I just bought a set of Headers and I wanna run without a cat. I was wondering how strict the smog inspection test is if anyone else is running without a cat. I wanna run a small extention from the Y pipe and then mount the 1 or 2 chamber flowmaster and put a turn down on after the muffler. Anyone else done something similar?

 

Ome of the first checks made to see if the Cat is present. All states do this and it is a automatic faillure if one is missing.

 

Yea, put the original cat back in. Make them happy. They will never know that you have gutted the thing!!!

 

Careful there.....not "all States" do that. I moved from smog hell (Cali) to smog heaven (WA) and they don't do visual inspections here. I drive up, they plug into my OBDII and if there are no codes, I pass. I know a guy running boomtubes (and obviously no cats) and he passes smog up here. The hood doesn't get popped, no one looks under my car, etc.

 

A visual check is done in MOST States, and since older cars like these 3rd gen one Do Not Have OBDII plugs other methods are used by Test Stations to check Emissions.

 

Yes that is true, I was just responding to your "All States do visuals" comment a few posts ago......and pointing out that not all do. I know guys up here with pre OBDII cars (3rd Gens in there as well) and they get past smog without a visual of any kind either..........some Counties up here have ZERO smog checks of any kind, period. Regardless of the make, model, year of the registered car......it is rather nice.

 

heck, Michigan doesn't have emissions testing of any kind

 

[Cartman] Sweeeeet [/Cartman]

 

Then it's time to convert your ride over to burning old tires instead of gasoline!! It'll save you a crap load on costs... it'll just be hell for those behind you.

The test that really chaps my butt is VA's Safety Inspection. I don't know what states have a similar test, but the testers are such hard a$$e$: the slightest hint of a crack in the windshield or signal cover and it's a fail.

 

Lot of the East coast (middle and upper) is pretty harsh so I hear from folks who live/work there in the auto industry.

 

I did a search for you and you can get more info on your Texas state smog check here: http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/

Keep in mind removing your cat or other emissions equipment is a FEDERAL offense, regardless of your state's emissions testing rules. We in SoCal with our **** smog check are putting down 300-400 RWHP and passing smog with cats and everything hooked up. If we can, so can you.

 

I can appreciate that comment. When I bought my Z in January from PA, it's cat was hollowed and all of the emissions gear removed for "performance." To get her legal in VA, I had to put it all back on and guess what: it performs just as well, if not better with all of the gear there. So the desire to always remove the cat, EGR, EEC, etc for performance is weird to me. Obviously, cars like the Z06 can make 500hp and still be emissions legal; why can't we do it on our cars?

 

No smog testing at all in Iowa....hell....no testing for anything here.

 

i heard cats can make some setups sound better aswell?? but my car came with hooker headers > offroad y pipe.. > borla exhaust.. and no emissions on it (sorry trees) but who gives a **** really lol

 

Depends on 2 things really....

1) Personal taste &

2) if you have LT's and what type of catback you have.

Rumor has it that the SLP loudmouth (one of my all time favorites with stock manifolds) sounds incredibly raspy with long tubes and even worse w/o cats....it's all about what YOUR ear likes and doesn't.......but cats generally help clean up the sound of most late model cars it seems.