funkjaw

iTrader: (3)

In reality you can put any cat you want on, and no smog technician is going to raise the vehicle up to read the stamp on the cat. It is actually illegal to do so on the smog techs part.

Now a referee? That I don't know, but highly doubtful. As long as you have as many cats that is called out in the emissions applications guide you should be alright if you have to go to a referee.

SpikeDerailed

iTrader: (7)

Wow I feel bad for the cali guys. My FC doesnt even nor has had a cat since I have owned it and no one cares.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

The link required vehicle info, so it must have used a cookie. Either way, you can search any major auto parts store's website for your own vehicle and find cheap OEM-style cats. It will even require your zip code, so you know it's CA specific. They're not $400, they're more like $50 (for 2nd gen at least).

And again, as I stated before, in most cases this law is not enforceable when it comes to installing your own parts. If you're dependent on exhaust shops to do all your work, then you'll be screwed over. But for the vast majority of people, no one will ever know when you installed a custom cat. Hell, most people only put the cat in once every 2 years to do the actual smog test anyway. Cops and smog techs aren't going to go crawling under your car looking for some CA-**** cat identification number. It will pass smog, and that's all that matters. No one short of a state referee is going to dig deeper.

Aeka GSR

iTrader: (4)

I'm not disputing what happens after its installed. The tech won't know if it was installed before the new law or not, so they have to honor a cat no matter what it is. So yes you are correct regarding that.

Plenty of websites will show low dollar cats, and some may show you can buy it, but when it comes down to it they will email or call you back telling you you cant get it. I went through this earlier this year. It may be possible that a FC California cat is cheap, I'm just remembering my experience with my FD. I tried to get a universal, nobody would ship one here. The only option was a 400 dollar california version. Luckily I was going to Havasu and just picked up a universal cat in Arizona at a muffler shop when I was there, done and done.

calpatriot

According to the CARB website, there are three manufacturers of aftermarket cats that are approved in CA for 1995 and older cars having 2 or more cats (like us):

(Manufacturer, DO#, and model series #)

Walker (dba Tenneco)
D-182-39
80400/80200

Car Sound Exhaust System, Inc. (dba Magnaflow)
D-193-84
37000/38000

AirTek, Inc. (dba Catco)
D-280-48
66000

The text of the DOs indicate that the manufacturers can sell the cats as either direct fit or universal units.

MTRfc

well...after a while of waiting and searching i got a hold of a shop that has pre obd II cats in 3 in size so we're dropping the exhaust tonight...welding on the new cat, and installing it all tomorrow...and hopefully ill be seein some of you at seven stock.

MTRfc

*FINAL UPDATE*

so...I took it over to the police station...they had a normal officer come out and check it out. He looked at the ticket (just a correctable violation *modified muffler v.c. 27150 (a) ) and asked me about it. I told him that honestly the cop who pulled me over said it was "loud and smelly" and checked for my cat, found no cat, and let me off with a fix it ticket.

He asked me to start up my car. Then he told me to rev it up a little (which i thought was kind of funny) but i did keeping the revs low enough to make sure not to spool the turbo enough to make the bov blow off. He then told me it was a little loud. He asked me if i thought it was louder than stock. I told him "honestly, yes, it probably is a little louder but really its more of a tonal difference with the muffler on." I brought up saying that it had a new cat installed to be in compliance with the law and that if he had ever heard rx7s before they sound like annoying lawnmowers.

After that he kinda just looked at me, shrugged, and didn't want to be out in the hot sun anymore and told me that he was pretty easy on these fix it tickets and that its a stupid reason for anyone to get a ticket...basically agreeing with us and saying that its a pretty pointless ticket when you're not doing anything against the law and driving dangerously.

i thanked him and went to the courthouse where the ticket was paid for and taken off the record.

hopefully this helps anyone in the future (mostly Californians im sure) with any troubles they're having with pretty pointless tickets. In general most officers are pretty understanding of modifications as long as you word it correctly and stress the fact that its to change something that is offensive, bothersome, or a manufacturers error. Yes there are those who just simply hate imports for whatever reason whether its because of the few that give us a bad name as tuners or car enthusiasts or they like their domestic big block v8s more. So keep in mind even though some may have some chip on their shoulder, being honest and up front with them is the best policy...they are people too and have a pretty tough job sometimes.

Take care everyone! SEVEN STOCK TOMORROW!!!!! Hope to see you there!