I'm trying to get my car to pass smog but myy engine light is stuck on and according to my mechanic it needs a new CAT converter. He says he can't do it because there isnt one available and only from the dealer. He said its going to cost about $1,000 just for the PART!!! Can someone help me?? Is there a cheap place where I can get one?

How can I get this thing to pass the smog...Everything passes except the check engine light. This is BS. Theres NO WAY im paying a thousand+ bucks to replace the CAT!!!!!!

 

BTW i have this exhaust system

http://www.hawksthirdgenparts.com/ca...singlecat.aspx

and i'm in cali so whatever CAT i get needs to comply with STATE smog requirements. Any help would be appreciated!

 

i will sell you my intermidiate pipe with dual cats that come of my factory 97 z28 exhaust.

 

well I would but I need this ASAP. I need to get it fixed so I can drive around since my tags are expired..I'm looking for someone to help me link up with a website or the part I need. Thanks though, how much are u selling it for? btw

 

You might want to clarify what the rest of your exahust system looks like. A 97 SS had dual cats, one on the drivers side, bolted to the bottom of the exhaust manifold, and another on the passenger side near the bottom of the passenger side branch of the Y-pipe. If you still have the dual-cat system, which cat needs to be replaced?

The confusing part is that you posted a link that indicates you are using a Borla catback for a single-cat car. That's possible, with some exhaust work, but it makes it difficult to understand whether you are running dual cats or a single cat. Since you are in CA, and they wouldn't pass an single-cat Y-pipe, it would appear you have dual cats, but the link to the Borla sort of confuses things.

The cat performance is measured using the after-cat O2 sensors. Sometimes, the problem is the sensor, and not the cat. You can check this by swapping the two after-cat sensors side-to-side. If the code/problem stays on the same side, its a car problem, if the code/problem follows the sensor to the other side of the engine, its a sensor problem.

Another option - if its the after-cat sensor code that is telling them you need a new cat, try and find a pair of O2 "sims" that replace the after-cat sensors, and make the PCM think the cat is there, and working. The sims are hard to find, since Casper was forced to stop making them and fined, but they are around. Then there are mail-order shops that can reprogram your PCM to eliminate the failed cat codes, but still show the after-cat sensors as "ready".

 

wow thanks for all that info...I'm in LA. I do have a dual cat system. I believe it is the LEFT cat that is giving me the error. I had the right O2 sensor already replaced. Maybe i'll try swapping them as you said. (not sure what a sim is though?)

Another thing....there are like 3 codes that are goofing up. I dont know what they are off the top of my head I'll get them

 

The codes will be helpful. After cat O2 sims will tell the pcm that your cats are good, and it will not throw a code for the cats.

 

the left one looks like this I think:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-...ayphotohosting


and the right one looks like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/_Car-...ayphotohosting

 

and this is what the exhaust looks like

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Borla...ayphotohosting

 

This is a o2 simulator http://fasttoys.net/shop/product_inf...roducts_id=375
If it passed the sniffer this will make the smog tech think the cats are good.

 

i have both of those from my z28 if you want just one piece i can sell you the one you want that way it might help cut down on shipping.

 

well i think i might only need the left cat. How much you selling each for?

 

pm sent

 

I was throwing p1441 code, tighted up my hoses and it went away. Now im getting a p0420 code??????????

 

P0420....Catalyst System Efficiency Below Threshold (Bank 1)

P1441....EVAP Canister continuous open purge flow,or high voltage during non-purge