It won't pass inspection even if it passes the sniffer.

There's not even a chance of getting a CARB cert here.

Well I am planning on moving to L.A. For me I love Southern California, central valley sucks arse. So hopefully next year I will be a thriving and flourishing smog technician in L.A. with a strong 370z even if I have to supercharge it.

California is really cracking down, even moreso than we I used to live there several years ago. The good thing about CA, is that unless things have changed, a smog check is only required every X number of years on brand new cars. This may give you 3 years or so of smog check-less operation. :)

But to answer your question, none of the kits will likely ever gain CARB exemption. JWT and APS tried for years.

Not to be annoying but, why can't they pass?

They will pass the typical federal emmisions checks. But in Califronia, they have a much more stringent test, that not only involves the sniffer, but also OBDII scan and worse...the dreaded visual inspection. Anything aftermarket, such as a turbo kit, headers or even an intake, has to have a CARB (California Air Resource Board) exemption number or certificate, in order for you to pass, even though you would pass with flying colors in the 49 other states.

Out of curiosity, how does F.I. affect the gas mileage on the 350Z, G35 or 370Z/G37?

I know performance and gas mileage is an oxymoron, but coming from two Supras, including a modified '89 Supra Turbo, I can appreciate what boost can do for performance.

I had considered the new M3, but given its poor gas mileage (compared with the 335i), this is really discouraging me. Then again, having something like 14 mpg city, 20 mpg hwy is something I can live with for the new Z if this is what this kit would allow me with mild to moderate boost.

I really don't think it would get that bad. You do need a considerable amount more fuel when making more power especially with F.I., but I really don't think it would drop to those numbers you posted.

At cruise, the MPG is the same as stock. With city or spirited driving, it's going to drop. The harder you drive, the quicker it drops. :)

Yeah basically the amount of boost you decide on with your right foot determines the fuel consumption you will whitness.

My last two fill ups have been around 17-18 mpg ... normal commuting to/from work with occasional hwy pulls. Maybe 70% hwy / 30% street. It all depends on your right foot.

How are these engines holding up with all that boost against stock pistons? I'm not askin to be a smarta**, but I'm coming from the Honda world (owned an s2k) where the max psi on a stock engine is around 7 or 8 (at the most), and never heard of a stock engine that could handle that much boost without shootin a piston throught the hood.

Do they already have forged pistons or something?

Well actually there have been many cases of the s2000's going much higher with the turbo's but with a great big FMIC and a really good tune.

Actually, in some cases you may get BETTER economy with turbos at cruising speeds because the engine isn't working as hard to breath. My turbo sol gets 40+mpg on the freeway.

So what your saying is the 3.7 can handle 10-12psi safely every day as long as it has a proper tune then?

I think what he's saying is that you can have it set for that much PSI and drive it like that every day as long as you're not hitting that much boost every shift. If you're boost controller is limiting at 12 PSI, doesn't mean you're hitting that much every time you step on the gas.