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California Emissions, anyone put universal cats on a vehicle?

Derp

Involuntary Chest Slapper
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Member Number
2976
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291
And if so, how did it work out? Do emissions test stations just look for cats to be where cats should be, and an EO/C.A.R.B. number? or if it's not factory do they just fail it so they don't have to do any work confirming what should or shouldn't be there?

I bought a truck, sans cats, and paid accordingly (I made the seller an "I don't want to buy it" offer, but they took it anyway). I found a C.A.R.B. website with an aftermarket catalytic converter database that lists a bunch of "universal" cats by year/make/model, is it just that simple? I'm looking at $1050 for universals, or $1700 for the cheapest california complaint option on rockauto.

I know the best solution is to move out of CA, but I don't want to give up being able to surf, ski, and freely shit on public sidewalks all in the same day.
 
If the vehicle is certified for sale in CA then you need to match the engine family # on the underhood label to the correct converter(s) in the ARB database.


if they are the correct converter then you shouldn’t have any problem at any smog inspection station.

What’s the vehicle?
 
Had to smog a truck about a month ago, they didn’t even look at the cats, or if they did I it was so quick. Definitely didn’t go under the truck.
 
I’ve never bought the “ca” cats. Never once has it been an issue. But then again, I don’t use any of the “chain” type smog shops. Local mom and pop shops.
 
Takotruckin said:
If the vehicle is certified for sale in CA then you need to match the engine family # on the underhood label to the correct converter(s) in the ARB database.


if they are the correct converter then you shouldn’t have any problem at any smog inspection station.

What’s the vehicle?
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Thank you for the more technical explanation. And it's an '05 F250 V10, so it has three cats: two pre-cats (one just after the manifold on each side) and a third bigger cat after the pipes meet. The tweakers must have gotten quite a payday from this thing.
 
glad i dont have to deal with that bull shit anymore. its just the governments way of taxing air. in northern az dont have smog or have inspections.

RUGER:usa:
 
Lil said:
In Ca don't even bother trying to save a buck...



They will fail it.
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Has this acually been your experience? Or are you just jaded like I am,
 
Derp said:
Has this acually been your experience? Or are you just jaded like I am,
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I think it is area dependent. In our area, Riverside county and a bit south, they are looking for the # on the cat and get really bitchy when they have to get out the mirror to see the top. They have failed a few I'm around for having compliant but universal cats. In that the cat is the exact same for OBDI and OBDII but has a different part number due to the company paying the CARB tax to get it compliant. I also know of a YJ that got passed with a boat deck fill cap for a gas cap after we put a fuel cell in the bed.
 
Mattafact said:
CA is coming to you. Only a matter of time. CA metastasizes anywhere with a decent climate. :flipoff2:
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yep. weve gone blue this election. well see how crappy things get and flagstaff is pretty liberal anyway. i was looking at wyoming last night while at work if things go south. utah and idaho both have smog/inspections. good thing wife is sick of flagstaff to.

edit: i was ranting about my retirement. got a long way to go.

RUGER:usa:
 
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My $0.02 would be that if it looks like the OEM cat you're probably okay. Been a few years since I lived in CA, but I was there for the start of this BS. Personally, I can't imagine the smog tech putting the effort into checking for carb stamps on every cat he sees, but I would expect them to do a decent visual inspection and if it looks like an aftermarket cat they'll probably dig more. Not sure how closely the replacement cat will look like OEM, but if you can make it look close it may pass.

Also, could be different internals that could cause you problems actually passing the gas test. Safest option probably to buy the ca cat.
 
I went through this on an out of state purchase. I found a latent cat code in the system. PO took it to a shop, who confirmed bad cats. PO paid dearly for new cats/ O2’s (I was present and insisted on “CA legal.”) Drug it home and failed at the first place and then found another that didn’t look. The new cats had not paid the extortion fee.

It’s up to the tech, they own their own license (not the employer/ shop). I my opinion, anything that looks new, or non factory gets the haRd look. It’s not hard to tell.
 
sdmuleman said:
My $0.02 would be that if it looks like the OEM cat you're probably okay. Been a few years since I lived in CA, but I was there for the start of this BS. Personally, I can't imagine the smog tech putting the effort into checking for carb stamps on every cat he sees, but I would expect them to do a decent visual inspection and if it looks like an aftermarket cat they'll probably dig more. Not sure how closely the replacement cat will look like OEM, but if you can make it look close it may pass.

Also, could be different internals that could cause you problems actually passing the gas test. Safest option probably to buy the ca cat.
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Mostly been like that for me.

Walker makes the aftermarket ca compliant cats I've used. Never a problem, and 33% the cost in parts, compared to oe.

I go to 2 different smog shops, one for light duty vehicles and the other for my 1+ton shit. No problems with universal cats at either.
 
It going to depend on the smog guy, don’t use a test only place. If they do say something have a CA carb number ready to give them.
 
My wife’s old car had a non CA legal header on it that they failed it for, I printed out a picture of a header from the internet with a carb number that looked similar and it passed with that
 
Derp said:
And if so, how did it work out? Do emissions test stations just look for cats to be where cats should be, and an EO/C.A.R.B. number? or if it's not factory do they just fail it so they don't have to do any work confirming what should or shouldn't be there?

