I will be replacing my stock exhaust soon. The car won't pass inspection if I remove the Cat right? I'm thinking you can't get away with a straight pipe, so would buying a high flow Cat to replace the stock one be the only option if I want to pass inspection every year?
Replacing Exhaust
- Thread starter EddieSi12
- Start date
- Staff
- #3
- 55,536
- 23,820
Basically every exhaust is a cat-back or axle back. Neither mess with your catalytic converter. If you swap out the downpipe which runs from the head to the exhaust you'll be messing with the cat. Basically every company making the downpipes offer it catless, or you can pay to get it with a high flow cat. Either way they're made to bolt up to the stock or aftermarket exhausts. Links in my signature will help you.
- Thread starter
- #4
NY
- Thread starter
- #5
Correct, so I wanted to know if taking off the cat in NY and going to a catless system would definitely NOT pass inspection. When I do the exhaust if I need the CAT to pass inspection, then I would most likely get the downpipe with the high flow cat. Just didn't know if I needed to go through that added expense or not.
-Eddie
- Staff
- #6
- 55,536
- 23,820
It's illegal in every state to run catless. If you have any type of emissions testing where you live, you will not pass that inspection if you remove the cat. So if you have testing where you live, you need to get a downpipe with a high flow cat.
Spend the extra money and get a downpipe with a high flow cat already installed. You won't pass any states emissions testing without it, and you'd have to go through all the hassle of putting the stock downpipe back on the car to get it through inspection just so you could take it back off to put your cat less one back on.
If you live in NY, you need to get the catted one and also make sure you have flash pro. You will need it to get the most out of your parts and for your car to run correctly but also to pass emissions.
I lived there for years, they plug into the OBD port and hook up to some computer system. If any of the emissions sensors aren't working/reading they may fail you. Especially if they can visually tell that some parts have been changed.
Flashpro can take care of a lot of the "ready states" on the sensors and stuff. Plus its just a good place to start even if you do nothing else to the car.
Advice on inspection/emissions in NY with a modded car:
I found Valvoline oil change places to be the laziest about inspections since they don't make any $$ on them. They still plug in but unless they can snag you on something they can service they won't mess with you. Obviously they will fail you for bald tires and such but they won't be looking for work they can't do. Full service shops look for stuff they can charge to fix. You have to call ahead for an appointment at the valvolines since they don't want to do too many and lose $$. Costs the same everywhere anyways.
I got failed at a local garage and they wouldn't give me a sticker since they said I needed brake work and they could do it on the spot for $300. Took it to Honda the next day and they said my brakes were fine. $20 for the second inspection but oh well, better than $300 to some shady garage.
For non-NY'ers, if you pull in for an inspection, they scrape your old sticker off before they start. Now if you fail you have no inspection sticker and thats a nice ticket. Very easy for the cops to spot too. You can try and drive around without the sticker on your windshield but good luck. Great way to trap people and force them to pay for on the spot repairs to pass. Real scummy places will call the local cops for an easy ticket. Seen it.
I lived there for years, they plug into the OBD port and hook up to some computer system. If any of the emissions sensors aren't working/reading they may fail you. Especially if they can visually tell that some parts have been changed.
Flashpro can take care of a lot of the "ready states" on the sensors and stuff. Plus its just a good place to start even if you do nothing else to the car.
Advice on inspection/emissions in NY with a modded car:
I found Valvoline oil change places to be the laziest about inspections since they don't make any $$ on them. They still plug in but unless they can snag you on something they can service they won't mess with you. Obviously they will fail you for bald tires and such but they won't be looking for work they can't do. Full service shops look for stuff they can charge to fix. You have to call ahead for an appointment at the valvolines since they don't want to do too many and lose $$. Costs the same everywhere anyways.
I got failed at a local garage and they wouldn't give me a sticker since they said I needed brake work and they could do it on the spot for $300. Took it to Honda the next day and they said my brakes were fine. $20 for the second inspection but oh well, better than $300 to some shady garage.
For non-NY'ers, if you pull in for an inspection, they scrape your old sticker off before they start. Now if you fail you have no inspection sticker and thats a nice ticket. Very easy for the cops to spot too. You can try and drive around without the sticker on your windshield but good luck. Great way to trap people and force them to pay for on the spot repairs to pass. Real scummy places will call the local cops for an easy ticket. Seen it.
- Staff
- #9
- 55,536
- 23,820
that's messed up