I am looking for some advice on modding my r53, as I am moving to California in the next 6 months. I would like to lightly mod it, a pulley, colder plugs, intake and one-ball mod. I would get a C.A.R.B. certified intake, but don't know if the pulley and modified exhaust are legal. Any California members have input or experiences with modding legally.

 

As far as I know, the only intake that is legal is Dinan or stock. I was using an aftermarket intake but would change it back to stock come smog time.

I also have a pulley and a cat back system with colder plugs. It has not affected smog to this point (2003 MCS). I have had it smogged about 4 times and it has passed every time.

 

the sprintex is carb certified... LOL.

dinan/JCW intake.

You could do a JCW pulley if you could find one (honestly you can just get a KAVS.. they look stock ish from the outside)

California peeps will have to comment if the inspectors actually look at the pulleys on cars. (I wouldn't think so.. but then again I live in a state where we don;t even have emissions checks.. )

 

Honestly if it doesn't stand out as obvious you'll pass. No one is going to measure the pulley size to see if it's stock. Injectors/ spark plugs/ internals they can't see. Just make sure the intake has a CARB sticker. Any exhaust past the primary cat should also pass. Now if it obviously has no cat's at all or if it fails the sniffer you will fail, but with carefully hidden mods and a good tune you can go pretty far and pass...

 

AFE Stage 2 has a CARB certificate! I just got one to replace my Alta one!

 

Anything after the cat is fair game. As far as the pulley it's not legal. BUT if you find a pulley that looks stock you shouldnt have a problem, plain black. The intake is limited, but you can drop a k&n replacment filter in and get almost the same gain as an aftermarket intake and spend a lot less

 

Also if you go with a non carb intake it's super easy and quick to swap come smog time

 

Just get a black pulley . I don't see the problem with using an upgraded pulley honestly. Why should California care

 

Get one with a big flashy logo on it and find out

 

I have the craven one. Haven't had issues.

 

Thanks for the input guys and gals. You have reassured me that I will be fine lightly modding the mini. It's going to be a pain going from a state with no inspections or smog to California. Think the plan is to get a ddm intake and swap it out when inspection time rolls around. Then a stock looking pulley and a one ball mod.

 

I realize this is a Generation 1 thread (I have a generation 2 mini). -But I think my question is general enough.

I am due for my first smog check on my 2008 Mini S, (I live in California).

The two things I have done are 1) CAI -which I can not see how it would effect actual smog results and am not worried about it. And 2) what I am worried about is my "downpipe" exhaust. I installed this one:
http://www.minidynamics.com/NM-Downp...FQZhfgodTC4Aqw
I like it because it is bolt on bolt off, all of the Cat Back exhaust required cut and weld or cut and bolt ...but in both cases ruined the stock setup should I want to ever go back to stock.

Does anyone know if the downpipe NM exhausst will pass smog? I do have 1 cat (stock had 2), ...but I know the JCW's only have 1 cat'. I can swap back to the stock exhaust ...its about a 2 hour job for me, yet curious if it's even worth swapping back to stock for the test if the NM exhaust will pass? The cat that was removed is under a heat shield and not visible so unless they were really looking for it I do not think they'd notice that the car was missing a cat (like mentioend JCW's only have 1 cat anyway).

anyone have experience w/ this?
thanks,

 

eR1c, if the system functions properly and the single cat can do the job and you pass visual you'll be fine. They are getting nit picky though.

Modding internals and pulleys doesn't seem to cause much issue. If they can see a brand then they question it. I make 227whp and passed smog last week.