Thinking about attacking the exhaust as a first mod, but I want to stay emissions legal and not void my warranty.

To me it looks like my options are limited to a $1500 Dynatech system or some mid lengths from The Other Guys or Bassani, unless I go with long tubes from AS&M or Hooker and have a custom y-pipe with cats fabbed up.

Of course, the option is always out there to just keep the stock stuff in the attic and swap it out once a year for the inspection, but I'd rather not have to go through that for my daily driver, unless it is a whole lot easier than I'm thinking that it would be.

What do you guys think?

 

i got some edelbrock ceramic coated headers that would keep you legal

 

Not exactly sure what 'emissions legal' is in Texas, but if you replace the cats before 80,000 miles and there is not a documented issue with them, then you have just performed an 'illegal' act. This is a Federal thing, not a state issue (read all about it here).

If this is the case, you will need to stick to a system that doesn't mess with the cats. I think TOG have the best product for mid-length, showing nearly the gains of a long-throw header.

 

I believe that you are correct that anything that changes the emission system at all, even the position of the cats, is not technically legal. My concern though is that the emission control systems remain functional (which I think is limited to EVAP on my '05 (no AIR or EGR) and the cats themselves) and that it will not throw any codes. If I'm not polluting any more than the law allows, I feel I've complied at least in spirit, and enough to get my inspection renewed by a less than absolute stickler for the law.

 

the headers i got will hook up to your factory y-pipe and there will be no changes in the rest of the exhaust

 

How is the plug access with the Edelbrocks?

 

Well then that's a different story. Emissions 'legal' and emissions 'compliant' are two different things....you said 'legal' in your original post so I was trying to give you info to help in that way.

 

Sorry for the confusion. I really just want to pass inspection and keep the actual fumes within the limits.

Does anyone know what the Y-pipe situation is with the TOG headers, I've had no luck figuring out how they are set up.

 

TOG headers come with a flange, and another short piece with a flange that bolts up to the flange on the header. This is the part that gets welded on to the y-pipe.

 

So I take it that the factory cats are retained, but the y-pipe has to be shortened.