How did CT Engineering's CARB legal supercharger work? When the smog tech plugs into your car, does he scan for codes? Is there a sniff test? Does the smog tech know if things aren't stock from the scanner?

I'm just trying to figure out if I can replicate smog legal by using SOS supercharger parts on my 2007 S2000. Since both (SOS and CT) of them must've used Flashpro, I'm wondering if I can use SOS parts but get away with CT Eng's CARB ceritfication. I plan on using the same blower (1200).

 

I think its more complicated than just a few parts. AFAIK they check for things like airflow, codes, how much carbon emissions are being released. and then theres the tune itself. Like theres a reason CARB tunes suck and dont make much power, because they are as close to factory spec as possible within a specific limit given to them by the state.

I'm not 100% sure on all the detail and a lot of my info could be slightly wrong/misinformed, however i do know CARB certification is usually more than just a few parts

 

The CARB Number should list all the things to look for. If you google it, it would come up as a sheet and instructions.

https://ww3.arb.ca.gov/msprog/afterm...s/eo/d-637.pdf

 

I read that document. The part that confuses me:

"Others utilize an add-on electronic timing calibrator (ACM) or reprogramming of the stock controller"

"The CT-Engineering Supercharger Kit when installed on the test vehicle did not affect the vehicle's ability to perform its OBD II monitoring"

How does that work? I thought if I put a tune on my DBW S2000 that the smog tech would know if something is different from stock and immediately fail. Especially since in this link: https://vortechsuperchargers.com/pro...harger-systems , it mentions a Hondata ECU Re-Flash.

Is there a FlashPro tune that was installed on all of these cars? Is it possible for me to get the tune? I plan on using all of the same hardware just SOS instead of CT Engineering as they are out of business.

Appreciate all the help I can get. I don't want to move to a new platform, pretty happy with the S2000.

 

My car has the CT SC with AC and passed smog checks several times without any issues. Mine has the stock ecu with the black box attached to the harness. Last couple of times, I show him the CARB documents and he connects to the port and performs a visual. Glad no more dyno.

 

I don't know about DBW and how the carb supercharger is/would work, but am very familiar with the 00-05. It may in fact be identical, not sure. But the 00-05 works because the factory ecu with obd2 is still in place and added fuel required is done mechanically with the rrfpr and or a piggy back if desired ie vafc/neo, emanage or pnp ecm that comes with the newer kits that control vtec and map clamp to hide boost. The car runs essentially like stock NA/closed loop operation until positive pressure is made, which happens in open loop operation of the factory ecu, which obd2 doesn't care about. As long as there is no cel, it will pass. Now if you have a state that gets into visual inspections, this is where having that carb engraving on your supercharger kit becomes rather imperative I would guess. The carb engraving on the old comptech kits and assume current CT kits was on the mounting plate of the blower, and not the blower itself, so as long as you are using one of these backing plates and not triggering a cel, you should be able to do anything you want outside of the base pressure kit. Any boost, any size injector etc as long as the piggy back of choice supports it. But again im not exactly sure how the base carb kit integrates with the DBW s2000's and flashpro.

 

One of the biggest hassle of carb compliance is the process of becoming carb complaints. California has a nightmare process to get something to be compliant and most companies don’t feel the added headache/cost to achieve this is worth it. Ct has almost identical emissions standards to California with the exception of required carb compliance certification and with a Dbw with hondata there is 0 issues with passing emissions. My car has never been stock and I’ve passed every 2 years when required with no issues including this past year which is the second time passing with a kw kit installed.

A friend of mine in cali reached out to kw to find out about the carb compliance thing and they told him going through the process would add approx 1000 to the price of each kit sold if they were to do that and since California is the only state that requires it. It’s not worth it to charge every customer in the country more because of one state. So he ended up sourcing a carb badge from a CT kit and installed a kw kit anyways and passed emissions. The emissions inspectors don’t know the difference between a CT kit and a KW kit.

I would imagine if you reached out to SOS they would likely give you a similar response

 

What S2000Junky said. It’s engraved on the older plates like mine. (Can you even get that now?)

Be sure to have OEM ECU in place with a piggyback or mechanical methods that S2000Junky mentioned and you’ll be fine since you’re complying with things just fine (based on OEM Honda ECU and it’s readiness monitors that is).

 

the CT supercharger is ca legal bc they use OEM ecu without really a tune. They use oem fuel injectors. Thats y it really dosent make tons of power. I personally talked and bought a car from the CT engineer who help build the charger back in early 2000s. he curruntly has a shop in rancho Cordova in cali and really builds nsxs.

 

The answer to this question is actually very simple because you can't do much--but your chances of getting lucky depends on who is smogging your car. All s2000's are MY2000+ so we only require a plug in (OBD) smog check for CA (as of right now)--no sniffer.

If it's a regular mom n pop smog shop in the ghetto, they usually aren't strict and if they are super lenient on the visual and has the stock ECU (ie. is compatible with their OBD scanner), then you CAN pass, but not guaranteed by any means. Just like the outeiroj's friend above who was able to pass a KW kit with a CT carb sticker--you might get lucky. On the flip side, some smog shops are really scared about aftermarket stuff due to unfamiliarity and won't even smog you for fear of losing their license.

If you get unlucky and have to visit the CA BAR aka Referee, then they will pull up the instruction manual that was submitted for the actual BAR certification test that matches your CARB number and make sure each part in the instruction manual is there and not modified or tampered with. (A parts list is mandatory for bar certification for this reason). I.e., if a S/C kit was certified without a BOV and you put one on the kit, then you will fail. Even if you take the BOV off and replace it with a block off plate, you will likely fail for modifying the kit. If you put an aftercooler on the kit and the certified kit did NOT include an aftercooler, then you will fail. If you hope to get away with any modifications to the kit, then it must not be visible to the inspector and it must not affect emissions. Also be aware, if you get a Ref ticket, they may do a sniffer test on your car to boot.

Expect a regular test only smog shop experience to be more similar to the Ref than a mom n pop smog shop. A Test only probably won't take the time to pull up the instruction manual for your kit, but they will likely scrutinize the kit heavily and might fail you anything they think doesn't look right.


So if you have an SOS kit and tried to modify it with CT components and a CT carb sticker, the only place you'd have the slightest chance at passing would be at a mom n pop smog shop. You won't likely pass at a Test only unless they are really careless, and you certainly won't pass at the state ref.