89 vette in california....what type of exhaust

[89blkvet]

I have a 89 vette, live where the smog police are knocking at your door for any reason. Can anyone tell me if I can run the flowmaster 50 series and do away with the pre-cats and still pass smog??

 

[c4fan]

I live in Sacramento and I'm pretty sure if you remove the pre-cats it will not pass a smog inspection. I have yet to get my car smogged since I bought it so I dont know how hard they look at the exhaust but removing any factory smog equipment is illegal. Us guys here in Ca. have it bad because we can't run a lot of the good stuff that so many guys talk about. Makes it a little harder to build horesepower to keep up with the Joneses.

 

[vigman]

I know for a FACT

It will not.. I tried to help an EARLY 88 at a smog station just ahead of me,and he was barely failing, I walked up to the guy and spun a pretty good tail..but the guy( inspection tech) wouldn't bite... and read the owner the riot act, I told him about the mid america Y pipes with pre cats. At least the Vette owner was doing a PRE inspection.. and was able to sneak away...Then the guy gave ME nothing but attitude.. I fixed his crank when the manager pulled in.

Vig!

 

[froggy47]

It depends where in California. I live in San Diego (North County) & we have Smog II. Dyno (load) testing. But, if you live in the desert of Calif. where the Smog Police have not found as much pollution the testing is easier.

What was said about removing the cats is probably true, but I have a friend who bought a smog (test only) center & I asked him. He said if the oem cats were replaced by free(er) flowing cats (aftermarket) it would be ok.

They have to have a special number issued by some Air Standards Board.

I make it a point to give my friend a really nice xmas gift each year just in case. Hehe.

 

[89blkvet]

Sounds like I am shooting in the dark. Ok, how about if I leave the pre-cats on, and install 50 series flowmasters?? Or tell me, does the pre-cats really do anything, or do they just have to be there?? possibly hollow them out is an option??

 

[vettl83]

Mufflers alone will not alter emissions i.e. cat-back systems. Not suggesting you try this but some guys have two complete exhaust systems. Stock ones for emissions testing and whatever else for day to day operations. 84 CF 91 ZR-1

 

[Eagle85C4]

Federal Law dictates that if you remove or alter any component of the exhaust system you are in violation of Section 203 of the Clean Air Act and subject to a $25,000.00 per day per incident fine. If the vehicle has over 50k miles then the factory cat can be replaced by an approved one.

http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/contents.html

 

[boblx2a]

I guess it depends on how stringent the DEQ tests are in your area. Where I live they don't even open the hood or run mirrors under the car or any other sort of inspection. They put put collector pipes over the exhaust and drive it up on a treadmill and run it. If it passes it passes. What ever kind of equipment it has is not improtant. The only important thing is if the car is creating too much pollution or not. That is actually what all this should be about. It should make not difference how it is done as long as it gets done.
Years ago they used to open the hood and gripe about every little runnber hose that they envisioned was going bad, etc. They would run mirrors up under the car to insure there were CATs on it, etc. Once the treamills came in the policies all changed for the better. If you have no CATs and pass the test you get your license tags. Of course it would probably not pass with no CATs. But the DEQ couldn't care less about how your car is equipped. We in Oregon have finally gotten the EPA out from under our hoods and into our exhaust pipes where they belong!

Good luck with however you do it........

 

[Yoda]

I know here in Modesto they do the visual inspection as well as the Smog II Dyno (load) testing. There is also something called a "Smog Only Inspection Station" test. This is suppose to be a random, you know like winning the Lotto Rare (my 1981) has been smogged 4 times since I brought her into California, 3 of these have been Lotto winners "Smog Only" certificate ad

Luckily she has passed each time, otherwise it is home or to a mech to get adjustments then back for a $$$ retest. The "Smog Only" can't adjust or tweek on the car!

I have the free flow cat and Flowmaster 40.

Good luck

Bud