After Market Catalitic Converters & CA's SMOG test help - Honda-Acura.net

Quick Silver · 03-08-05, 11:17 PM

After Market Catalitic Converters & CA's SMOG test help,

The car is a 97 Ls, will I have a problem passing CA's SMOG test using a aftermarket hi-flow cat?
what are the recommended brands that are CA carb compliant?

I've found a few cats on the web however the local mufler shop refuses to install other tahn OEM equipment for my car, because according to them is against CA's Smog laws.

help me out pickt he right one

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dubcac · 03-09-05, 12:15 AM

The only one I know of that is OBD2 CARB exempt for CA is the Carsound cat 43000 series. EPA/CARB OBD2 approved. I ordered mine from www.kteller.com and it should be here in the next couple of days. $155 for the 2.25" cat with O2 bung and flanges, proper length for the 97 LS. I had the same problem, and it took me a while to find this.

**TheOtherDave™** · 03-09-05, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master Yodub

The only one I know of that is OBD2 CARB exempt for CA is the Carsound cat 43000 series. EPA/CARB OBD2 approved. I ordered mine from www.kteller.com and it should be here in the next couple of days. $155 for the 2.25" cat with O2 bung and flanges, proper length for the 97 LS. I had the same problem, and it took me a while to find this.

And it's only a matter of time before I will too.

If you don't mind, I'd like to integrate this into our FAQ thread.

carta79 · 03-09-05, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheOtherDave™

And it's only a matter of time before I will too.

If you don't mind, I'd like to integrate this into our FAQ thread.

Good call, Brett just made a thread on this topic not to long ago. This topic gets beat like a red headed step child.

Quick Silver · 03-09-05, 01:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master Yodub

The only one I know of that is OBD2 CARB exempt for CA is the Carsound cat 43000 series. EPA/CARB OBD2 approved. I ordered mine from www.kteller.com and it should be here in the next couple of days. $155 for the 2.25" cat with O2 bung and flanges, proper length for the 97 LS. I had the same problem, and it took me a while to find this.

Thanks,
BTW did they ever questioned you having a aftermarket cat? did they do a visual inspection? and also do the cats come w/ sopme sort of CARB certification like some headers do?

Thanks fo the help

Quick Silver · 03-09-05, 01:21 AM

Another question, what is the propper lenght for the 97 Ls? and how many O2 bung would I need? (front and/or rear)

dubcac · 03-09-05, 06:04 PM

You need one O2 bung after the cat, and the length is 17-5/8"...2 bolt flange in, 3 bolt flange out. At a smog test they always do a visual inspection to see if a cat is in place. They never questioned if I had an aftermarket one, since I had the stock one on. All that happened was I failed the sniff test miserably, and then they questioned if I had modified it at all. I think they thought that I hollowed it out, because of how badly it failed. As for CARB certification, the cat should come with paperwork that has the CARB number on it.

civicandtegra · 03-09-05, 09:14 PM

im in ny and i have a high flow but arent most cats supposed to be carb legal, well any way cali has some messed up smog rules i wish i lived there for the easy distance to good shops but not for the laws, the only shop around here is vision of speed (the only 1 and i mean it) i could and probly am wrong about the high flow cats
they do say on some for off road use only right

1turbodc2 · 03-09-05, 10:34 PM

I was on the EPA air admission bored web site and there is NO legal aftermarket cat for OBD 2 cars, have to use stock (in Cali), (this is not to say u can't get away with a high flow), but if they go and look under the car then u are SOL and it all depends on what mods u have done as well, Also Random Flow which makes a lot of CARB approved cats confirmed this with me as well about the OBD 2 cars that are in cali can't have a aftermarket cat

dubcac · 03-09-05, 11:44 PM

The Carsound OBD2 Carb/EPA approved cat is legal in CA.

