I know moving isn’t as easy as it sounds but if you want more freedoms, sometimes moving is the only way to get them. Really feels like some states are just jerks and their laws are based on moronic logic. I was pleasantly surprised when moving to Arkansas. no front plate, no emissions testing, no inspections

A week ago I got pulled over for a yield at a stop sign and the cop looked at my license (my last name is Walker) and said “Hmm sure your first name isn’t Paul from Fast and Furious”. Then looked up my record and asked how long i have had it. Told him since 2005 as I am the original owner and he was sincerely shocked and said “how in the world do you not have any tickets with a car like this”. 😁

We talked a bit more and he just gave me a warning and we cordially parted ways. I don’t feel I can visit many states with my car as modded as it is.

 

You would be fine up by me. There are plenty of 1000 plus hp cars up here in Michigan driving around like its nothing. So don't feel afraid to drive it up here.

 

I'm sure *some* of them do. What does that have to do with the fact he suspected/knew that FMIC isn't stock?

Outdated and nonsensical laws are the ones that bug me the most. In CA, ferrets are illegal because, in the 1800s or WTF ever, they used to get into hen houses and kill chickens. That's obviously not a thing any more and ferrets are domesticated to the point that there is no way any of those little suckers are killing anything People have been lobbying to have the law changed, for decades. For some reason, nobody wants to take the time to do it. Then there's all the emissions laws that we're oh, so familiar with. God forbid you have a colored silicone vacuum hose anywhere on your car LOL

 

Not sure about other places, but in California its 100% legal to swap out the intercooler. No CARB EO necessary.

The radiator is not part of the emissions system so....


Gotta remember the cops aren't required to know the law, or tell you the truth. They will lie to you and try and trick you into incriminating yourself.

Best move is to not talk to them about anything.

 

How is this even possible when you can't so much as change a hose color?

I was once ticketed for a FMIC. Figures.

 

Clearly....cars destroy the atmosphere/planet by cooling the air that comes into an engine with the use of an intercooler. I'm so glad those laws gave you a ticket so our planet is now safe.

 

If I had to guess, I think it would have to do with the likelihood of being damaged and needing replacement.

Plenty of smog techs don't even know all the rules. As I said, cops aren't required to know the law. In California they don't need probable cause to make you pop your hood. If I was a cop and I saw something shiny like an aftermarket FMIC I'd be popping the hood and looking for goodies.

 

Just because you don't understand the laws doesn't mean they don't make sense.

If you want to play/win, you have to understand the rules of the game. Whether you are going to follow them or not.

Nobody goes to jail for only modding their car. If that's all you did, the worst thing that's going to happen is you have to swap it back to stock for an inspection. Maybe a fine. That's just part of the game.

 

I think our thread has gotten off it's rails so I don't plan on posting anything more about this topic which is unrelated to what I have done to my Evo in 2022. We will have to agree to disagree that changing a FMIC is a law that makes "sense". A law is a law though so it doesn't matter if I agree with it or not. If I break a law, I get to pay the price. I'll keep choosing to live in states that have less laws I disagree with.

 

Everyone has their own point of view.

As I said before, changing the FMIC is completely legal, as long as the rest of the intake system is stock ( or has an EO#).

 

Legally they do. They use a part of the vehicle code that states they can do roadside safety inspections. This allows them to look inside and under the vehicle. If you refuse to pop the hood, you are refusing the inspection, and they can impound your car for safety reasons. The funny thing is, some of them are doing this without knowing the actual vehicle code ; they're just told they have the authority, so THEY can't even tell you why they're doing it

 

That's what I mean by "They don't need probable cause". They can just make you do it, no reason necessary.

It's part of the privilege of driving on public roads.

Sad truth is we don't pay cops enough to attract legal scholars. They still have a job to do though, so they are granted a lot of slack when it comes to knowing the laws.

 

Page 38:
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/2017_Smog_Check_Manual.pdf

The pipes have to be OEM or CARB legal, but an intercooler can be changed on factory turbocharged gas vehicles. Catch cans are also legal as long as they are plumbed into the factory hose routing.

Unfortunately, many cops don't know this and you'll just get a ticket which will have to be contested in court.

 

Smog place refused me because the factory intercooler pipes were shiny, but they passed me once I upgraded to wrinkle black ETS ones.

Welcome to clown town. Population: us

And no, I wasn't going to argue with that cop about what the law was, just going with the flow.

 

I had a smog tech refuse my car because the the IC couplings have braided nylon over them. "No way that is stock". It took me 15 mins of Googling and convincing for him to finally do it.