drop in's DO NOT have CARB EO#'s. They're replacement panel filters, just like a Fram filter. read ash's post about the "gray" area....



FMIC is CARB legal if it's been CARB approved (vehicle specific also). IE, the STOCK FMIC on a Evo is not CARB approved for our WRX's, GReddy FMIC for the GSR turbo kit is not legal on a WRX.



umm.. you do know that CARB stands for Califonia Air Resources Board? and that california had the dirtiest air in the nation from 1950-1980? If we didnt have smog checks/laws, we'd still have having stage 1/2 smog alerts (remeber those days where you couldnt go out and play during recess b/c smog levels were too high??)

although i too believe that CARB regulations are a bit excessive, i still believe that basic smog laws need to be enforced (i.e. you need to have your cats while driving on public roads)

 

Yes, if they have a CARB EO# for that application, otherwise no.

 

Wrong any fmic is legal, CARB number or not. Look at appendix K in the smog handbook.

 

is that the most current one? date on page says 2002...

otherwise, SA-WEET!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Thank you NZO, I knew that the cops were correct the whole time...

 

cool... so front mount intercoolor + all the piping that runs into your engine bay are all legal?

nice to know

 

I'll reserve judgement until a couple of car owners with retrofitted front-mounts have actually gone to a referee station and gotten signed off on the part. That scanned page from the smog check inspection manual states "Intercoolers for OEM turbochargers" are "Items not of concern". That could be subject to interpretation and it could mean that only OEM intercoolers that came on vehicles equipped with OEM turbochargers are permissable.

Another ambiguous point - "OEM turbocharger" - what is that? The VF34 is an OEM turbo for the S202 model vehicle but not the USDM WRX. Upgrading from the TD04 to the VF34 and STi 'pinks' is technically not a legal modification to U.S. spec cars.

Another line from that page says that also exempt are "Blowby oil separators and filters" but it doesn't tell you that catch cans and other oil vapor separators installed on street-driven vehicles must be closed crankcase systems and not at any point vented to the atmosphere.

--
0==WW==0
"…axles of evil…" - george w. bush

 

yun, as long as you don';t change the location of the throttle body, and you don't change the BOV yes, a FMCI is totally legal.

 

I know people have been signed off on VF series turbo's, I think Josh was when he bought that swapped RS, I could be wrong though.

 

Pretty much exactly my thoughts ^^^^^^^, except I won't reserve my judgement because I'm pretty certain that the couple of guys claiming that "ALL FMIC's are legal" are misinformed and taking judicious liberties with their own interpretations of the smog guidelines.

Yes, intercoolers are legal for OEM turbochargers, but that means OEM turbochargers that come installed WITH cars STOCK......not going and slapping an EVO FMIC (or any intercooler from another vehicle make/model) on a WRX or any other factory turbo'd car.


Additionally, for those of you trying to circumvent the guidelines, how many of you have utilized FMIC's w/**OEM** turbos (NO, VF34's, VF22's, etc are NOT OEM turbos here in the States).

To reiterate, I highly doubt FMIC's are legal for use in CA w/out CARB EO #'s for usage SPECIFIC vehicles makes/models. If you're trying to slip by making up your own loopholes & playing irrational semantics, all I can say is good luck, but frankly, you're gambling with terrible odds. And we all know the house always wins in the end!

 

First of all, since an EVO FMIC comes from the factory, it clearly wouldnt have a CARB E.O. number. Second of all, if you look up intercoolers that do have CARB E.O. numbers, they are all for cars that do not come from the factory with a turbo, Integra's, Civic's, etc. The problem with the FMIC's is that most require a BOV which is not CARB legal, if you can find an intercooler that utilizes the stock bypass valve it should be CARB legal.

 

You switched from talking about intercoolers to turbos mid sentence. The point is if your car comes from the factory turbo, then you can put whatever intercooler you want on it as long as all other required emissions devices remain in place. That is the only situation we're discussing. No one is putting a vf30 on a civic and claiming its legal to have a FMIC. BTW this obviously means putting an Evo FMIC on a WRX is legal although Im not sure where you were going with that.

 

I sincerely mean this with all due respect....some of you guys can't really be this dense. I'll take the higher road now and not say anything else and just reiterate that your loose interpretations of the rules are pretty misguided. I sincerely hope it doesn't co$t you.

I was hesitant to add my $.02 to this before my initial post because I pretty much knew guys would be posting nonsense and try to justify using aftermarket (& non-stock/ex: EVO for you thick folks) FMIC intercoolers when anyone with COMMON SENSE knows that they are are illegal for use in CA.

You guys can keep banging your heads against the brick wall all you want. I'm done with this.

 

Well you can ask plenty of supra guys, they pass with no problem because they are perfectly legal. I guess some people wont believe it till they see it, but I can understand where it would be hard to believe.

 

What are you basing this on? Do you know anyone who has been failed due to having an FMIC? I know plenty of people who have them, and not on of them has been failed due to it. Since most WRX/STi applications require an aftermarket BOV that is where the problem is encountered. I dont see how I have such a thick head when you are the one who refuses to acknowledge what the rules say.