bczee

What is everyone using for a California Compliant Catilytic Converter... many of the high flow one are not (even tho the can pass the sniffer test sometimes).

For my 88', Magaflow has #38441 as a direct fit.. anyone use one yet ? any comparison to there high flow ones ?

Just wondering what my options are.

thanks.

cumbercr

I am in the process of installing a Magnaflow 93441. It has a CARB number and is legal for 88 and older. The 38441 is their newest model. I wasn't able to find any of those available on line. The 93441 cost me $117 from www.performance-curve.com.

0MagnaFlow_Rep

These are High Flow Cats. Everything we do here at Magnaflow/Car Sound are all High Flow. Our Cats flow about 40% better over stock.

bczee

Magaflowrep.. what is the differents between the two..?

93441 and 38441 ? California Legal ?

hgh pwr

For a 88 you can use almost anyones cat but for the obd2 cars its a different story,I had to buy a factory one for my f-body which cost me $600,gm won't sell you just the cat its the whole assembly with all the pipes that you don't need.So much for saving any money.I hope the law has changed on that but I doubt it. good luck

GKK

Any good muffler shop can just cut the original catalytic converter out and weld in a new catalytic converter in it's place so, it looks stock.

Chris Kennedy

Good question! Also, one thing I would like to bring to the rep's attention is that two 93441 converters for my '89 I have had sent to me by Magnaflow have each had the main inlet pipe welded at a slightly off-angle to the main body of the converter (not 90 degrees, as Magnaflow's tech support people have confirmed to me that it should be welded at). This causes the rear flange on the converter to the rear y-pipe to be off a bit, which will throw the alignment of everything from there on back off, too. Anyhow, I am having a third 93441 sent to me by another supplier (also, I asked the Magnaflow people in California to see if they could check one before they sent it to me, and was told the warehouse was automated and that this was not possible). You know, everyone complains about aftermarket parts made in China, but it appears a little more domestic quality control is in order, too.

Regards,
/s/ Chris Kennedy

bczee

I am aware that I can replace it with almost anything be it direct bolt on or cut/weld.. but I was just researching the whole story.. as I live in California.. and the Smog people are a bit more stricter that the rest of the world ! (lol, only a bit!) I have been dealing with un-passable cars since they implemented new law back in the 70's and I have been breaking them just as long (lol)...
I have done just about everything that you have read before, gutting the cat to make a dummy one, plugging line vacuum line, changing sensors, grinding down impellers in the air pump, building dummy parts and of course, removing the equipement completely.

It is not a race car, but I do Autocross it a few times a year.. and as Magaflowrep has stated, that all of there cat flow 40% or better. So.. if I can be more Compliant to the SMOG law.. without hurting overall performance. I will do the correct thing.. or not...

As many of my friends and family knows. Many of my other cars have not pass the test (sniffer or visual) for one reason or another in the past. So, I know what I can do or not do, but I am just trying to keep informed to the best that I can learn.
So.. if anyone has some good information or question, I'd be interested in any comments that are constructive in this thread.

just waiting to hear from MagaFlowRep on the two different cat question now.

thanks..

hgh pwr

Just go ahead and try to get it installed,I could not even get anyone to sell me an aftermarket cat for a 0bd2 car neverless get someone to install it.They are afraid of getting caught and being shut down.

I lived in california for 23 years and know all about getting your car smogged,no offense intended.

bczee

and most of us knows what it takes to get it passed also.. just remember, its who you know, not what you know...

GKK

I was born and raised in California and have lived here for over 45 years so, no offense taken. I also, have first hand experience with the emission laws here.

The local muffler shop that replaced my Catalytic Converter also, supplied it. It was a Car-Sound Cat. (although my Vette has OBDI). They just cut out the original and welded in the Car-Sound cat. I just asked them to replace the catalytic converter with a stock replacement since, I failed the emissions test with a Random Tech Cat.

My advise to the OP, is to just go to a good muffler shop and ask them to install an original replacement cat.

The only modification you can do to a California vehicle and still pass the emissions test without issues are: (for the most part) Catback exhaust and Air filter.

buddylee432

My catalytic converter was gutted by the previous owner. Is this going to make my ca run better or worse? Is this going to effect the ecm?

bczee

The gutted cat shouldn't be too much of a problem, as the O2 and the PCM will monitor and control the mixture ok. You will have a bit of less back pressure.

My son took my 88 for 3 month.. him and his friends gave it back to me with out the cat, replaced it with a 3" tube, and also took the muffler out and replace them with 3" tubing also.. Only have the two pre-cats now... The PCM has handle it ok.. seem I've lost a bit of low end and response. But once you have your foot inito it.. it screams..! no nothing to worry about your cat being gutted (except the smog police).

What is this..23.. 40.... I guess I will call 56 years and been driving for over 40+ of them in Calif.(born and raised in SF).! LOL..

Kool88vette

I have a 88 Vette and I live in California. I had 2 1/2" exhaust and a Magnaflow Carsound cat installed. I replaced my precats with Pypes high flow bullet cats. I had Magna flow cat backs. I have passed the California sniffer test twice without any problems. I later had Dynamax Race Mufflers installed because it was a little too loud for me. The stock 2 1/4" exhaust is very restrictive. I think that opening up the exhaust is the easiest and most cost effective way to increase HP.

I did fail a visual smog test once because I had installed an adjustable fuel pressure regulator. My emissions have been much cleaner than what California law requires. The smog techs were more interested in my Superam. I had to show them the Superam's carb number in order to pass.

bczee

I call MagaFlow to get some information from them.. and reading the links as far as California is concern. The two cats that we have been talking about 38441 is compliant, as it has the metal stamping of the words and numbers, 93441 does not have the stamping and therefore not legal for california. Most likely are the same product internally. Guess I'll have to pickup the 38441, summit has them for $169 and some change.. Looks like Performance-Curve doesn't stock them yet..

Kool88Vette, what is the part number of your superram ? I might look into upgrading and will need to make sure it has C.A.R.B numbers..

thanks.

cumbercr

Interesting. The box my 93441 came in said it was California compliant. It has numbers stamped on it but they are on top and cannot be seen without removing the converter.

bczee

Not sure why, maybe you can call them and ask... but when I checked there web site and also talked to there phone tech.. they said the 93441 was not...?.. I hope your is tho...

Here is what MagaFlow has published on there web site on the Calif compliant Cats..

http://www.car-sound.com/04basics/04california.asp

Kool88vette

Accel stopped manufacturing the Superam. You might find one in our parts section or on Ebay. They are hard to find.

sub006

The stock cat on one of my cars (1990) gutted itself by 150,000 miles, completely blown out hollow inside. My muffler guy said leave it alone, it's better than putting a new one on as it tested at zero backpressure.

I asked "How will it pass the California sniffer test?" He said don't worry, the cat is just a diaper in case one of your plugs dies, etc. It IS complettely original and stock-looking on the outside, so if your engine is in good tune you'll be fine.

The car passed smog for the next 100,000 miles!

Chris Kennedy

Hi!

Well, getting back to everyone, I just got the third Magnaflow 93441. Like the other two, the inlet tube was mounted at something other than a 90 degree angle to the body of the converter, and the flange on the outlet side goes off at its own separate angle from the inlet tube----in other words, a good recipe for all sorts of fitment problems with the exhaust system from the cat back. At this point, I will probably send this converter back, and spring for a Random Technology converter.

Regards,

/s/ Chris Kennedy