CARB Rules Summary

Here is a summary of some of the major issues to consider when repairing or modifying your California car.

Source: http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/replace.htm

This page is provided for information purposes only and has been abbreviated somewhat according to my interest in the Prelude.

• Air Cleaner
  • Any (Air Cleaner, cams, carburetors, ) that does not meet the original factory specifications requires an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Cams
  • Cams that have different specifications than the original part require an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Carburetors
  • Carburetors not listed as replacement parts by their manufacturer must have an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Catalytic Converters
  • Manufacturers of aftermarket catalytic converters must obtain an Executive Order for their products from the Air Resources Board in order to be listed in an approved catalogue.
• Coils and Ignition Wires
  • Any type of coil or ignition wires may be used as long as they meet original manufacturer specifications.
• Computer Chips
  • Aftermarket computer chips must have an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Electronic Ignitions
  • The manufacturer of replacement electronic ignitions determines which of their models are considered replacements for original equipment. These replacement electronic ignitions are then listed by vehicle year, make, model and engine size in the manufacturer's catalogue. Electronic ignitions or electronic point replacement units for vehicles not originally equipped with these items require an Executive Order to be legal for street use. Swapping electronic ignitions from different years, engines, or makes is illegal.
• Distributors
  • Swapping distributors from different years, engines or makes is illegal. Aftermarket distributors that are not listed as replacements for the original part require an Executive Order number to be legal for street use.
• Fuel Injection
  • Fuel injection systems not listed as replacement parts require an Executive Order to be legal. Modifications that change a vehicle from fuel injection to carburet ion or from carburet ion to fuel injection also require an Executive Order to be legal.
• Fuel Tanks
  • Add-on fuel tanks, or tanks with greater capacity than the original tank are legal for street use only if they have been issued an Executive Order.
• Heads
  • Aftermarket heads or valve train components that are not made to the same specifications as the original parts require an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Headers
  • Headers for non-catalyst equipped vehicles are considered legal replacement parts as long the replacement header allows for the installation of all smog control equipment originally attached to the stock exhaust manifold.
  • Headers for use on catalytic converter equipped vehicles require an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Intake Manifolds
  • Replacement manifolds may be made of a different material than the original part, for example polished aluminum instead of cast iron, but the design of the casting must be the same. Any manifold not listed as replacement part by its manufacturer must have an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
  • Carburetor adapter plates are not legal unless they are an integral part of a replacement manifold.
• Other Internal Engine Parts
  • Replacement internal engine parts, such as pistons, rods, or the crank, must be designed to factory specifications. Oversize parts can be used as long as they are within factory tolerances for replacement engine parts. Any part not built within factory specifications requires an Executive Order to be legal for street use.
• Transmission or Transaxle
  • The total engine transmission package must conform to the engine change requirements above.
• Replacement Engines
  • As with any other replacement part, the engine must be identical to the original.
• Japanese Replacement Engines
  • Used engines imported from Japan can be used as replacement engines as long as the engine being used has been identified as functionally identical to the original engine.
• Engine Changes
  • Engine changes are legal as long as the following requirements are met to ensure that the change does not increase pollution from the vehicle:
    • The engine must be the same year or newer than the vehicle.
    • The engine must be from the same type of vehicle (passenger car, light-duty truck, heavy-duty truck, etc.) based on gross vehicle weight.
    • If the vehicle is a California certified vehicle then the engine must also be a California certified engine.
    • All emissions control equipment must remain on the installed engine.
  • After an engine change, vehicles must first be inspected by a state referee station. The vehicle will be inspected to ensure that all the equipment required is in place, and vehicle will be emissions tested subject to the specifications of the installed engine.