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Cali Catalytic vs non-Cali

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.

Just an FYI, a stock Volvo cat will pass CA emissions insp. Those are an all-metal, probably rhodium/platinum core, not the ceramic honeycomb like many aftermarket casts are.

The Magneflow, Walker, Catco etc are all made of the same creamic honeycomb material, and are not the metal core rhodium/platinum like the OEM. Even the 'all metal' Magneflow are not the same as OEM. The honeycomb material does have metallic particles in it which scavenge the exhaust gases like metal core OEM, but there's a lot less metal in them than OEM, hence the price diffference.
I callled Magneflow about it (I put in an expensive 'metal' core Magneflow in only a few months ago) and those are not CA approved either, only the old school solid metal perforated film one's are approved, which have lots of the precious metals in them. That's all they have in them. You can get big$$'s for an old one from recyclers, so don't throw away the bad cat.
 
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.

Yea, but do you really think a made in china $50 ebay universal unit is going to perform same as or better than the CA version? or even the non-CA version.

The no-name brand cats is what I am sure brought this up.
 
Yea, but do you really think a made in china $50 ebay universal unit is going to perform same as or better than the CA version? or even the non-CA version.

The no-name brand cats is what I am sure brought this up.

FWIW, only two or three companies make all the aftermarket cats from what I understand. Correct speced cat should do same job on emissions, just won't last as long probably. Most aftermarket cats are gauranteed for 50,000 miles. IIRC.
 
FWIW, only two or three companies make all the aftermarket cats from what I understand. Correct speced cat should do same job on emissions, just won't last as long probably. Most aftermarket cats are gauranteed for 50,000 miles. IIRC.

BS.....


go to eBay, you can buy brand new universal units for as low as $35...

they may look like a converter on the outside and have a honeycomb structure inside, but no f'n way they are going to have the same substrates/coatings to "convert"
 
I believe that's inaccurate, that too many were failing too soon so CA made them make longer lasting ones, which cost more.

If a car passes, it passes. They have already lowered the number limits twice. Why would they care if YOU the consumer would have to buy a new cat because it didnt last long, EVEN if it passed. Its your money right? But they want you to buy the BETTER one cause it lasts longer with tigher numbers. Word I got was that they want to look at smog records now when a car passes and doesn't pass. So if it passed at one point and not the next well they want to dig into it and find out why a repair didnt last so long, or IF the smog guy passed it with unusual methods ill say. In short they want repairs on cars to last longer but if it passes why does that matter even if its close? I checked the BAR website and now they no longer list the place where a car was smogged because you might go back to that place to get it to pass if it fails when you take it somewhere else, GIVE ME A BREAK! Pretty soon they'll be crawiling up my ass saying I fart too much!
Oh yeah the better one costs more because they are looking out for my well being, yeah right.
 
If a car passes, it passes. They have already lowered the number limits twice. Why would they care if YOU the consumer would have to buy a new cat because it didnt last long, EVEN if it passed. Its your money right? But they want you to buy the BETTER one cause it lasts longer with tigher numbers. Word I got was that they want to look at smog records now when a car passes and doesn't pass. So if it passed at one point and not the next well they want to dig into it and find out why a repair didnt last so long, or IF the smog guy passed it with unusual methods ill say. In short they want repairs on cars to last longer but if it passes why does that matter even if its close? I checked the BAR website and now they no longer list the place where a car was smogged because you might go back to that place to get it to pass if it fails when you take it somewhere else, GIVE ME A BREAK! Pretty soon they'll be crawiling up my ass saying I fart too much!
Oh yeah the better one costs more because they are looking out for my well being, yeah right.

People buy new cat's when they need it, at smog time..so if it gets them their certificate right away and they have to install another $50 cat in 2 years it's no big deal to them.
 
If a car passes, it passes. They have already lowered the number limits twice. Why would they care if YOU the consumer would have to buy a new cat because it didnt last long, EVEN if it passed. Its your money right? But they want you to buy the BETTER one cause it lasts longer with tigher numbers. Word I got was that they want to look at smog records now when a car passes and doesn't pass. So if it passed at one point and not the next well they want to dig into it and find out why a repair didnt last so long, or IF the smog guy passed it with unusual methods ill say. In short they want repairs on cars to last longer but if it passes why does that matter even if its close? I checked the BAR website and now they no longer list the place where a car was smogged because you might go back to that place to get it to pass if it fails when you take it somewhere else, GIVE ME A BREAK! Pretty soon they'll be crawiling up my ass saying I fart too much!
Oh yeah the better one costs more because they are looking out for my well being, yeah right.

In spite of what Dr. Bill has to say, not all gov't agencies/employees are nazi's looking to f*** the public. They may be mistaken, but are not generally looking to do evil.
Bad air does actually kill people.
 
Also, OEM Volvo cat for my 91 240 was priced to me at $800.00 My MagnaFlow 2.5" in/out cat,with same sized body as OEM cat was @ 60 bux from summitracing.com

And it passes State Inspection with flying colors. $800.00 cat for a 21 year old car sounds like a "hard sell" to me. I'd rather buy 10 for 60 bux for the next 20 years.
 
Do watch out for certain high flow ones, or other cheap ones that don't scrub NOx well if at all. That's the one that's hard to pass, especially on systems without EGR.
 
Anyone who lived in Los Angeles in 1980 should know what a good thing the smog laws are. I couldn't even see the end of my street from my house back then.

Also, the smog tests just make me keep the car in good shape, something I should be doing anyway...
 
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