3vilpanda

i have a 93 ls400 with a cat back and a filter but i have been looking at getting a second car... i found a few sc400's and would love one as a second car but stock will never do so i was wondering what kind of mods are for the sc that are carb legal?

KahnBB6

iTrader: (5)

CARB legal? Realistically:

-catback dual exhaust
-resonator delete (if you want to)
-BFI mod with a VERY stock looking partition might pass a smog check. Even that is an "if". Definitely don't make any air box modifications obvious. That would still be considered an unapproved modification.
-Aftermarket drop-in filter such as a K&N, TRD (for an MKIV Supra... not one is going to care about a stock size air filter), or one from Apexi for a Supra.

Those are the main things. Not much else is CARB legal.

Also, a W58 5-speed swap will technically not modify engine emissions but three things are worth considering:

1) Having spoken to a couple of BAR techs with extensive swap related questions they are most concerned with engine modification. A manual swap into a car that was never certified for a manual isn't exactly on their radar but your mileage may vary at a standard smog station (or with other BAR inspectors... it's really up to the tech you encounter to make a judgement call). THAT SAID... some have done 1UZ 5-speed swaps into other classic Toyotas with the intention of being legal. If you are considering that mod, I suggest you do some research not only into the swap itself but also into how SC400, Cressida 1UZ and MKIII 1UZ owners in California got it done.

2) The W58 swap can't give you a CEL. Absolutely can't. Not if you hope to pass a standard smog test. This is more an issue for 98-00 SC400 VVT-i owners (I believe...).

3) During a smog test (and moreso after 2013 testing requirements went into effect at Star stations) the technician will see the SC400 come up as a "4.0L V8 Fuel Injected, 4-Speed Automatic Transmission" in their computer. It's possible a technician might be confused when you come in with a totally stock V8 car with a manual transmission but the computer only gives the option for an automatic.

^^ Someone who owns a W58 swapped SC400 in California could better chime in on that point.

As for other legal mods that don't have to do with the engine or transmission:

--Anything suspension, wheel and tire related
--Anything braking related
--Anything LSD or final drive ratio related (although, for example, a 4.272:1 final drive will raise your RPMs at 15 and 25mph on the standard smog tests. On my SC300 5-speed it didn't do much. Might be more severe on an SC400).
--4200/4300K HID plug and play headlights are recommended (for safety and visibility) and pretty much legal
--Anything else that is in any way cosmetic

That's the gist if you are more or less sticking to the book. Custom turbos, supercharger conversions and even headers are NOT CARB legal in any way shape or form, sorry.

Edit: However... if you want to you could go the full monty with a pricey stock LS1/LS2 and T-56 6-speed manual swap. That actually can be legal if you follow ALL the Cali BAR swap rules to the very letter and get it certified. That's obviously a huge jump in cost and only for the very dedicated in the quest for legal horsepower but given your question it is worth mentioning.

acacg

make sure you dont have a lot of camber!

mikef

iTrader: (3)

cali sucks, lol,

t2d2

iTrader: (8)

Easy solution: Modify the intake snorkel down below instead of opening up the visible portion of the airbox.