California Compliant Catilytic Converter
01-22-2009, 04:08 PM
#21
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A 93441 used to be compliant with California Prior to Jan 2009 but CARB has since made us change the set up and its number to a 38441 this is the only one that is legal to install on the car. It now has bigger stamping on the bottom with an EO#. If this stamping isnt on the bottom of the converter then its not considered legal for California.
01-28-2009, 07:09 PM
#22
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A 93441 used to be compliant with California Prior to Jan 2009 but CARB has since made us change the set up and its number to a 38441 this is the only one that is legal to install on the car. It now has bigger stamping on the bottom with an EO#. If this stamping isnt on the bottom of the converter then its not considered legal for California.
I just got a 38441 today---FINALLY the main inlet is welded on correctly (90 degrees). My advice would be, California or not, get the 38441.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
03-23-2009, 07:53 PM
#23
Racer
Thread Starter
I ordered a 38441 from Summit and dropped it off at my muffler guy, when I picked it up.. I found out that the air tube is on the wrong side and that the had to install the Cat upside down ! the word top is on the bottom and the C.A.R.B. numbers and working are on the top !... MagnaflowRep.. any comments. and what can I do about getting this cat exchanged !
It also leaks badly.. at both ends.. the front was not the correct size inlet and had to slip a peice of pipe in between the Y pipe and the inlet of the cat.. didn't want to weld it as the front Y piple and Pre Cats may need to be change later this year.. But the rear ball flange is just leaking, I have tried to tighten them but no luck..
I am going to try and call he Magna Flow tech numbers tomorrow, as it is already late here.
It also leaks badly.. at both ends.. the front was not the correct size inlet and had to slip a peice of pipe in between the Y pipe and the inlet of the cat.. didn't want to weld it as the front Y piple and Pre Cats may need to be change later this year.. But the rear ball flange is just leaking, I have tried to tighten them but no luck..
I am going to try and call he Magna Flow tech numbers tomorrow, as it is already late here.
03-23-2009, 09:27 PM
#24
Le Mans Master
Any emission part sold in CA has to be certified to do what it says AND meet a mandatory warranty which on CATS is something like 10 Years these days. Basically, there is no difference internally - unless the Manufacturer is cheaping out on quality - between a CARB #'d CAT and one sold anywhere else EXCEPT for the mandatory Warranty. Any shop (that wants to stay in business) in CA wouldn't risk installing a CAT (or any emission part) without a CARB #. That's the Law and that's their Licensing requirement. If you want to put on something else you're going to have to do it yourself.
No OEM CAT carrys a different CA part # for any vehicle sold in the US. They're all screwed together with the same stuff. Those States that haven't adopted CA smog rules (something like 13 have) get screwed on the warranty but pay for that quality.
I've never seen a Smog Tech poke around for a CARB # on an installed CAT - I've never even seen a Jack at a Smog Station (Test Only which is where anything 15 Years or older is sent to because the State feels your vehicle is ripe to become - or is - a "Gross Polluter"). If someone wants to crawl under your Vette, wish him or her luck, but if your CAT is toasted, the numbers are going to show it. Unfortunately, Test Only Stations aren't suppose to tell you anything other than the numbers so you're on your own to figure them out. If you want to see the smog history on any leftover 2nds before you buy it, the CA BAR has a link where you can look it up.
Anyone who has found a way to meet FED or CA emissions standards without a CAT wouldn't be hanging out here unless you were really tired of spending all the money the OEM's are now laying on you.
No OEM CAT carrys a different CA part # for any vehicle sold in the US. They're all screwed together with the same stuff. Those States that haven't adopted CA smog rules (something like 13 have) get screwed on the warranty but pay for that quality.
I've never seen a Smog Tech poke around for a CARB # on an installed CAT - I've never even seen a Jack at a Smog Station (Test Only which is where anything 15 Years or older is sent to because the State feels your vehicle is ripe to become - or is - a "Gross Polluter"). If someone wants to crawl under your Vette, wish him or her luck, but if your CAT is toasted, the numbers are going to show it. Unfortunately, Test Only Stations aren't suppose to tell you anything other than the numbers so you're on your own to figure them out. If you want to see the smog history on any leftover 2nds before you buy it, the CA BAR has a link where you can look it up.
Anyone who has found a way to meet FED or CA emissions standards without a CAT wouldn't be hanging out here unless you were really tired of spending all the money the OEM's are now laying on you.
03-24-2009, 09:35 AM
#26
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Subsequently to sending this, I found that the air tube was on the wrong side, too, and sent the converter back. I finally ordered a RandomTech, which fit and works perfectly.