Tobra · 03-10-05, 12:06 AM

The law in California is that you can not remove a functioning catalytic converter to replace it with a different one. If your cat is dead, you can replace it with anyh CARB approved part.

dubcac · 03-10-05, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tobra

The law in California is that you can not remove a functioning catalytic converter to replace it with a different one. If your cat is dead, you can replace it with anyh CARB approved part.

Unless the car is more than 8 years old...then you can remove and replace.

Quick Silver · 03-15-05, 10:55 PM

does any one knows the diameter of the collector of the Greddy 4-2-1 headers? My RSR is 60mm in diameter (2.36in) should I use the 2.5 or the 2.25 cat?

dubcac · 03-15-05, 11:07 PM

I use the 2.25...but I found out some information. My cat came without the O2 bung, so I went to a muffler shop to have one welded on. While there, I was informed that these cats are in fact NOT smog legal in CA on OBD2 cars. The one that IS OBD2 carb legal is over $400 for the universal, and is only currently approved for GM/Chevy trucks and vans.

Quick Silver · 03-15-05, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master Yodub

I use the 2.25...but I found out some information. My cat came without the O2 bung, so I went to a muffler shop to have one welded on. While there, I was informed that these cats are in fact NOT smog legal in CA on OBD2 cars. The one that IS OBD2 carb legal is over $400 for the universal, and is only currently approved for GM/Chevy trucks and vans.

Oh damn, did they install it for you?
does that mean that it will interfere w/passing emissions?

My local mufler shop refused to install an aftermarket cat on my integra.

dubcac · 03-15-05, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quick Silver

Oh damn, did they install it for you?
does that mean that it will interfere w/passing emissions?

My local mufler shop refused to install an aftermarket cat on my integra.

Legally they cannot install the cat onto the car, because it is not legal. He would have put the O2 bung on, but I decided to wait and figure some things out. He said that a smog tech will look under the car, see an aftermarket cat, and know that there is no CARB legal aftermarket cat for our cars...and fail you. He also didn't think it would pass the sniff test, because it's so strict for OBD2.

carta79 · 03-16-05, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Master Yodub

I use the 2.25...but I found out some information. My cat came without the O2 bung, so I went to a muffler shop to have one welded on. While there, I was informed that these cats are in fact NOT smog legal in CA on OBD2 cars. The one that IS OBD2 carb legal is over $400 for the universal, and is only currently approved for GM/Chevy trucks and vans.

What's the product number on the new cat you got, 43005? Maybe I'm not following you but are you saying that the 43000 series isn't legal for use in CA.

Team Integra aftermarket cat article

Under D. it states that it's legit. I highly doubt that article has incorrect information.

Car-sound 4300 series

dubcac · 03-16-05, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by carta79

What's the product number on the new cat you got, 43005? Maybe I'm not following you but are you saying that the 43000 series isn't legal for use in CA.

Team Integra aftermarket cat article

Under D. it states that it's legit. I highly doubt that article has incorrect information.

Car-sound 4300 series

See, there is a problem. The cat itself is legal, but only approved by the Ca. Air Resource Board for certain applications...which happen to currently be GM trucks and vans. Nothing else has been approved yet. It has to be tested on each application before it is granted CARB exemption for those applications. Technically they aren't lying by saying it is CARB legal, but not being completely truthful.

Anyways, the cat that I have is not a 43000 series cat. I probably should have asked kteller if it was, but since he stated it was CARB and EPA approved, and has the same OBD2 EPA compliant image that Carsound uses on their site...I figured it was the correct one. If you want to look up what parts are approved, check out www.arb.ca.gov and go to OBD2 catalytic converters...you'll notice nothing for Honda/Acura or anything even close.

