way to know for sure that the car will pass inspection otherwise.
a catback is a legal modification but it still must meet the required(96Db?) limit.
if you have a cold air intake it should also be replaced with the stock airbox, if it doesn't have a CARB label affixed to it then it will immediately fail visual as well. you could always just pay the fine and avoid the referee but it is a rather steep fine($500+).
a catback is a legal modification but it still must meet the required(96Db?) limit.
if you have a cold air intake it should also be replaced with the stock airbox, if it doesn't have a CARB label affixed to it then it will immediately fail visual as well. you could always just pay the fine and avoid the referee but it is a rather steep fine($500+).
Last edited by Karack; 03-13-2014 at 02:45 PM.
03-13-2014, 07:44 PM
#9
Visual test basically means :
Not stock = FAILED
it's the same everywhere.
and unless you really know the inspector, they are not gonna risk it, cuz there is no way to know if you're some sort of undercover.
it's PITA I know, but would u rather take the risk of jacking your car up twice when you fail? or just do it once just to get it pass? it's ur call .
Not stock = FAILED
it's the same everywhere.
and unless you really know the inspector, they are not gonna risk it, cuz there is no way to know if you're some sort of undercover.
it's PITA I know, but would u rather take the risk of jacking your car up twice when you fail? or just do it once just to get it pass? it's ur call .
03-13-2014, 09:31 PM
#10
Registered
****. I'm moving to Cali in 6-8 months. I have my stock cat to put back on, but I have a GReddy cat-back exhaust, the car came with it.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
Last edited by OtherSyde; 03-13-2014 at 09:34 PM.
03-13-2014, 11:36 PM
#11
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****. I'm moving to Cali in 6-8 months. I have my stock cat to put back on, but I have a GReddy cat-back exhaust, the car came with it.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
03-14-2014, 01:01 AM
#12
Registered
I think the only thing you have to worry about being carb legal is your intake and your catalytic converter. If you have aftermarket ones. As far as the catback. I passed smog at a regular station with my ap catback hooked to the rp supercat. However the state referee is different they do a smog test a visual and a decibel reading. And then I have to go to the chp station and do a visual too. So it's a bitch and a half. But you can find people slanging theirs on here, craigslist, and junkyards. Look for one and buy it. What part of Cali you moving to Othersyde?
03-14-2014, 01:45 AM
#14
Registered
Nice! It's pretty lonely as far as rotaries here in Hawaii; I see a fair amount of RX-8's and the occasional 7, but they're rarely modded at all and usually look dirty, like they're just used as daily beaters and not appreciated for what they are at all.
The noise thing is another thing I'm really worried about - that's why you got pulled over, right? My GReddy cat back is friggin loud with no cat and I'm sure the Cali cops would pounce on me in a heartbeat... Is there a cat back system, like maybe a Borla or something, or maybe even the stock one, that quiets down that loud angry rotary sound when there's no cat?
The noise thing is another thing I'm really worried about - that's why you got pulled over, right? My GReddy cat back is friggin loud with no cat and I'm sure the Cali cops would pounce on me in a heartbeat... Is there a cat back system, like maybe a Borla or something, or maybe even the stock one, that quiets down that loud angry rotary sound when there's no cat?
03-14-2014, 09:33 AM
#15
I had a Borla, just sold it two days ago to ago forum member here. It was paired with the BHR mid-pipe and it was fairly loud during WOT, but very tolerable during cruising speeds. I currently have an HKS Hi-Power which is the loudest exhaust you can get on our cars with the mid-pipe a header, and it is LOUD. Even when I shift around 2000 RPM, it's still loud. If you want a quieter cat-back than the Greddy, Racing Beat or the Mazdaspeed exhaust with the mid-pipe shouldn't attract much attention. What's great is when you move down to Cali, Racing Beat is local from you in Anaheim. 
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03-14-2014, 10:54 AM
#16
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I had a Borla, just sold it two days ago to ago forum member here. It was paired with the BHR mid-pipe and it was fairly loud during WOT, but very tolerable during cruising speeds. I currently have an HKS Hi-Power which is the loudest exhaust you can get on our cars with the mid-pipe a header, and it is LOUD. Even when I shift around 2000 RPM, it's still loud. If you want a quieter cat-back than the Greddy, Racing Beat or the Mazdaspeed exhaust with the mid-pipe shouldn't attract much attention. What's great is when you move down to Cali, Racing Beat is local from you in Anaheim.
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03-14-2014, 10:59 AM
#17
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Nice! It's pretty lonely as far as rotaries here in Hawaii; I see a fair amount of RX-8's and the occasional 7, but they're rarely modded at all and usually look dirty, like they're just used as daily beaters and not appreciated for what they are at all.
