Hi,

Looking for advice or constructive input on getting my 85 RX-7 (1st gen/12A...) that has had its exhaust modified for racing to pass CA emissions testing.

I bought the car as-is, with the knowledge that it wasn't passing smog; didn't realize (and didn't know enough at the time to check) that the exhaust had been heavily modified to improve racing performance.

It looks like the front and middle converters have been removed completely, and the one remaining monolithic converter doesn't look stock. The air connection from the converter to the engine is no longer connected (hose is gone).

I didn't get the car to race or to tinker on to improve street performance, so I'm not averse to going back to stock equipment.

Here is what I'm thinking of doing:

1) Try to find stock replacements for the front and middle converters, or after-market if they're 50-state legal (most that I see advertised can't be sold to CA addresses).

2) Get a stock replacement for the existing rear monolithic converter also, again if I can find one that can be shipped to CA.

3) Take the parts into a shop that handles exhaust work and put the thing back together.

Obviously this is brute-force and expensive. And I'm not sure in the end if the result will then pass.

Has anyone out there dealt with this type of problem? Suggestions? Bueller? Bueller?

Thanks.

 

i dont know how it is out there in california, but over in jersey, whenever i had to have my 7 inspected i broke the bank and paid for it to pass if you catch my drift, just throwing it out there. i hope you find a solution.

 

I remember reading an article covering a 1g 13b modification. They used a random technologies cat, that was made specifically for the car. They tested it after the change and the ppm was lower than with the stock exhaust, which passed prior to the mods. I remember the writers were in ca, and the hope was to pass smog as stock and modified. Also, I don't remember if they used the air tube, but it may help, too.
just searched and found a part number 902210; I'm not saying it's the best solution, but the 86-92 1.3l cat would filter out the 1.1l as well and may come with a port for the tube to be used.