My car is a 91 rs tbi convetrtable with 71,000 miles on it. I just passed emmisions 6 months ago. do I need a cat anymore? I read that cars over 50,000 miles don't need them. If I do need it how long can I go with no cat before I have to run it through emmissions again? Ive never owned a car long enough to have to test it twice.

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91' red RS convert.
71,000 miles
89' IROC hood
red Z-28 16" rims
potenza re730's
MSD ignition
MSD coil
K&N fiter
350 ported polished heads
hypertech chip
flowmaster 40 series cat-back

 

Yes you need a cat. It is a very serious (expensive) penalty if you get caught without one, somehting like $2000 per emmissions device. In many states you no longer have to comply once a car is 25 years old, but not at 50K miles

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87 Formula 350 13.94@96.67
98 Z28 1LE 13.15@107.59
1LE Owners Association

 

The 50,000 mi rule is for changing the cat. It is against the law to change a cat (for a higher flow cat, or any other cat for that matter) if your car has under 50,000 miles. Kinda sounds stupid to me, and most people don't follow this anyway.

 

Hey Joel you forgot the up to 7500 in fines they impose in PA.

They can do it under 50,000 but you must do mountains of paperwork and sign an afidavit saying you didn't damage it intentionally or that it just died.

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1989 Camaro Convertible RS
dark silver w/black top
305tbi, auto, 2.73 posi
SLP exhaust, 16x8 black GTA rims as soon as I get them
Check out Phil's Rice Boy Page

 

Yes legally you need it, so why don't you leave it there and if you want just gut it out so that it looks like it is there. This is not legal, but it's up to you. As per your question of how long. Well, if you get inspections every year, then depending on your state and the place you bring the car to be inspected then you might need to put a good cat on every year. It's all up to you. Have fun and good luck.

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87 GTA 350 L98
K&N filters, beefed up TH-700r4, Accel Manifold, Ported Plenum and Runners, Fuel Press. Regulator 49.5psi, air foil, modified MAF, SLP cold air box, Hypertech Thermomaster chip w/160 thermostat, MSD 6AL and Blaster 3, B&M shift kit & megashifter, Moser Ford 9in Rear with Richmond 3.50 and locker, Edlebrock TES headers and Cat Back,Hotchkis setup in rear, Poly suspension and Koni in the front, relocated MAT, bypassed IAC, 300 lbs lighter

Fastest ET's
Stock-0-60 6.8, 1/4 15.0 @ 94
Best-0-60 4.7, 1/4 12.8 @ 112
Norm-0-60 5.2, 1/4 13.2 @ 108

 

Alot of people out here, and I do mean ALOT by where I live in PA dont run cats. ALOT dont even run mufflers at all....just straight-through exhaust...they dont even have the fakes in to make it seem like they have those parts. I used to live in NJ, and the "wonderful" govenor decided to impose this "great" and "much needed" "superb" "second to none" emissions testing that i am sure everyone heard about...well, in that state anyway, if you got caught without cats, i heard the fine was $12,000. I'm just glad i moved.



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1986 WS6 5.0 TPI Trans Am
Random Tech High-Flow Cat
Two Chamber Flowmaster Muffler
Megs Custom 4.5" Stainless Steel Tips
1999 Grand Am GT In-Dash CD Player w/Equalizer(fits like '86 original)
5% Tint On Rear, 35% On Sides

OTHER RIDE:
1998 C5 6Spd. Corvette
Silver w/Gray Leather Int.
12/14 Options
Stock(for now)
Best 1/4th: 13.5 @ 104.4MPH

 

We are lucky here in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre area. Down Allentown they have emmisions. If emissions comes here think of all the cars that are going to get crushed!!!

Or how many greenbacks are going to line someones pockets.

IMO emissions is nothing but a money making scheme and a way to force people into buying new cars, justification of big industry to buy 'smog credits' so they could pollute more and get away with it. The beauty of cats is they produce acid rain (sulfur, rotton egg, whatever) that eats stone away!

I love the "buy your right to pollute for another year" for cars that fail. (What is it, $400???)

It's amazing how a good idea turns into government control. Wait until OBDIII comes out. Your cars computer will be tied into a "cellular connection" so they could monitor your emissions. If you fail, they warn you. If you don't get it fixed they can remotely shut your car off. Sounds like a good idea right??? I think if Hitler was president he would be a little more friggin forgiving, and maybe the new beetle wouldn't look so gay.

When it comes down to this BS and if the country keeps going in this direction, maybe I'll move to austalia... Where there's still a kewl selection of RWD chevy cars and then I could quit bitchin'