Is a catalitic converter mandatory in Washington State?

 

I live south of you in Vancouer and here they have the roller setup they run the cars on. I have a 80 pickup with a fairly warm 468 big block, headers, cam, high rise intake, holley carb, and NO CATS. I built the engine before we had DEQ testing here, and was extremely worried that I wouldn't pass when emmissions testing started up. The first time I took it through emmissions I was really prepared to put cats on it, but it passed with flying colors. Then for several years after that I had no problems. Then one year is didn't pass and I just brought it home, changed the plugs, screwed the idle mixture screws in, limped it over to the testing place and it passed. Then I left the place, screwed the mixture screw out so it would run. They NEVER looked under the hood or under the car. Now thankfully since it's an 80 model I just passed DEQ for the last time. I still have the air pump on it, but like I said no cats. But the air pump is going bye bye real quick. I hate those ugly air fittings on the hooker headers I have on it. This is a good excuse for me to get a set of coated headers now!!

I've been told is you don't pass and apply for a waiver, they do a component check to verify everything is on the car and working. Other than that they pretty much leave you alone here if you pass the sniffer test.

 

so you are saying that if you pass they don;t check your car for a cat, or does my car have to have one anyway. I ask because my cat is shot and i want to go with out one but i don;t want to put one on later. Thanks!!!

 

Here they don't seem to care if you do or don't have any emmissions equipment, as long as your car passes the sniffer test. It may be different where you are. I would find someone that went through the test where yo ulive and see what their experience was, and go from there.

 

well if your cat is shot then hollow it out. try to pass the sniffer and if it doesn't work then buy a new cat. at least it will still look like there is a cat on it if the check. and it's free.

 

I don't know about state law but I'm pretty sure federal law makes it a crime to remove or render inoperative a pollution control device. California law is the same as federal law. Check the post by Kevin91Z at the top of this board.

 

It is illeagal in WA to register a street vechicle with faulty emmissions equipment. This includes removal or modification other than repairs to the system. The county is the authority that controls the actual testing laws, in Kitsap county where all my cars are registered, there are no emmission tests. King county is cracking down hard on street modders, so if they see a beefed up camaro or mustang coming in for emissions, it is not uncommon for them to check under the hood.