CA Doug Thorley Header help

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T

ToddLC

Joined
Jan 4, 2010
Threads
3
Messages
22
I am in a bind I am hoping to get some help with.

I am in California and have the Doug Thorley headers installed on my truck. I love the headers but need to pull them in order to reregister my car. There are two different 'levels' of smog testing that needs to take place. One is regular testing and the second is 'Star' testing for 'gross polluters'. I just so happened to be selected for Star smog testing and while my car passes emissions without any problems, I can't pass the visual examination. As a result, I need to swap them out.

Does anybody have a pair of old exhaust manifolds I can borrow or buy to get my car registered? I don't care if they have holes in them or not, I just need to get my LC registered.

I also noticed that there are a couple of people here running DT headers that have passed smog to reregister their cars. Did you have Star smog testing? What did you do?

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
 
Todd,

Where in CA are you? This might help get you in touch with people that might have some exhaust manifolds you can use.

Also, maybe put a call to DT Headers and see if they have a smog exempt decal from the state. I think they were applying for this to give out. I'm not 100% sure on this.

Wow, that's a lot of work to swap them out (again). Is there another smog station that can pass you?
 
i4c4lo,

Good to hear from you. I am in the Fresno / Clovis area

I have spoken to Mike at DT headers and everything is still in process.

The additional problem that I have is that California now has two different types of smog testing stations rather than one. There is a 'regular' way to smog your vehicle and there is a 'special' way. The 'special' way is working with a 'special' station who has additional standards that they need to comply with. I just so happen to assigned to work with a 'special' station.

I am sure that this is all just an additional revenue source for the State of CA.

At this point, I am looking for 'pass or no pay' stations in the area to see what I can find but not much luck. I will try a few more then go for the exhaust swap.

If you can research the manifolds, that would be great. I can pay for shipping to and from my place.

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.
 
Subscribed...new CA resident here. I thought DT headers were smog approved. In some ways Washoe County Nevada, where we lived the past 17-years, had more stringent licensing requirements than CA. But this STAR smog program potentially puts my LC in jeopardy too.
 
I have an old non-leaking pair that I can sell off a 2000. PM me if interested.
 
Can you tell us more about what the visual inspection entails? If anything replacing leaking headers would improve your emissions. Are try literally failing it because your exhaust is shiny?

Could you paint the headers or reinstall some stock heat shields?

This so little sense that it could only be a CA law. They just can't wait until everyone leaves.

Also this STAR SMOG systems seems like cronyism. Some of them are allowed to do smog tests and perform repairs.

In VA mechanics had to perform a $15 state inspection every year. Sure enough that's when a brake light would suddenly go out once it was in the mechanics hands.
 
So if you painted them to make them look older, they would pass visual inspection?
 
Some ugly heat shields would do the trick...I agree also though when I looked at the DT site I was lead to believe they already had their CARB exemption completed. Now I can't even find them on their website...odd.
 
Last edited:
The way I understand it, STAR smog testing is not any stricter testing than a non-star station nor is it just for 'gross polluters.' Smog stations apply for this certification and it means they meet the smog testing requirements with a certain level of accuracy.

Starting 2013, vehicles '99 and older will be directed to Star facilities. Model year 2000 and newer will not require the sniffer test. They will use the existing OBDII to test the emissions. For the customer, the test will be faster and cheaper by $15-25.

As far as DT headers and smog. DT has been saying they were "in the process" of getting certified since the 100 series headers first came out. I'd bug them to find out if they are doing everything they can get this done.
 
hoser said:
Starting 2013, vehicles '99 and older will be directed to Star facilities. Model year 2000 and newer will not require the sniffer test. They will use the existing OBDII to test the emissions. For the customer, the test will be faster and cheaper by $15-25.
Click to expand...

I'm also under the impression that if you qualify for the OBDII test for emissions, then you DON'T have a visual inspection at all. Basically everything about emissions is reported via the on board computer and there is no visual inspection or exhaust pipe sniffer.