/s/ Chris Kennedy
03-24-2009, 09:39 AM
#27
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I ordered a 38441 from Summit and dropped it off at my muffler guy, when I picked it up.. I found out that the air tube is on the wrong side and that the had to install the Cat upside down ! the word top is on the bottom and the C.A.R.B. numbers and working are on the top !... MagnaflowRep.. any comments. and what can I do about getting this cat exchanged !
It also leaks badly.. at both ends.. the front was not the correct size inlet and had to slip a peice of pipe in between the Y pipe and the inlet of the cat.. didn't want to weld it as the front Y piple and Pre Cats may need to be change later this year.. But the rear ball flange is just leaking, I have tried to tighten them but no luck..
I am going to try and call he Magna Flow tech numbers tomorrow, as it is already late here.
It also leaks badly.. at both ends.. the front was not the correct size inlet and had to slip a peice of pipe in between the Y pipe and the inlet of the cat.. didn't want to weld it as the front Y piple and Pre Cats may need to be change later this year.. But the rear ball flange is just leaking, I have tried to tighten them but no luck..
I am going to try and call he Magna Flow tech numbers tomorrow, as it is already late here.
03-24-2009, 11:02 AM
#28
Le Mans Master
I see the labeling, I see the 5 yr/50,000 mile warranty, but I don't see any inspection requirement and with Public Hearings scheduled through April, it's hardly final (though if SEMA isn't attending, it will probably be worse, rather than better).
05-09-2009, 05:23 AM
#29
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05-09-2009, 07:26 AM
#30
Safety Car
I had always been under the impression obd1 was 82-91 and obd2 was 92-96
I have a 97 camaro 3.8 and its obd2 and cannot display codes like my 90 vette with a paperclip.
is everyone here sure obd2 cats and this law is in reference to 92 and later cars? I had a regular cat with no numbers put on my 90 firebird which is obd1 and it passes with ease and has never been questioned, my best friend had one put on his 90 vette same thing no numbers and it passes with ease.
I have a 97 camaro 3.8 and its obd2 and cannot display codes like my 90 vette with a paperclip.
is everyone here sure obd2 cats and this law is in reference to 92 and later cars? I had a regular cat with no numbers put on my 90 firebird which is obd1 and it passes with ease and has never been questioned, my best friend had one put on his 90 vette same thing no numbers and it passes with ease.
05-09-2009, 09:29 AM
#31
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the only OB2 Vette was in 1996.
05-09-2009, 10:25 AM
#32
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St. Jude Donor '05
I doubt they will actuially look for the number. Vettes are so low they will stick a mirror underneath it at best and see if its there.
If you have a hollowed cat in Ca good luck passing the sniffer; if you get called into a state test only center theres no paying anyone off.
Its getting tougher and tougher, may as well make it legit (not like its going to cost you any power).
If you have a hollowed cat in Ca good luck passing the sniffer; if you get called into a state test only center theres no paying anyone off.
Its getting tougher and tougher, may as well make it legit (not like its going to cost you any power).
05-09-2009, 11:15 AM
#33
Racer
Thread Starter
I got one of the 1st batches of 38441's and they are defective. They put the cases on wrong. The top case (had TOP stamped on it) was on the bottom and the bottom case (had CARB numbers stamped on it) was on the top.
I returned it and had to wait a month for a exchanged one (Magnaflow/Summit). The new batch had both case with the CARB numbers stamped on both case. Not sure if this is just a quick fix or not.
The 93441 and 38441 are the same Cat by design, but the 93441 just doesn't havre the CARB numbers on it and therefore not Legal to be used on as a Fed/Calif SMOG compliant replacement. Not saying you can't use it or pass a sniffer test with it. It will just not pass the visual check due to the CARB numbers not on the bottom case.
This is one of the reason the 93441 can be found so cheap. The 38441 costed me $169 shipped from Summit. They even refunded the shipping cost to sent it back to them.
Last year on my Test, they didn't even look for the cat, but being my Daily Driver and that I have other cars, I figured I'd like to keep it as legal as possible. You never know when they will look for it (tester or the police).
I returned it and had to wait a month for a exchanged one (Magnaflow/Summit). The new batch had both case with the CARB numbers stamped on both case. Not sure if this is just a quick fix or not.
The 93441 and 38441 are the same Cat by design, but the 93441 just doesn't havre the CARB numbers on it and therefore not Legal to be used on as a Fed/Calif SMOG compliant replacement. Not saying you can't use it or pass a sniffer test with it. It will just not pass the visual check due to the CARB numbers not on the bottom case.
This is one of the reason the 93441 can be found so cheap. The 38441 costed me $169 shipped from Summit. They even refunded the shipping cost to sent it back to them.
Last year on my Test, they didn't even look for the cat, but being my Daily Driver and that I have other cars, I figured I'd like to keep it as legal as possible. You never know when they will look for it (tester or the police).
