I went to get my car inspected the other day as mine is due at the end of the month. Everything was going fine until I heard one of the guys call his co-worker over and say take a look at this. They both went under the car and said, "well I'll be, looks like is missing a catalytic converter". I put the stock cat cover back on to cover the ATLP race pipe not ever really thinking this would be an issue. Eventhough my car passed all other tests the third cat delete made the car a FAIL! I will now have to take the race pipe off, put my cat back on, get the car re-inspected, put the race pipe back on and call it a day...LOL. I am just happy I didn't sell my stock cat when I put the race pipe on. See the pics below and you will see what my set up looks like with the race pipe and stock cat cover on.
*Side note, the inspection was not done at the dealership as the modded headlights would have been a sure fire FAILURE. I went to a "mom and pop" shop to have the inspection done.

Race pipe and half the cover

Stock cover installed

Bolted onto the car

 

maybe it looked too new, and the shop you went to was too legit.
i'd say a little less of both and you would have been okay.

 

wow how the freak did they see it? Even I can't see it. Also where did you get the pipe with the brackets like that?

 

Should have just left the straight pipe to see if they knew if there was even a 3rd cat to begin with.
Or try to argue that it has 2 more.


That does suck though.

 

oh man what a pain the ass! some shops are picky as hell!


uh-oh, i sold my old catalytic converter...and inspection is coming up

 

The guy was on a crawler under the car with a flashlight. That is how the ATLP race pipe comes

He gave me some BS line that his "book" told him the car needs to have three cats for it to pass....

 

I'll rent mine to you......

 

haha i'll have to take you up on that if i don't pass lol

you accept beer as payment right?

 

shoulda just gutted your stock cat. same effect without the hassle or cut the stock cat in half, weld a straight piece of pipe in it and weld the cat back together. Did that on my truck for emissions purposes.

 

Thanks OP good to know info.

 

Study harder.

 

Because the fines associated with passing a car that has an illegal modification are insane. Not worth the risk.

 

Did they even try the sniffer to see if it would pass?

 

Isn't it a felony?? or a very serious fine if a cop notices you are missing the 3rd cat?

 

he likely put a flash light in between the heatshields... I agree that if the straightpipe would've been there minus the heatshields they would've pased it

 

Cliff notes:

OP knowingly broke the law
OP got caught
Inspector did his job.

 

It is a pretty big deal, for both the owner of the car and the owner of the shop. At least in CA. I really don't understand why people bitch and cry when the break the law and get caught.

 

Wow, they really went through the "visual" portion of the inspection! At least you know you can pass when you put the 3rd cat back on.

 

Move the the South. We don't care what comes out of cars. YEE HAW

 

did he actually give you a reject sticker or no? If not then you shoulda just went somewhere else...but if he did then I see why you did all the work to put stock cat back on and then test pipe back on....

 

what an a-hole ... loll

 

He has a point.

LEFT SIGNAL
RIGHT SIGNAL
HEADLIGHTS
BRAKE LIGHTS
REVERSE LIGHTS
HORN

That's the entire inspection right there. I don't deem any place with two techs to be "mom and pop". What you need is a small garage located behind a larger, condemned garage with two mechs over 60 (shadetrees) with another elderly man (Hispanic or African American) who cleans up around the shop. Neither one of them has any real training for cars post-1995 so they're just happy to get whatever business they can. A true mom and pop.

 

Wow that was here in Charlotte? Most shops here don't really care, especially about catalytic converter stuff. Where did you take it?

 

that sucks ass.. my shop just checks all the readiness codes, and if all is go. PASS. It's pretty obvious that my ride is straight piped from the primaries.

 

I don't believe that they did, since I didn't pass the visual there was no need to go on with the other tests.

I probably won't put the heat shield on second time around.

I thought that it might be not be allowed by law to take the cat off, but did not "knowingly break the law". I actually like to abide by law for the most part.

I am not bitching or crying, just wanted to post up this information for other people to learn from my mistake

Yeah, I guess I can't be too upset for someone doing a correct and proper job.

I do live in the south

I got the Fail sticker on my receipt, I thought about going to a different shop, but was to cheap to shell out another $40 when the re-inspection will only be $5.

Yeah, but like I said I can't fault him too much for doing a proper and correct job.

 

Mr. Inspection on South Blvd...right next to the Lingere Store

 

Fixed it for you.

To the OP, this is why I run a hollowed stock convertor. Unless they put a temp probe on it, they will never know. And it's free to boot. I've confirmed that it will pass CA emissions without the third cat before gutting it.

 

...

I did this to every car I owned before the TL.. after the cat failed.. lol. I'm cheap.

 

I had the same issues on my old car. The giveaway was probably some fresh looking bolts that didn't match the rest of the hardware.

You could go to another shop and see if they fail you, then try saying it's a "high flow performance catalyst" but they may be just as willing to call your bluff.

I had so many hassles with my aftermarket exhaust on my old car I just refused to do it on the TL. Between CEL's, O2 foolers, exhaust leaks and failed visual inspections (which ulimately lead to a ticket) it wound up being more of a headache then the extra hp was worth.

 

The good thing is there is no 02 after the third cat so you don't have to worry about CELs or simulators.

 

Your not south enough for no emissions laws.

 

Wow, my inspection was never that thorough for emissions even though the guy sees my exterior mods.

 

Damn, i don't think in Texas they look at your exhaust that indepth.

 

They don't. I failed it, but only because my wipers were crapping out on me lol. I have pre-cat deletes and no third cat mind you.

 

Colorado is the same. Really, just about the smog sniffer... I don't recall any big deal with visual inspections.

But as I type this... I'm sure I just invited bad mojo for my next visit

 

Anyone have advice on passing in NY with these mods? If its possible at all? Im pretty sure we have sticter testing then down south lol

 

^ gut the cats instead of straight pipe. If they sniffer test, gut only the 3rd cat.. I believe the primaries alone will be passable.

 

Yep. I tested mine first at a friend's smog station before gutting it.

 

I want to take my 3rd cat off too. Does removing it cause an engine light to appear?

 

No