Ok, so i am still going back and forth between wether or not to get a turbo kit for my 8. I am currently in the army and i have options to move around alot, but when i get out in 3 yrs i plan on moving back home to California. I want to put a turbo kit on my 8 but i have heard that it is illegal in california and by no means will pass emissions testing. This is really the only thing holding me back, as i dont want to spend the money on a good kit/installation only to be told that my car can't be registered cause it wont pass a smog check, can anyone, preferebly in California share their experience and or advice. I have done much research on the CA DMV website and havent found much, i have also searched the forums and came up short so now i am reaching out to the 8 community for help, thanks Rob...

 

i don't personally know of any carb legal turbo kits for the rx8. so i wouldn't do it if i wasn't a hard-core enthusiast with money to spare on install, tune, removal, re-install and etc.

but then again...whats the new smog regulations for new cars??? its longer than 2 years so go for it. you only live once.

 

just got to find the right shop with the right amount of beer!

 

^^no doubt. What ever happened to paying off your local back alley wheel/inspection shop?? Here its $60 and u get paperwork and stickers slapped on, dont even have to drive into the garage. You live in America!! It is your duty support its shady capitalists.

 

hahaha~ YEAH!!!!

 

new cars in california dont' need smog for 5 years. Then it's every 2 years.

 

IIRC the pettit S/C was looking to get Carb certified .....

 

So...is Pettit racing still actively working with CARB E.O. certification? I know GReddy just got its Honda S2000 turbo kit certified Jan. 2008.

 

politicians f*** over the system for there own personal gain... Considering what they get away with... I really doubt you slapping on a turbo will gain national media attention...

 

No there are not enough sales to justify Pettit to carb certify.

Any FI application will not pass in Calf. period.

There is something called visual inspection. It will never pass that.

Even it was just as clean or cleaner than stock.

 

GReddy Turbo kit for Honda S2000 just certified for CARB this month. Are they lying about it? It is on its website in news section, sir...???

 

if it's CARB certified, it will pass visual inspection. It IS possible to do it in California, just expensive and sales might not support it for the 8.

 

I dont really think it is THAT expensive...

I think it is expensive if you dont design it right the first time, and have to change things after testing...

On the miata forums there is a thread about a shop getting carb approved for a turbo kit...they were anxious and passed first time, so no need to retool anything or change design

other than making a kit with "keeping things legal" in mind what mass amount of money needs to be spent that people always say its too costly...

I am still reading up and learning about the rotary b4 i buy an 8 so maybe i just dont know what i am talking about yet and there is some inherent design flaw so that rotaries can be legal NA just not turbo...oh crap wait FD's were turboed...different rules now yea..but really...what makes it soooo hard and $$$??

 

well sorry to hear about your situation - but thats one reason I could never live in that state. Their stupid rules and **** ways - the fact if you turn the car into something cleaner/better and you won't pass. The fact that you can go buy a big *** boat of an SUV thats even worse then our 8 and be legal, but the second you try to modify your car (even if its not as bad as an SUV) you are still "illegal"

 

+1

people do that here, but for tint. you'd be surprised how obsessed people are with tint in texas.

 

I live in Dallas...yes i know all about their beloved tint! LOL

....i think tint laws should coincide with that states ave. sunshine/temp's. It get so hot and sunny here i couldnt imagine no tint. I dont want to even think of how the folks in the desert feel, LOL. Sry for thread jack.

 

I am just thinking out loud here....

but isnt there a law here if u swap in a different engine than the one(s) offered for that model than you can register it differently and it wont have to pass emissions..

I think so...so yea..swap in 20B and have fun

 

so basically if you find the right smog technician you CAN pass all CA smog inspections even with a turbo, right?

 

sure.

 

oh. i see.

 

Passing my GF's prelude cost 200 extra....FYI

lol just in case ur shopping

 

Yah, and with the engine covers in place (with a little hacking on the backside) as long as you pass the sniff test you might not have any issues at all. Or buy yourself a corporate address in another state and register the car there.

 

i used to have a turbo sentra and i passed the sniffer by backing up on the timing pretty extreme, the smog tech passed me as long as the sniffer passed

 

The other thing you have to worry about in california is getting pulled over and having you hood opened. If you get caught with an illegal modification you will get sent to a smog referee. You would have to make everything legal before you can take care of the ticket. If you do not take care of the ticket then your license and registration will get suspended.

 

You really have to be an asshat to have a CHP or other highway fairing official do that to you.