I recently found out that ALL CA legal catalytic converters MUST have the CARB EO STAMPED into the casing. Anything else a vendor may sell you as "CA Legal" is not a legal replacement without the stamp on the case.

http://www.car-sound.com/04basics/04california.asp

NEW LAW DATE: Effective January 1st, 2009

LAW CODE: California Vehicle Code Section 27156 & 38391

WHO THE NEW LAWS EFFECT?: Manufacturers, Installers and Resellers of New Aftermarket Catalytic Converters.



General Guidelines:


CALIFORNIA VEHICLE APPLICATION CATALOG INSTRUCTIONS - For California Application look-up it will no longer be based upon G.V.W. (Gross Vehicle Weight) and engine size. Catalytic Converter Application look-up for California ONLY is the only approved method for determining the correct part number. It is illegal in California to select a catalytic converter for installation based solely on vehicle weight, engine size, physical shape, size, configuration or pipe diameter.

For California non-OBD-II vehicles, the application list will identify the vehicle based on the categories below:


(PC-1): Passenger cars with single or dual exhaust systems with one catalytic converter per exhaust bank.

(T-1): Light-duty or medium-duty trucks with single or dual exhaust systems with one catalytic converter per exhaust bank.




(PC-2): Passenger cars with single or dual exhaust systems with two or more catalytic converters per exhaust bank.


(T-2): Light-duty or medium-duty trucks with single or dual exhaust systems with two or more catalytic converters per exhaust bank.





DETERMINING SINGLE AND DUAL CONFIGURATIONS - A single configuration refers to vehicles with an OEM catalytic converter configuration consisting of a single catalytic converter per bank.



A dual configuration refers to vehicles with an OEM catalytic converter configuration with two or more catalytic converters inline per bank.



IDENTIFYING A NEW CALIFORNIA AFTERMARKET CATALYTIC CONVERTERS - As of January 1st, 2009, what you need to look for to ensure you are selling, buying or installing California LEGAL catalytic converters:

The body should be clearly labeled with the following:

A.R.B.- EO Number: (example: D-193-88)

Part Number: (example: 34015)

Date Code: (example: 0109)

Directional Flow Arrow

1/2" Tall Numbers

Must Be Visible From 5ft. Away!





New California Aftermarket Catalytic Converters
As of January 1st, 2009, What You Can and What You Cannot Sell/Required:

(A) The vehicle is specifically included in the vehicle application list for which the new aftermarket catalytic converter has been exempted;

(B) The vehicle is more than 7 years old or has more than 70,000 miles on its odometer;

(C) The vehicle is beyond the coverage of the OEM catalyst warranty period (which can vary from 7 years or 70,000 miles to as high as 15 years or 150,000 miles).2 Installers may reference the vehicle owner’s manual/warranty booklet or contact the vehicle manufacturer or its representative to verify the applicable OEM catalyst warranty;

(D) The vehicle has a legitimate need for replacement of the existing converter that has been established and documented by the installer on the repair invoice. If the OEM converter is present, the installer must make a determination that it is not functioning properly before acting to replace it;

(E) The exempted new aftermarket catalytic converter is installed in the same location as the OEM catalytic converter it is designed to replace. The front face of the installed catalytic converter shall be no more than three inches further upstream or downstream in the exhaust from where the front face of the OEM catalytic converter was located. The installation may not alter the location, position, or orientation of oxygen sensors upstream and downstream of the catalytic converter(s);

(F) The exempted new aftermarket catalytic converter is installed on a one-for one catalytic converter (not substrate) basis;

(G) The exempted new aftermarket catalytic converter is installed with all other required catalytic converters (no consolidation of catalytic converters, nor addition of extra catalytic converters is allowed); and

(H) A warranty card has been filled out by the installer, signed by the customer, attached to the repair invoice, and a copy returned to the manufacturer.

(I) Installers shall keep documentation regarding the installation of the new aftermarket catalytic converters including all of the above information. This documentation shall be made available to ARB or its representative as provided for in title 13, section 2222(b)(8). All such records shall be maintained for four years from the date of sale or installation of the catalytic converter.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...ftermktcat.htm

http://www.car-sound.com/02product/02california.asp

 

C.A.R.B is a FAT SCAM for California's making new laws that's not really necessarily

 

That law went into effect 1-1-09.