I bought a truck, sans cats, and paid accordingly (I made the seller an "I don't want to buy it" offer, but they took it anyway). I found a C.A.R.B. website with an aftermarket catalytic converter database that lists a bunch of "universal" cats by year/make/model, is it just that simple? I'm looking at $1050 for universals, or $1700 for the cheapest california complaint option on rockauto.

I know the best solution is to move out of CA, but I don't want to give up being able to surf, ski, and freely shit on public sidewalks all in the same day.
Click to expand...
If you can weld them in and it meets performance, it will pass. I've done this dozens of times for myself and others. Just gotta make sure you align your shit up properly. I've replaced $1700 prebuilt stuff with $199 cat kits.
 
I’ve had a 4Runner fail due to an incorrect part number. Right EO. Wrong part number.
 
Derp said:
Has this acually been your experience? Or are you just jaded like I am,
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My kid put an off the shelf cat from Auto Zone on his buddies truck so he could get it smogged.

Smog shop told it it wasn't gonna fly.
 
RUGER said:
yep. weve gone blue this election. well see how crappy things get and flagstaff is pretty liberal anyway. i was looking at wyoming last night while at work if things go south. utah and idaho both have smog/inspections. good thing wife is sick of flagstaff to.

edit: i was ranting about my retirement. got a long way to go.

RUGER:usa:
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When did you end up in AZ? Weren't you in SWish VA?
 
sdmuleman said:
My $0.02 would be that if it looks like the OEM cat you're probably okay. Been a few years since I lived in CA, but I was there for the start of this BS. Personally, I can't imagine the smog tech putting the effort into checking for carb stamps on every cat he sees, but I would expect them to do a decent visual inspection and if it looks like an aftermarket cat they'll probably dig more. Not sure how closely the replacement cat will look like OEM, but if you can make it look close it may pass.

Also, could be different internals that could cause you problems actually passing the gas test. Safest option probably to buy the ca cat.
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They changed the rules at the beginning of this year or last year. Where you could get tested with 2 of 3 ready monitor lit up, now you have to have all three. Also when they made them start checking for numbers on the cats.
 
Something worth considering also is what county you live in, as well as city. I live in Kern County, which like LA is considered a red county for smog. You're going to get more of a hassle in a red county, and smog shops checking much more thoroughly. I've heard from multiple sources that CARB does 'sting' operations where they'll bring a vehicle in for smog that has a known issue, and if it passes it's not good for the smog shop that passed it. As a result, and I'd think more so in a red county or big city, there are higher consequences for shops not being thorough with everything - and also why you hear such varied stories about what people can get away with...

I was trying to smog my '85 Toyota last year and couldn't believe what a pain in the ass it was. I had multiple shops refuse to even test it just looking at it out in the parking lot - or they look at it out the window and tell me their machine was down. I finally was able to get it done, but was considering just heading to a different county or city to see if that'd help at all. Just my experience...
 
stjames151 said:
If you can weld them in and it meets performance, it will pass. I've done this dozens of times for myself and others. Just gotta make sure you align your shit up properly. I've replaced $1700 prebuilt stuff with $199 cat kits.
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That is definitely not true. The converter has to be the correct one to pass CA smog. Sure some techs may overlook it, but 90%+ will check to make sure it is right.

Shops that get caught passing an undercover car get hit hard by the state, $2000 fine to the tech and the shop, citation class for the tech and loss of STAR status, which is a big deal for a shop.

desertPOS said:
I was trying to smog my '85 Toyota last year and couldn't believe what a pain in the ass it was. I had multiple shops refuse to even test it just looking at it out in the parking lot - or they look at it out the window and tell me their machine was down. I finally was able to get it done, but was considering just heading to a different county or city to see if that'd help at all. Just my experience...
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Many shops are trying to smog only 2000 and newer vehicles and not use their dyno/emission analyzer. They have to keep the machine to retain their status with the state but never use it.
 
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Thefishguy77 said:
Fuck your state sucks in that regard. So glad I live in a non-emissions testing area. :flipoff2:
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It depends. Sometimes we just say "fuck it' and register the rig in a different county. No smog requirements or testing.
 
RUGER said:
yep. weve gone blue this election. well see how crappy things get and flagstaff is pretty liberal anyway. i was looking at wyoming last night while at work if things go south. utah and idaho both have smog/inspections. good thing wife is sick of flagstaff to.

edit: i was ranting about my retirement. got a long way to go.

RUGER:usa:
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The only smog checks I know of in Idaho are the 2 counties around Boise. AFAIK Idaho doesn't require a safety inspection.
 
Mattafact said:
CA is coming to you. Only a matter of time. CA metastasizes anywhere with a decent climate. :flipoff2:
Click to expand...

Yep. AZ is about done, so is Texas. That’s why I have been looking hard at Montana. Too cold up there for the SoCal people. I grew up in upstate New York and Ohio though, so I’ve been thru cold and snow before. Though my cold to,era CJ has gone to shit in the 16 years I’ve been in San Diego. I. Sure it will come back to me though.
 
92 Green YJ said:
Yep. AZ is about done, so is Texas. That’s why I have been looking hard at Montana. Too cold up there for the SoCal people. I grew up in upstate New York and Ohio though, so I’ve been thru cold and snow before. Though my cold to,era CJ has gone to shit in the 16 years I’ve been in San Diego. I. Sure it will come back to me though.
Click to expand...

Also look at South Dakota in addition to Montana.
 
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