I have a 95 Z that I plan to rebuild in a few months. In the meantime, I want to open up the breathing on both ends: CAI, maybe a 52mm TB, and headers. All this in anticipation of rebuilding to a 383.

What's the story on headers and passing the yearly Texas inspection/emissions test? Can I run long tubes without a cat? Do I need to use shorties with the original cat? Should I use shorties with dual cats/cat back system?

I understand that cats need to be as close to the engine as possible, so not sure if long tubes will allow the cats to do their job (and pass inspection).

EDIT: I'm in Harris County, if that makes a difference ... as "my96z" asked, does anyone know if I can go to another county? Will that make a difference?

 

Cats are required on ALL vehicles by federal law.

I don't run anything, no cat, air, egr. Nothing. But I don't live in an emission enforced county either.

 

Being military I just register mine in Michigan, but cant you just go to a different county to the inspection?

 

It has to be registered at an actual address in a non-emissions county before you can get it inspected in one.

 

Maybe the best route would be to get shorty headers and convert this 2-into-1 exhaust into a true dual system with cats. I think that the late model '95/96 came out with duals.

 

Im a certified vehicle inspector, and as long as the car has cats and other emissions equipment, and will pass the ASM dyno test, then it will be fine, unless you get an inspector who is REAL strict. As for doing it in other counties, if the car is registered in a non-emissions county then you can inspect it in any county, but if you inspect it in an emissions county, you will have to pass the emissions and pay the 39.75 instead of 14.50. If you live in an emissions county, you can ONLY inspect the vehicle in an emissions county.

 

No 4th gen F-body's came with duals from the factory. The late 95/96 and on came with dual cats that split back into 1 pipe.

 

I live in Harris county as well, I have Hooker Long Tubes with a custom Y that has dual magna flow cats. I had to do my own air/egr hook up, but its all there. You can get Long Tubes with air/egr fittings already on them, then just build a Y with two cats. They just care its all there, you don't need carb numbers or any thing like that on any of the parts. Easiest set up would be a AS&M headers and a high flow cat.

 

Easiest bet, make friends with an Inspector and program that bith for the rollers with some ethanol in it.

 

69gto96z ... thanks very much for chiming in. it's not that i'm wanting to circumvent the state/federal laws, i just dont want to spend money on long tubes and eventually pumping the LT1 to a 383 (and everything that goes with it), only to end up spending much more money to get it to pass inspection - i simply want to pass

and thanks for the tip on no f-body having duals from the factory. not sure where i read that.

neil350 ... and thanks to your reply. i've read a tech article about the Hookers with the O2/etc fittings. the one drawback i've heard is that the further away the cats are from the engine, the less efficient they are (since they require high-heat to do their job).

 

lol yeah i know what you mean. I have longtubes on my car with no cats. Luckily i have a 96 and had the cats tuned out, so all I have to do is pass a OBD emissions test, and my computer thinks its all good lol.

 

Roger that!