There's a good chance that i'll be getting stationed in San Diego and I need some advice. I'm about 85% sure that I'll be taking my Evo and I had a couple of questions. Since cali only sells 91 octane, i'm debating on if I want to make the plunge into getting tuned for e85. I havent really heard any major negative stories about ppl who have done this. Other than getting worse gas milage and having to deal with finding a station that sells it. I would be making the cross country trip in the Evo if I do get stationed there, so that would be one of the factors in my decision making. Or I guess my other option would be getting it tuned for 91 once I arrive in Cali. Other than a tune, the other items I would probably need is a dual walbro setup, new fuel lines, and of course bigger injectors. I'm so on the fence about this. I just needed some input from some ppl who have been down this road. Any advice would be awesome!

 

I thought Cali sells 93 octane. But besides that you need to worry about mods done to your car and if you register your car in CA you will need to change them. But as far I know if your car is registered in another state then you can keep them.

I could be wrong though.

 

1st, there are a few E85 in San Diego, so you are OK there. Also, you have some of the best tuners and shops in the country in Cali... RRE, GST, Harman Motive, HB Speed, XS Engineering, Church's Automotive, etc.

Join SoCalEvo when you have a chance...

Sounds like you are in the military... don't register your car here in Cali. I am in the AF stationed at Los Angeles AFB in El Segundo. My IX MR is registered in TX.

I've run E85 for over two years, both on my previous stock 2.0, HKS cams, 1000RC, test pipe, FP Green. Now running a build 2.3L w/FP Red, double pumper, built head, 65mm TB, MAP Rev2 intake mani, etc. You're not going to need new fuel lines and dual walbro unless you go bigger.

Wait until you get to Cali... go dual map switching so you can run E85 and 91. Once you do, I promise you'll only run 91 oct if you can't get E85.

Cali does not sell 93... only 91.

 

Cali has sum of the best support for evo's f u know where too look also best weather f all the states.

 

Welcome to hell of Cali...
And be ready to get pulled over. Lmfao.

 

Since your in San Diego hit up Reese tuning

 

Wow first post and of such great value....

To OP - I drive my Evo all the time and never get harassed...That said if you drive like an idiot, you'll get pulled over. I agree with the other posts regarding e85.

 

Thanks a lot for the info? What do you do come inspection time for your car? Not sure on the regulations in TX, but in PA we have to get ours once every year? There's no way i'm making that trip every year just to get my car inspected. I've been checking out the other site and looks like Reese is a pretty nice place to take you Evo to.

 

Yeah, but your Evo is camoulflaged as an ultra-discreet conveyance. You forgot to mention that it is wingless, rolls on stamped 5" rims and is set up to look like a KIA. Of course you don't get pulled over.....duh

 

You're lucky since you're military, your car doesn't necessarily need all of the smog equipment since you purchased it out of state. You will need it when you smog however... (read on)

What will more than likely happen is you'll be sent for a smog test after a brain dead DMV employee "inspects" your car. After that happens, you'll have to pay your fees and then return with a smog certificate. Let's just be optimistic right now and hope that you won't be sent to a referee.

I had to do this exact thing when my EAOS was up and I came home to CA from SC. I went to the DMV, they attempted to crucify me since the car was missing pretty much all of it's smog equipment and then I showed them my DD214. Keep in mind the car I was driving at the time was completely stock.

Get your car here, get yourself a smog hook-up (Not that I condone nor participate in illegal activities) and then tune for E85.

If you have a BOV or a loud ricer exhaust, I would suggest you get something much more discreet. Being subtle is absolutely key out here, CHP will not hesitate to pull you over for looking like a "street racer". Remove your spoiler, if your front windows are tinted expect to get harassed. Just for the record and your own information, Southern California is by far the worst for this. You can thank the street racing scene for that, btw.

If you want to see some law enforcement perspective, I suggest you read through this thread, it's worth it:

http://forums.officer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=73003

CliffsNotes: Guy asks why do I get pulled over in my stock evo IX, cops brow beat him by repeating dogmatically how looking like a street racer gives them probable cause to search for modifications/parts.

We don't do inspections out here per se, that sort of happens when you bring your car to a certified smog shop. They have a checklist they run through, which usually means just looking for the basic smog equipment and making sure it's actually working and not just hanging off the car. This usually happens every two years under normal circumstances. Depending on the year of your Evo, your usually scheduled for your first smog check six years after the date of manufacture. The smog test is the real deal however, which is usually just a sniffer in the tail pipe and connecting to your ecu.

Here is some additional information:

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/smog.htm
Hope that helps.

 

California = were n e thing can be had @ a price. For the past 7 years all of my cars have had fixed smogs. California s corrupt as hell good thing s that I am on the recievng side. Now when it comes to state referess I used to think this wuz the end of the world but its not, there are many ways u can fix this all depends on who pulled u over and f they took pics. 1 senerio they dont have pics your car, 1) you can restore ur car to stock and take pics then procede 2 fight the ticket showing ur pics 2 the judge saying u were wronfuly pulled over, 2) Your mods r too much to change back so you get a fixed smog take that to court ask 2 fight the ticket and tell the judge ur were given a ticket for modified vehicle and since your not a profesional and neither s the cop u took it to a pro and got a pasing smog with flying colors, 3)You have 2 many mods and cant change back 2 stock or get a fixed smog so you can go to the judge and say u sold the car, got it repoed or simply its in the shop with a broken motor or trans anything that says you cant make it to the state referee, usualy the judge will make u pay a fine or if your lucky let you go. 2nd senerio when you got pulled over there were pics taken by the cops, well wut can I say ur kind of screwd when you go to court give n e reason why ur car cant make it to the state referee and hope he lets you go f not then a fine will be payed. As far as this goes me and all my freinds have goten away without paying the state ref fine witch I think is about $1000, it always depends on the court and judge but considering how screwed this economy is I dont see why they wont let you go. So dont worry bout that and as far as gas there are vp gas stations in california just look for 1 and they should have 93 on pump and tunner to many in california as for me I go to Tunning Technologies out in colton 10 mins form california speedway

 

I would rather castrate myself than move to Cali with my Evo. When I read about emissions and California I think "gee I wish some of the stuff I saw in the movie 2012 would really happen to California".

 

What i'm really thinking about is about the inspection. I'm planning on keeping the car registered in PA, i just don't know what to do as far as when I need to get it inspected each year, since it's registered in Pa?

 

Can't help you there, someone from that neck of the woods should chime in.