Getting caught running catless

[Magna_Flow]

Just to chime in, on the vast majority of modern cars, performance cars included, there is very little benefit to running without catalytic converters. Most cars will run worse without the cats than they will with them. There can be some advantage to running a high flow cat but even then, gains aren't huge. That coupled with the extremely stiff fines you can get and the added hassle of removal and installation for smog testing purposes mean that it's often best to stick with a cat-back system. Just our 2 cents!

[Lischynski]

Originally Posted by Magna_Flow

Just to chime in, on the vast majority of modern cars, performance cars included, there is very little benefit to running without catalytic converters. Most cars will run worse without the cats than they will with them. There can be some advantage to running a high flow cat but even then, gains aren't huge. That coupled with the extremely stiff fines you can get and the added hassle of removal and installation for smog testing purposes mean that it's often best to stick with a cat-back system. Just our 2 cents!

Unrelated, but I have a high flow MagnaFlow in my JDL catted UEL header (with no tune) and I don't get CELs, so thanks for that! Kinda surprised me. Already a few thousand miles going strong.

[continuecrushing]

[Teseo]

Originally Posted by Lischynski

Unrelated, but I have a high flow MagnaFlow in my JDL catted UEL header (with no tune) and I don't get CELs, so thanks for that! Kinda surprised me. Already a few thousand miles going strong.

You have a videoclip of your setup?

[Lischynski]

Originally Posted by Teseo

You have a videoclip of your setup?

Yep, two.

JDL UEL Catted Headers
JDL 2.5" Over Pipe
JDL 2.5" Ultraquiet Front Pipe
JDL 2.5" D2 Resonated Catback Exhaust

JDL FT86 with Header Back Exhaust: [ame]http://youtu.be/EydtpW3D-5A[/ame]

JDL Auto Design Header back full 2.5" exhaust startup: [ame]http://youtu.be/F_EdwFKDJMI[/ame]

[Haeb]

With regards to the road side smog inspections, and what happens if you get waved into one and fail I found this in an article about the program :
"The roadside audit, as BAR refers to the checkpoint, is actually more of a check of the statewide Smog Check system rather than checking up on drivers. BAR conducts random statewide roadside audits of vehicles previously smogged. The results from these inspections are used to evaluate the performance of the Smog Check Program in achieving Clean Air Act requirements."

And the CHP is on hand, not for the purpose of citations, but rather by state law only a uniformed officer can direct a driver to pull over (as in during a traffic stop). The program is voluntary (they say).

What I read into their description is because the twins are all under 6 years old, they arent even on the road side inspections radar - they have not been previously smogged - so they'd likely be waived by for that reason. That said the CHP CAN do an inspection of emissions devices if they have pulled you over for something else and suspect your car may be in violation....although I'd say because the CHP officer is NOT a smog certified tech, what ever emissions related problems he sites could be argued against in court. But then...court.

[skye67]

I was Merced CA last week at about 2:00 in the afternoon. And the police and what first looked like a sobriety checkpoint. As I got closer, I saw it was a mobile smog station with a rolling dynamometer! At that time, they where testing a
1990 S10 Blazer, and the second time I drove by a 1990 Honda. I had heard that this was going to happen. But that was the first time I saw anything like that! Thank goodness I was in my work truck.

[dem00n]

Originally Posted by skye67

I was Merced CA last week at about 2:00 in the afternoon. And the police and what first looked like a sobriety checkpoint. As I got closer, I saw it was a mobile smog station with a rolling dynamometer! At that time, they where testing a
1990 S10 Blazer, and the second time I drove by a 1990 Honda. I had heard that this was going to happen. But that was the first time I saw anything like that! Thank goodness I was in my work truck.

This sounds like something out of a science fiction film.

As a the wise men say..."Fuck that shit!"

[jflogerzi]

Originally Posted by Magna_Flow

Just to chime in, on the vast majority of modern cars, performance cars included, there is very little benefit to running without catalytic converters. Most cars will run worse without the cats than they will with them. There can be some advantage to running a high flow cat but even then, gains aren't huge. That coupled with the extremely stiff fines you can get and the added hassle of removal and installation for smog testing purposes mean that it's often best to stick with a cat-back system. Just our 2 cents!

In the great state of CA that would still be illegal. Even replacement cata must be oem and you have proof that the cat needed to be replace

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by skye67

I was Merced CA last week at about 2:00 in the afternoon. And the police and what first looked like a sobriety checkpoint. As I got closer, I saw it was a mobile smog station with a rolling dynamometer! At that time, they where testing a
1990 S10 Blazer, and the second time I drove by a 1990 Honda. I had heard that this was going to happen. But that was the first time I saw anything like that! Thank goodness I was in my work truck.

Cool! Free dynos!!!
Drive through stock, run home and mod and drive through again!!!!!

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by Haeb

What I read into their description is because the twins are all under 6 years old, they arent even on the road side inspections radar

At least in my state (PA) and others vehicles under 5-6 years old only a gas cap check and OBD-II emissions check are done, and a lot of them end up with an exemption sticker. The whole "getting caught running catless" issue at least when getting an inspection done really shouldn't be an issue if you run a catted uel or uncatted uel with a tune until maybe 2018-2019 for the first year cars and later for the 2014s and 2015s. But even after that time period in PA they still only do an OBD-II and gas cap check. You only get a visual check, dynamometer and gas cap check done here if the car is pre-1995.

[Haeb]

I wouldn't spend a great deal of time worrying about being caught running catless, if you choose to do so. Rather I'd worry about keeping track of the OEM emissions stuff ya pull off the car, so when smog time does roll around you can find it all and put it back on. Prime example I've encountered is Ford diesel trucks. For years they were exempt from smog inspection, which technically doesnt mean strip the thing of all emissions, but no one was checking so thats exactly what people did. Well, now, they are coming in for inspections and missing things. Expensive things. Like catalysts. Lost to the void of the garage or tossed a few years back. Now they HAVE to replace it....and its dealer only.....to the tune of $1600 for the thing. So between inspections, eh, do whatever....but be ready to put all the OEM stuff back on every couple years...or at least make sure what your strapping on is a legally recognized replacement ( California is persnickity on this one).

[B-R-Z]

I was overthinking it when I started this thread. My car doesn't smell worse and theres really no way I'd get caught unless I hit one of those mobile inspections.

[eddiev116]

So what type of header did you end up putting in your car? I am also debating what to do as far as putting in the catless header or not. And do you have any video clips of sound from your car?