So I need to get my cc replaced...I'm thinking of either getting one made by magnaflow or eastern. Has anyone had any experience in getting these?

Everyone that I've talked to has spoken highly of magnaflow. Are they both the same or is magnaflow better/worse? The only reason I'm going for these universal cc's is because of $$$ issue :S

Thanks in advance!

 

I recommend MagnaFlow as well. I got the California-legal one before they banned them and it worked better than stock as far as emissions went. It was just the greenie hippies that wanted them banned so they did it.

~Cheers~

 

Just curious, but does Cal actually run a smog test or simply check the codes?
AZ just checks codes and makes sure the gas cap holds pressure.

 

California checks if your farts pass smog.

We have to do an idle (IIRC), a 15MPH, and a 25MPH test. They also check the gas cap, and check the engine bay for visual. Fail any of them, fail the entire test.

~Cheers~

 

+1. First and foremost we check is the check engine light weather its ON or OFF. Light should come ON with key on engine off and go OFF when engine starts. If it fails to do so, thats a failure.

Then comes the visual inspection. We check for all the emission related components visually if they are as they should be. i.e. O2 sensors present and connected, EGR, air pump, PCV system and other emission related components. Any torn, missing, damaged part/vacuum line is a no no. California approved catalyst or what ever the stock part is supposed to be on the vehicle.

After visual is done, its time to put the vehicle on dyno. Depending on configuration if the vehicle can be tested on dyno or not (full time 4wd, awd, traction control etc). If vehicle is testable on the dyno we do test them at 15 MPH and 25 MPH. 15 MPH test under 50% load and 25 MPH test under 25% of load. We test for HC (Hydro carbons), CO (Carbon Monoxide) and Nox (Nitrogen Oxide).

If vehicle can't be tested on dyno we do a TSI (Two Speed Idle) test. Emission readings are taken at vehicle idling and at 2500 RPM (Gives us range to stay between 2250 and 2750 RPM). Only HC and CO gases are measured in TSI test. No Nox readings are taken.

All mid nineties to present Mercedes Benz cars/trucks are not testable on the dyno because they'll have their ABS/BRAKE light come ON and won't go OFF without factory scanner.

Then comes the functional check part. It includes checking the timing, testing EGR system on vehicles 95 and older which can't be tested on dyno, Low pressure EVAP test to find out any leaks in fuel system (Done on all vehiles 95 and older. All 96 and newer are excluded from this test and are equipped with OBD2 system. If it detects a leak it'll turn the check engine light ON). Also gas cap is tested on vehicles 99 and older. No gas cap test required on vehicles 2000 model year and newer. It also includes hooking up OBD2 scanner to 96 and newer cars to get the OBD2 monitor data.

Results, like Arthur said a single failure in any of the above tests makes you fail the whole test. To retest the vehicle we have to go through the whole thing again. Then some people complain we charge too much...

 

^ Yup. I had the smog tech scratching his head as he was looking in my engine bay. He took out the book for the TL and was like, "This isn't supposed to be here, but it's there, and that's supposed to be there, but it's here..." Haha.

~Cheers~

 

Did you notice a difference in terms of performance?

I read somewhere online that it helps the performance a little bit...I was able to find a direct fit from magnaflow for 150$ but it was after I had purchased this--> http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?...m=170346790809

Someone told me that it makes a difference in performance so now I'm debating whether to get the magnaflow converter or just keep the one that I got from ebay...

any suggestions?