Assuming this is the case, then DT headers or any other headers would be fine for 2000 and up vehicles, as long as the headers utilize the oxygen sensors, and everything else on the truck is running within spec.
 
pavieSD said:
Assuming this is the case, then DT headers or any other headers would be fine for 2000 and up vehicles, as long as the headers utilize the oxygen sensors, and everything else on the truck is running within spec.
Click to expand...

In Oregon at least they look under with mirrors to see if cats are deleted even if doing a OBDII inspection. Funny, because on my 05 OBXT it has the cat deleted from the uppipe and they're none the wiser. Never have had them look under the hood though.
 
Good to hear from everybody. Thank you all for your feedback.

I agree with comments that this 'Star' system was set up to appease some special interest groups. My LC is a 2001 and was assigned for 'Star' testing. In looking on the ARB website, it stated that assignment to a Star testing facility is a 'random' process.

Regarding the ARB, I was able to speak to the second person in command at the ARB regarding aftermarket certification. He said that if there is a certification request in process, there may be something that can be done but he was not able to find anything for the LC from DT. I am not saying that DT did file the paperwork. All I am saying is that the person with whom I spoke who had access to the database of in process certification requests was not able to find it in the system. I called DT and told them this and Mike said he would follow up on the matter.

As far as the test is concerned, the first thing the tech does is do a visual inspection where he looked to see if all of the equipment was there. It was all there but so was the header. He saw that the header was aftermarket and looked for the OE number that was to have been welded on the header itself. He also looked for a sticker that would have been placed on the front panel just in front of the radiator. When it wasn't there, he called me over and told me he had to 'fail' the vehicle based on the visual inspection alone.

Since he is in the business of performing smog checks, he recommended that he test to see how it would do. I thought that this was odd since I already failed the test but I approved it nonetheless as I wanted to see if the vehicle would pass smog.

The only part I failed on the smog test was the visual. I will pass if I can find a 'Star' testing center that can overlook the header or miss it altogether. I am actively looking for a 'Star' testing center run by the visually impaired that I can make a donation to but no such luck at this point.

The heat shield is a good idea. I don't have any shields I can put onto the car and retest. Has anybody tried this in the past? I am still looking into the manifold as a last resort.

Some of you have also mentioned having leaky manifolds that I am contacting next.

I just wanted to reiterate that I am not contesting DT's claim that they submitted the paperwork to CARB. I am just saying that the person I spoke could not find it.

I am confident that DT will look into the matter and do what is needed to attain certification.

Thank you for all of your feedback. I have been on here for years but just started participating in the group.
 
4 17168-50090 heat shield left $51.20 $38.40
4 17167-50100 heat shield right $68.96 $51.72
 
Wow... This is crazy. Only a matter of time until we get the "Star" system... :rolleyes:
 
MtnAddict said:
Wow... This is crazy. Only a matter of time until we get the "Star" system... :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It's likely, although the name "Star" may not apply. There's movement to adopting the CARB standards nationally, and believe it or not automakers aren't opposed. Increased emission standards are a given, but now the automakers have to certify to both the national standard and the CARB standard. I would simplify their development cycle and reduce development costs to certify to a single standard.
 
Good luck finding a STAR smog shop that'll turn their head at aftermarket stuff. Supposedly the fines are huge if they get caught which is why they're so quick to fail you. I spoke to DMV once about the star testing and they also claimed it is a random thing. For my 93 pickup I've had to do both star testing and regular smog. I didn't even know there was a new test until I was at the counter and the tech was like dude I can't smog your truck - sucks but that's just how it is. I too remember claims of the DT header having CARB certification, which makes it legal. Isn't there a CARB number etched/welded on the header somewhere? I've seen one on every other Dt header ive seen in person. Here's where DT website says all their stuff is 50 state legal: http://dougthorleyheaders.com/faqs
 
Subscribed...

Is this something that you California guys have to go through every year?

The time/cost of doing the header R&R every year would make it not worth any gains. What else would be an automatic fail? What if the headers weren't shiny and fancy?

How do all the Honda/Acura racers get by in SoCal? It seems like 25% of the cars in SoCal have been modded.
 
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