The noise thing is another thing I'm really worried about - that's why you got pulled over, right? My GReddy cat back is friggin loud with no cat and I'm sure the Cali cops would pounce on me in a heartbeat... Is there a cat back system, like maybe a Borla or something, or maybe even the stock one, that quiets down that loud angry rotary sound when there's no cat?
The noise thing is another thing I'm really worried about - that's why you got pulled over, right? My GReddy cat back is friggin loud with no cat and I'm sure the Cali cops would pounce on me in a heartbeat... Is there a cat back system, like maybe a Borla or something, or maybe even the stock one, that quiets down that loud angry rotary sound when there's no cat?
On another note I did read u don't have a oem cat...ur gonna need one in Cali...Otherwise find a smog station. And cozy up to the owner haha.
03-14-2014, 12:01 PM
#18
Originally Posted by Dirtyswiff
Originally Posted by Jazzmeson ?
I had a Borla, just sold it two days ago to ago forum member here. It was paired with the BHR mid-pipe and it was fairly loud during WOT, but very tolerable during cruising speeds. I currently have an HKS Hi-Power which is the loudest exhaust you can get on our cars with the mid-pipe a header, and it is LOUD. Even when I shift around 2000 RPM, it's still loud. If you want a quieter cat-back than the Greddy, Racing Beat or the Mazdaspeed exhaust with the mid-pipe shouldn't attract much attention. What's great is when you move down to Cali, Racing Beat is local from you in Anaheim. ?
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I beg to differ jazzmeson, I bet my agency power beats your hks in loudness, I've got the exhaust ticket to prove it. ?
I had a Borla, just sold it two days ago to ago forum member here. It was paired with the BHR mid-pipe and it was fairly loud during WOT, but very tolerable during cruising speeds. I currently have an HKS Hi-Power which is the loudest exhaust you can get on our cars with the mid-pipe a header, and it is LOUD. Even when I shift around 2000 RPM, it's still loud. If you want a quieter cat-back than the Greddy, Racing Beat or the Mazdaspeed exhaust with the mid-pipe shouldn't attract much attention. What's great is when you move down to Cali, Racing Beat is local from you in Anaheim. ?
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I beg to differ jazzmeson, I bet my agency power beats your hks in loudness, I've got the exhaust ticket to prove it. ?
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03-14-2014, 01:18 PM
#19
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Yea I got the whole system but u got headers so u could probably pushing more sound, I'm just bustin your chops. I got stock headers and I just went from the k&n cone intake back to stock, so dunno how the sound would be if I purchased aftermarket headers..I think the system alone is loud. maybe we can find out one day in the canyons.
03-14-2014, 04:20 PM
#20
No problem man, none taken. I just got curious on your setup. I actually wish my exhaust was just a bit quieter, which is why I got the BHR. The cat-back itself is still too loud, but I can't resist though because I really love the tone. As for the header, it did change the note slightly; a tad raspier than stock, but I don't think it made the car really loud compared to what a mid-pipe does.
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I just got curious on your setup. I actually wish my exhaust was just a bit quieter, which is why I got the BHR. The cat-back itself is still too loud, but I can't resist though because I really love the tone. As for the header, it did change the note slightly; a tad raspier than stock, but I don't think it made the car really loud compared to what a mid-pipe does.Posted From RX8Club.com Android App
03-14-2014, 04:41 PM
#21
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I too am getting over the loudness phase. Would love to do bhr mid pipe to borla catback. Just to sound a little more low key and physically look stock, I think the titanium tips on my ap are an easy target for cops in Cali, even when trying to stay quiet in low revs. I love my ap system but evidently California doesn't. 
03-14-2014, 05:19 PM
#22
Rotary Evolution
a CAI on an 8 is loud enough to not need to bother with a catback, yet quiet enough to not have to worry about sound level issues or power because most of these catbacks likely add nearly nothing powerwise.
03-15-2014, 01:37 PM
#23
****. I'm moving to Cali in 6-8 months. I have my stock cat to put back on, but I have a GReddy cat-back exhaust, the car came with it.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
Does anyone know of a CARB-legal, Cali-approved cat back system for the RX-8? I'd rather just go ahead and buy one, and sell my GReddy later.
.
03-15-2014, 02:47 PM
#24
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I'm surprised no one on the forums has a decibel reader. I'm curious if the ap catback hooked to the oem cat meets state referee standards I think I read a thread where a forum member went to the east la referee and passed with his aftermarket catback.
03-15-2014, 06:11 PM
#25
Rotary Evolution
i should get one but it would be better if the companies selling these parts actually tested their sound limits and gave specs.
even some road courses have sound requirements to race, like sears point.
even some road courses have sound requirements to race, like sears point.