Is It Legal to gut cat in NY?....I'd like to do it but it would pass the visual inpection what else do they do to pass inspection...

------------------

 

Not legal at all, but if you do it most places won't know... All you need to do is make it look like your emmissions equipment is hooked up... you probably need a stock aircleaner assembly... Open elements etc. are going to tip them off.

So you do what we all do and just put stuff back on once a year come inspection time.

If you have a friend in the business, then you can probably get a sticker from them...

------------------
1984 Firebird - Daily driver, 305 LG4, T5 - Hurst short shifter, Edelbrock 600 CFM Performer Carb + Intake - Edelbrock Pro-Flow air filter, gutted cat, IROC 16x8 Wheels, AIWA bargain basement (from Sears of course) CD player, Eight-ball shift ****
Check out my ride here - My $1300 Toy

"IT'S SNOWING! TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT!" - The Mustang and Firebird face off in the dead of winter.

 

Its not legal to mess with your catalytic converter in any state. Gutting or removing your cat is a federal offense, punishable by a fine of up to $10,000 and/or jail time. Its not worth it. Just replace it with a good aftermarket cat like from Car Sound.

------------------
1991 Camaro Z28
5.7L 5-Speed (originally 305)
317 RWHP, 418 RWTQ
13.23 @ 107.62 MPH
Southern California
Member: SoCal 3rd Gen F-Bodies
Member: SoCal F-Bodies
-=ICON Motorsports=-

 

i live in NY, and all they do is visual inspections around here (syracuse).

even though mine is FAR from legal even with a visual inspection, i have a friend that hooks me up with a sticker.

my car though is only my "nice weather fun car" and gets probly less than 2000 miles a year. if it was a daily driver, it may be a different story.

dont get me wrong, i see nothing at all wrong with a cat, but i would rather take that 300 bucks and buy something else.

-Brian

------------------
1991 Camaro RS
GMPP 350 HO crate engine - 454 TBI, MSD ignition, SLP exhaust, everything is new
700R4 - 2,400 stall converter, vette servo, shift kit
My car's webpage - z28boy.cz28.com
President - Central New York F-Body Association
Email - z28boy@twcny.rr.com
AIM - "Z28 Boy"

 

I have my doubts about the $10,000 fine... In any event, how are they gonna catch you? Pull you over and remove an incredibly hot catalytic converter from your car? Even knocking on it would be a knuckle-hair burning experience... Worst I've heard of is fines for excessive noise, and thats more the fault of the rest of the exhaust.

 

don't gut it, run a pipe through the middle of it, better sound.

 

yea that's what i was thinking like gutting it then putting a pipe in there.

------------------

 

Heres an idea I had, cutting it so that you can clamp the CAT on and off, so durning most of the time you have a standard piece of exhaust pipe clamped in place of the cat, when inspection time rolls along or you have to go to the shop, you unclamp the exhaust piece and clamp that cat back on and plug it in... whaca think?

------------------
un4givin89

 

Many people already do that, and thats how they catch you with no cat.

 

If you are hell bent on running no cat, get a used 3" Catco, run a 3" pipe through it and that's it. There is a $10,000 fine. If they catch you they give you the option of splitting the fine with the shop that did it to catch them. $5,000 a piece. Since it is a Federal law and not a state law, it is the state that decides if they want to enforce it or not. Just like all Smog and EPA laws. I wouldn't be surprised if the Feds end up sueing the various states like Florida over that stuff.

------------------
-Tas
'89 Formula WS.6

Got Beach?


[This message has been edited by Tas (edited October 17, 2001).]

 

Personally, I only run the gutted cat because I can't afford a cat back yet... next year I'll be putting on a 3" catback. I see no benefit of power or the environment without the cat, high flow cats do just as well...

 

i HAD A STRAIGHT PIPE BUT I ENDED UP GOING BACK TO THE CAT BECAUSE I COULD'NT STAND THE SMELL, SOUNDED GOOD THOUGH

------------------
Steve
88 Firebird TBI(WS6),TH700R4 - Open Element, Catco 2 1/2 High Flow Cat, K&N filter 14*4 element, 2 3/4 pipe with flowmaster 80 series with 2 1/2 inch turndowns, 180 Stant thermostat, Accel cap and rotor, L98 cam