Anyone passed smog in CA with a non-50 state legal exhuast setup?

[SadbutTrue]

If so... what non-legal parts were you running? Was it close? Did you have to do anything special or any considerable extra work when getting smogged?

Trying to find a way to get a system for my dads 98 GT vert that will pass Ca smog and improve the stock system's sound and/or performance somewhat. And I don't think he's willing to break up his exhaust every smog check, for what its worth (though I might be if it were my car).

thanks

 

[SRT Handz]

you can mod the catback in cali but you cant touch the midpipe. Since our cars have tailpipes and you can see the muffler pretty much anything but SLP LM1s will pass.

Only Stock mid-pipes with all 6 cats will pass.

 

[OC Stang]

Not necessarily true.

I replaced my mid-pipe with an MRT stainless steel midpipe with 2 cats. They are magnaflow cats in the pipe.

I kept my original stock one that has 4 just in case.

I decided to try my luck with the MRTs first before switching out.
Made sure to drive around first to make sure was hot as the cats are less effective cold. Picked a gas station to do the test.

Got results and barely passed but passed. 1 more point and I would have failed guy told me.

Maybe I just got lucky though. Who knows.

I drive a 2000.

I would not recommend doing it and expect to pass, but just saying I did.

 

[CobraRed_96_GT]

Not necessarily true.

I replaced my mid-pipe with an MRT stainless steel midpipe with 2 cats. They are magnaflow cats in the pipe.

I kept my original stock one that has 4 just in case.

I decided to try my luck with the MRTs first before switching out.
Made sure to drive around first to make sure was hot as the cats are less effective cold. Picked a gas station to do the test.

Got results and barely passed but passed. 1 more point and I would have failed guy told me.

Maybe I just got lucky though. Who knows.

I drive a 2000.

I would not recommend doing it and expect to pass, but just saying I did.

yes, you passed the sniffer under a load dyno - but if they did an inspection correctly you wouldn't have. Can't alter the placement or number of facotry cats.

 

[blubullett]

They only thing you can legally do is get a cat back, and they are all legal.

 

[SadbutTrue]

OC Stang... your car originally came with 4 cats right?

I'm assuming this is a fat 'no', but do any of the 99+ exhaust components work on a 98?

If anything, the requirements your 2000 would have to pass would be stricter than the 98, so maybe if I could do a setup with 4 stock cats off of a 99+... it might work.

Or, is it feasible to get one of those midpipes with 2 cats and add another 2 cats on top of them to make it pass? I guess all these setups would fail inspection still... Just kinda thinking out loud here.

I guess if all else fails, we can just replace the stock cats and get some mufflers. Anyone know the cheapest place for 98 GT cats (stock or aftermarket, don't care so long as they're cheap and pass)?

Definitely makes me glad I don't have to deal with this on my 66

 

[blubullett]

I was thinking of getting a nice 3" off road x pipe and having 4 legal cats welded in but im not sure if that would pass visual even if you used stock replacment cats. It would still be worth a little bit of power from the increased size and better piping but it would cost an arm and a leg. An $800 x pipe?

 

[bdcardinal]

I was thinking of getting a nice 3" off road x pipe and having 4 legal cats welded in but im not sure if that would pass visual even if you used stock replacment cats. It would still be worth a little bit of power from the increased size and better piping but it would cost an arm and a leg. An $800 x pipe?

will not pass visual, the whole pipe assembly must be OEM. you can get a after cat x pipe from magnaflow.

my 98 had 6 cats, i think the 99-04 had 4. the new mustangs have 2 cats.

 

[eliteJAE]

99-04 have 4 cats? Wow lol i guess i have an aftermarket H-pipe then, i only have 2 cats
Posted via Mobile Device

 

[mransr]

according to the Cal ARB website aftermarket converters ARE legal:

Within this context, ARB has promulgated regulations that allow the sale of new
aftermarket catalytic converters and used original equipment converters if they
comply with established performance and other criteria. The availability of these
aftermarket converters creates a less expensive option for vehicle owners
needing a new catalytic converter compared to the cost of purchasing an original
equipment manufacturer (OEM) catalytic converter. The performance
requirements for these aftermarket converters balance the continued need to
control in-use emissions from motor vehicles as they age with the cost of
replacing catalytic converters on vehicles that often have a limited remaining
lifetime and relatively low market value.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/regact/2007/amcat07/uid.pdf

I haven't found any reference as to whether the pipe the aftermarket cats is welded to has to be OEM, or even if you still have to have the same number of cats (I suspect you do, but this update appears to have been happened in October of last year, so the number of cat required may have changed too, along with the specs the individual cats have to meet. And I can't locate any current info...the vast majority of what's on the web seems to date back about 10 years or so)

 

[bdcardinal]

you need to make sure that the cats have a CARB EO number for your specific application.

 

[Ronald Jones]

You can use the Magnaflow 15447 X-pipe welded up to your converters. This is what the Saleen Mustangs used in California to be legal. It's 2 1/2" mandrel bent stainless steel. Check out: http://www.tunerplaza.com/p-287756-magnaflow-15447-ford-mustang-direct-fit-x-pipe.aspx or http://www.rsautoparts.com/Items/mag15447

 

[blubullett]

You can use the Magnaflow 15447 X-pipe welded up to your converters. This is what the Saleen Mustangs used in California to be legal. It's 2 1/2" mandrel bent stainless steel. Check out: http://www.tunerplaza.com/p-287756-magnaflow-15447-ford-mustang-direct-fit-x-pipe.aspx or http://www.rsautoparts.com/Items/mag15447

Yeah but then your still using the ****ty stock cats and piping in front of and between the cats, probably not worth much power.

 

[bdcardinal]

Yeah but then your still using the ****ty stock cats and piping in front of and between the cats, probably not worth much power.

but you can pass smog that way legally.