Let me start off with the fact that I live in California.

I would like to replace my stock cats with sport cats.

While I do believe 200 cell sport cats will pass the smell test, they will not pass the new mandated visual inspection.

Does anyone specialize in modifying the stock cat internals with sport cats?

 

What about something like this? The factory cat and exhaust system would be tough to mod IMO and probably pretty expensive when said and done...at least trying to make it look visually the same. Of course they would have to know what they are looking at too. I know it's still factory cat but you pick up some HPs by dumping the extra stuff. I guess either way you have to do some pretty good modding/fabbing. Lol I dunno.

 

Word I get is mod'd cars are getting recognized and failed based on visual inspection.

Legally you can only fit CARB certified converters. The CARB site might offer a link to a document that lists converters that are CARB certified. I found such a list a while back but do not have the link.

Here is a check list an installer of new aftermarket converters must use:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...catchklist.pdf

I do not have the link but it is strictly verboten to modify converters. Anything you do will almost certainly lower the converter's efficiency so even if it passed the visual inspection it would fail the sniff test.

Oh, found the link:

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermktcat/vc27156.pdf


There might be legal converters to use.

Look here:

http://www.autoanything.com/exhausts...A7242A0A0.aspx

Another link:

https://ssl.arb.ca.gov/PartsSearchTo...earchTool.aspx

Go to this site and fill in your car's details and see what turns up.

 

Oh California...definitely have a love/hate relationship when it comes to modifying cars especially.


Anything other than factory they will get you on the visual inspection part, they've gotten a lot stricter lately.

 

Just like Illinois has,,as I found out the hard way.. LOL

 

Thank you everyone for the links and advice.
I wonder if there is any increase in Horsepower with the California approved Magnaflow Cats.

 

Word I get is they still cannot tell the difference between a used Europipe and a stock system....

If you open the hood or look underneath and see nice shiny parts and cool colored goodies, the tech will too. Think dull, black, boring modiifcations.

 

I got a spare stock muffler. Takes about 40 minutes to swap out if you have suspicious smog shop. Then swap the other one backafterwards. Luckily, my smog tech doesn't sweat the visual. My happy pipe has 100 cell cats and really sniff's clean. As clean or cleaner then the stock pipe.

 

Have you had to take the car to a Star Station yet? The techs at Star Stations sweat the visuals.

 

Definitely a YMMV situation.

Don't rely on an internet blabbermouths who's universe of experience is a handful of shops that tell them what they wants to hear and reinforce their fears...

A brand new shiny exhaust **will** cause issues though...

Oh, make sure you understand the California rules on using a magnaflow 'carb legal' cat....you actually can't just swap it out.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...tallcatq&a.pdf