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Cali Catalytic vs non-Cali

T

tiberium6

New member
Joined
Aug 30, 2007
Location
Southern California: I could be in Los Angeles, Tu
if I use a non-Cali cat for a Cali smog test, it will not pass visually? or it will not pass because the read out from the machine?
any good place to get a CAT for my 93 miata? they are all around $300 for Cali, but non-Cali is around $100


thank you guys, as long as I know it will pass the emission test, I am safe, when i go smog, almost all the time the tech will only have a quick peak

**PM me if you are from out of state to help me ship this! (or know anyone that does!)
 
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Don't believe they're worrying about it for non-OBD2 cars, not 100% sure on that though.

The OBD2 stuff won't pass on a visual, but it'll pass the sniffer just fine.

You try Summit/Jegs yet, based on a part number?
 
Any cat , regardless of year, sold for use in California requires a CARB EO number. Retailers can be penalized for selling/shipping non approved cats to California.

Without that number on the cat you can be failed for smog if the guy testing actually checks it, most likely to happen if you get ref'd, the number is stamped into the bottom of the cat so it can be seen from below.
 
Falconxl said:
Any cat , regardless of year, sold for use in California requires a CARB EO number. Retailers can be penalized for selling/shipping non approved cats to California.

Without that number on the cat you can be failed for smog if the guy testing actually checks it, most likely to happen if you get ref'd, the number is stamped into the bottom of the cat so it can be seen from below.
Click to expand...

This.

Although, since this law is still fairly young, how could the tech prove that the cat wasn't replaced before the law came into effect?
 
Falconxl said:
Any cat , regardless of year, sold for use in California requires a CARB EO number. Retailers can be penalized for selling/shipping non approved cats to California.

Without that number on the cat you can be failed for smog if the guy testing actually checks it, most likely to happen if you get ref'd, the number is stamped into the bottom of the cat so it can be seen from below.
Click to expand...

this.

i got away with it because my car was from out of state (even though I put the universal on after it had been in CA for 2yrs+), though I think my cat might have a CARB number anyway. I forget though.

Anywho, either come up with a story about it being replaced before the law, or just spend the extra money to buy a proper CA cat.
 
Is this it or is this the oe #
scaled.php
 
EO numbers dont make cars cleaner, just puts money in certain pockets...

But you could get the non cali cat and should pass but its a gamble when you go to get it smogged, IF the guy looks. Are shops allowed or care about putting Non Carb cats into cars nowdays or are they banned to do that now?
 
gross polluter said:
This.

Although, since this law is still fairly young, how could the tech prove that the cat wasn't replaced before the law came into effect?
Click to expand...

This.

Is your cat still stock?

http://www.autohausaz.com/search/pr...alytic converter&gid=5808@Catalytic Converter

You could get that shipped to someone out of state and have them mail it to you. It's what I always did when I was in CA. It will pass visual just fine. Most smog shops will poke their head under there to see that the cat exists. They won't check the carb number. As gross polluter said, how would they know the cat wasn't on there since before the new law went into effect a few years ago?

If you're able to weld / know a welder that can do cheap work, you're fine, even if you have to weld a CARB approved cat. Magnaflow sells CARB cats for like $60. Not exactly the best in the world and who knows how longevity is, but assuming you're in good tune, it shouldn't get poisoned too quickly.

I got "robbed" once in Berkeley, where I needed a cat welded on. $60 in parts (carb approved magnaflow), $240 labor, and 10 minutes to be in and out. Damn! Then again, I got other quotes from places in the area, and they ranged from $500-700 to weld one on. Are you kidding me?

After the fact, I heard of a place in Sac that may have done the same job for $60 labor (assuming using word of mouth for a referral worked there). Although I did goto that place to get a muffler welded on for $20 (****ty ass job though).

The perks of going with an OEM style is that you can bolt up your old one between tests if you're worried about poisoning it. That way, you'll always pass year after year :rofl:
 
Just run an out of state cat it'll be fine. If you're really worried go get it dirty first. All the ones that used to be CA approved are grandfathered in, I've never seen them go so far as to check the numbers on the cat. I don't think their system has any way of actually doing that.
 
andysbeta said:
The California "cat" is the same thing - it just gets a stamp on it and a 100% markup in price. Same ****. No difference. 2 year lifespan just like before.
Click to expand...

I believe that's inaccurate, that too many were failing too soon so CA made them make longer lasting ones, which cost more.
 
jerryc said:
I believe that's inaccurate, that too many were failing too soon so CA made them make longer lasting ones, which cost more.
Click to expand...

If you notice, only certain companies making these CA versions, I'm sure the quality is way better than a $50 universal made in some unknown place.
 
Well I guess the only to verify that is to buy two of the same catalytic converters from the same company, one "federal" version and one "nazi uber cali alles version". test each one for emissions then cut each one apart respectively and measure platinum content and then we'll get down to the bottom of this.

I'm highly skeptical though, knowing the state of California and the BAR are so corrupt it is just another way to extra more taxable revenue from the hapless motorists.
 
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