03-09-05, 12:15 AM	#2
dubcac I WANT WINNERS Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The W Posts: 52,939	The only one I know of that is OBD2 CARB exempt for CA is the Carsound cat 43000 series. EPA/CARB OBD2 approved. I ordered mine from www.kteller.com and it should be here in the next couple of days. $155 for the 2.25" cat with O2 bung and flanges, proper length for the 97 LS. I had the same problem, and it took me a while to find this. __________________ Brett.2003.NFR.AP1.Apexi.ATE.Bilstein.Mugen.Work Team B.O.B.® - Ballaz on a Budget "Hip hop is so wack, the beats are fighting back And I was sent to attack, so I'm following the map"

03-09-05, 06:04 PM	#7
dubcac I WANT WINNERS Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The W Posts: 52,939	You need one O2 bung after the cat, and the length is 17-5/8"...2 bolt flange in, 3 bolt flange out. At a smog test they always do a visual inspection to see if a cat is in place. They never questioned if I had an aftermarket one, since I had the stock one on. All that happened was I failed the sniff test miserably, and then they questioned if I had modified it at all. I think they thought that I hollowed it out, because of how badly it failed. As for CARB certification, the cat should come with paperwork that has the CARB number on it. __________________ Brett.2003.NFR.AP1.Apexi.ATE.Bilstein.Mugen.Work Team B.O.B.® - Ballaz on a Budget "Hip hop is so wack, the beats are fighting back And I was sent to attack, so I'm following the map"

03-09-05, 11:44 PM	#10
dubcac I WANT WINNERS Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The W Posts: 52,939	The Carsound OBD2 Carb/EPA approved cat is legal in CA. __________________ Brett.2003.NFR.AP1.Apexi.ATE.Bilstein.Mugen.Work Team B.O.B.® - Ballaz on a Budget "Hip hop is so wack, the beats are fighting back And I was sent to attack, so I'm following the map"

03-10-05, 12:06 AM	#11
Tobra Senior Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Sacramelto, home after 10 years in Texas Posts: 2,242	The law in California is that you can not remove a functioning catalytic converter to replace it with a different one. If your cat is dead, you can replace it with anyh CARB approved part. __________________ “If you can make black marks on a straight from the time you turn out of a corner until the braking point of the next turn, then you have enough horsepower.” Mark Donahue

03-15-05, 11:07 PM	#14
dubcac I WANT WINNERS Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: The W Posts: 52,939	I use the 2.25...but I found out some information. My cat came without the O2 bung, so I went to a muffler shop to have one welded on. While there, I was informed that these cats are in fact NOT smog legal in CA on OBD2 cars. The one that IS OBD2 carb legal is over $400 for the universal, and is only currently approved for GM/Chevy trucks and vans. __________________ Brett.2003.NFR.AP1.Apexi.ATE.Bilstein.Mugen.Work Team B.O.B.® - Ballaz on a Budget "Hip hop is so wack, the beats are fighting back And I was sent to attack, so I'm following the map"

03-09-05, 01:21 AM	#6
Quick Silver Vroom Vroom..! Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 116	Another question, what is the propper lenght for the 97 Ls? and how many O2 bung would I need? (front and/or rear)

03-09-05, 09:14 PM	#8
civicandtegra Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 294	im in ny and i have a high flow but arent most cats supposed to be carb legal, well any way cali has some messed up smog rules i wish i lived there for the easy distance to good shops but not for the laws, the only shop around here is vision of speed (the only 1 and i mean it) i could and probly am wrong about the high flow cats they do say on some for off road use only right

03-09-05, 10:34 PM	#9
1turbodc2 got boost? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: somewhere Posts: 2,340	I was on the EPA air admission bored web site and there is NO legal aftermarket cat for OBD 2 cars, have to use stock (in Cali), (this is not to say u can't get away with a high flow), but if they go and look under the car then u are SOL and it all depends on what mods u have done as well, Also Random Flow which makes a lot of CARB approved cats confirmed this with me as well about the OBD 2 cars that are in cali can't have a aftermarket cat

03-15-05, 10:55 PM	#13
Quick Silver Vroom Vroom..! Join Date: May 2002 Posts: 116	does any one knows the diameter of the collector of the Greddy 4-2-1 headers? My RSR is 60mm in diameter (2.36in) should I use the 2.5 or the 2.25 cat?

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