What are my midpipe options (Cali)

Smeech · Aug 1, 2004

I really would like to get an o/r H but I'm worried about fines or getting pulled over because of being too loud. However, the Mac catback I have doesn't "rumble" and have as much "presence" as I'd like.

On the other hand, I don't want to pay $500 for a catted midpipe.... I need help--people in California with o/r pipe, what's your experiences... and those who can comment on other setups please do!

Defleshed · Aug 1, 2004

Really, your best bet is to get a hardcore offroad midpipe, and drop it every 365 days for inspection and bolt up the stock H. Pass inspection, go home, and swap them out again. Sounds like a bitch? It is. Cali's laws are lame.

as far as noise, you're going to get busted for being loud in anystate if you blow by a cop at 4,000 RPMs. The only advice i can offer you is, do not under estimate how much gutted cats can save your ass. Some cops are clueless. One cop asked me "did you take your mufflers out". "Nope" i responded. He said back "did you remove the baffles". "Nope" i responded again. "did you remove the sound insolaters?". "Nope". "Well, what did you do to make your car so loud". I told the officer "I put a performance exhaust system on". He didnt know though, at the time I had an offroad X under there. Some cops dont know jack about cars and think only mufflers effect sound. Other cops are car enthusiasts and WILL get on their knees with a flashlight and check you for cat converters.

3.8L_of_Pain · Aug 1, 2004

The member, "bccardinal" summarized the facts best in another thread:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=482361&highlight=California

"technically there ARE CARB legal cats. they are made my magnaflow. however there are stipulations for the use. you must be out of the CA required 8year/80,000mile emissions warrenty, if you are in that you must use OEM cats. also you must have proof that the OEM cats have failed due to a production error. that means taking it to a referee and having the referee say they are bad and you can use aftermarket ones. when you do a smog test you look for cats, there are books that tell you how many cats are in a car and where they should be. however you theotrically can find a place that will do a "hot smog" but they are becoming harder and harder to find thanks to a crackdown by the BAR(bureau of automotive repair) with undercover vehicles and fines that range from $500 - $10,000 per offense."

I crave a catted X-Pipe, but don't want the attention from cop's and the cheese factor of replacing the H-Pipe before inspections. Most of the common 2.5" catback kits will give you better sound and some performance gains (about 4 rwhp).

Smeech · Aug 1, 2004

Is this worth it? I thought maybe I could meet it in between with a mac h pipe like this with 2 hi-flow cats.

Changing every 2 years for inspection isn't a problem...

I'm just worried about a fine if I get pulled over. I'd think there'd be a lot less of a chance because most cops won't know, and if they do Im only missing 2 cats not all 4...

Smeech · Aug 1, 2004

Oh yea is $250 a good price for that (used)

GregGTStang · Aug 1, 2004

Man, cops in Cali sound pretty strict. In FL just about every 'Stang doesn't have cats.

Blue Blurr · Aug 1, 2004

cops in cali suck ass, actaully its the highway patrol. hey dude just get a o/r mid pipe. im going to, cops dont notice mustangs as much. im catless on my suby and cops seem to notice us wrx's more but i havent been pulled over yet for loud exhaust. but if you do get pulled over its just a fic it ticket and u can get it writen off. also i heard cars 2000 and up get smoged ever 4-5 years now

bdcardinal · Aug 1, 2004

where in CA do you live. they have new mobile smog stations in the LA. the police have the traffic go down to one lane and watch every car that goes by. if they see one that sounds "odd" they pull it out of the line and make you put the car on a smog dyno and they smog it. they also have EXPERTS on emissions laws look over the car from top to bottom and they know pretty much every approved part. if you have no cats the fine will be around $10,000 for modifying your catalytic converters. o and if you try to drive by the smog places they have the CHP camaros hunt you down and drag you back.

Smeech · Aug 2, 2004

Bay area, I haven't seen any of these around here.

FallenPhoenix · Aug 2, 2004

Smeech said:
I'm just worried about a fine if I get pulled over. I'd think there'd be a lot less of a chance because most cops won't know, and if they do Im only missing 2 cats not all 4...

If I remember right from the last time I was under the GT, you can't really see the 3rd and 4th cats unless you're right up under there anyway so aside from inspections I'd say you're pretty safe from the California Highway Patrol Smog Nazis

LI98GTStang · Aug 2, 2004

If I was in cali, I'd replace the stock H in favor of an MRT catted H so as to appear stock for those cops that are looking for the H or X design. Also, I'd then take my stock pipe and drop it on the ground, till it was good and dented and explain that because the car is lowered, the stock pipe was mistakenly ruined when it went over a speed bump. Oh darn. Having high flow cats does reduce the noise level enough with most catbacks so as not to raise the interest of cops.

Blue Blurr · Aug 2, 2004

Smeech said:
Bay area, I haven't seen any of these around here.

where in the bay area do you live? i live there too. oh ya and they dont have those smog station thingys

WhiteDevil · Aug 2, 2004

Never seen a mobile smog station here in San Diego. I also run a O/R X and i have my first smog this october. IM jsut gonna put my stock H in there for it. Also my MAC catback with the O/R midpipe sounds like an absolute animal. I love it!

bdcardinal · Aug 2, 2004

LI98GTStang said:
If I was in cali, I'd replace the stock H in favor of an MRT catted H so as to appear stock for those cops that are looking for the H or X design. Also, I'd then take my stock pipe and drop it on the ground, till it was good and dented and explain that because the car is lowered, the stock pipe was mistakenly ruined when it went over a speed bump. Oh darn. Having high flow cats does reduce the noise level enough with most catbacks so as not to raise the interest of cops.

i talked with the smog ref about it and damage from an accident does not warrent replacement. it must be a failure due to the construction or internal failure of the cats.

ive seen the smog stations first hand, also one of the guys on svtperformance got nailed by one. hello $10,000 fine

Blue Blurr · Aug 2, 2004

10k for running catless? WTF are you sure

bdcardinal · Aug 2, 2004

yup, happened to a friend of mine. also when some of the smog techs check the cats they will hit it with a ratchet to see if they are hollow (allowed under the visual inspection).

jbrown · Aug 2, 2004

If they hit me with a 10k fine theyd have to take me to jail b/c I dont have that much money, if I did I'd have a sc on my car by now, CA sucks.

bdcardinal · Aug 2, 2004

if you cant pay it outright they just take it out of your paycheck before you ever see it.

Smeech · Aug 2, 2004

Thanks guys for the help--but I'm still deciding... because I want the animal sound of the mac catback and o/r pipe, but don't want to be slapped with a $10000 fine... I think the ebay midpipe is a good in between.

Im from Fremont btw.

jbrown · Aug 2, 2004

ebay midpipe? is that a midpipe sold on ebay?....they could dock my paycheck if they wanted Im a waiter my paycheck is for 20 bucks every 2 weeks

What are my midpipe options (Cali)

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