 

its not a super big deal, since I work at an auto parts store, we had to send back all our on-shelf cats and get only the cali approved ones which were magnaflows.. which is all we sell at the moment. and they got a little more pricey because of this. and if you buy a cat from us we must record what vehicle its for and retain your information for one year I believe.
cant just come in and ask for a generic cat with x demensions. have to have a car picked that they fit.

 

And the cost is.
Between being OBII and now the paperwork, I'm guessing $300 + installation on a 3rd gen for one cat.

Lot more than the $100 I paid a few years ago for my 86 GP.

 

Yes. Did you post it up, since you obviously knew about it. Or is mentioning new smog laws against the law too.

 

I didnt know it was my responsibility to post all new smog laws.

I think Travis should accept some of the blame since he knew about the change too

 

its not. it was my fault cause i knew about it too. damn me!!!

 

I don't care if you post it or not, but if you don't relay info you know don't come on here and scream "that's old news".

 

I checked my post & didnt see anywhere that i " screamed" "thats old news" I was mearly stating a fact. You're posting up info that almost 1 year old.

 

THATS OLD NEWS

 

*Plugs ears* OK! OK!


But really, news is only 'old' to those who have heard it already; everyone keep the pertinent info coming, or at least coming my way

Bill 91

 

I guess thats because you guys live in Sacramento.
It took 16 turd gens and a year for the info to reach So Cal

 

Oh ****, I forgot to mention Jan 1, 2010 California will be performing smog checks on certain Diesels.

For more more info go to http://www.bar.ca.gov/

If you think the smog regulations are getting out of hand, do something about it. Write your Congressman. Yell at the Governator, not me.

 

yup... 2012, motorcycle will need smog. 2014, riding mower with 150cc or larger will need smog. 2016, gas powered weed wacker will be banned, unless converted to run e85.

 

So looks like our "friend" didnt like the response NorCal had to offer, so it was re-posted in the SoCal forum.

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/sout...a-cat-law.html

Hers some of his fellow SCTGO members telling him "THATS OLD NEWS"

Heres some of their responses,

MadMax said "New a year ago. Thats why the price on them here went through the roof".

ZexGX says "This is old news - as of last year. It's not really an issue. You just have to find a seller on eBay who will ship a universal highflow to CA, and then have your shady exhaust shop friend install it.

ZexGX said again "It was all over the net and by word of mouth in the exhaust shops (since they typically try to follow CA law)... Not my fault you guys miss out on some things! Half of the guys at G35driver had no idea that CA has random smog checkpoints. Funny stuff. Thanks for spreading the word though.

bungo 78 says, "I agree... I had come across a thread speaking about cat's and how the law had changed Jan '09.

There were individuals who didn't want to pay the ridiculous prices compared to what they were before... And a couple kat's spoke about e-bay and how there are a couple sellers who will send the non-california cat legal here...

So this law is "old" news, it just hasn't caught up to others yet....

Adrian

Thank you SoCal

 

Not sure if anyone checks this board still but I need to vent. I have a 2002 Tacoma 2.7L 2WD and my front converter went out. I took it in to get an estimate and they told me that they can only get converters from the dealer. The quote they gave me was over $2400 to replace both front and rear converters (dealer retail), parts only, and that was before they added their mark up. I asked what the cost would have been before the law went into effect and was told after market converters user to run a few hundred $ for my truck. Why the heck is CA the only state doing this...well...no to say the others should as well but why is CA stickin it to us every chance they get? Now I have found front converters, CA approved, on line for about $300-$400 but I can't find a rear converter CA approved anywhere besides the dealer who wants to charge over $1200 for it. Can anyone tell me why this law was passed?...and please don't say to clean the air.

 

Because a bunch of whacko loonies in Sacrmento have nothing better to do but to figure out ways to screw the good people of California...and Arnold is at the top of the loony chain from the state govt.

 

Take it to the dealer and see what they say. I know BMW warrants their cats for a while, and in most cases they extend the warranty period. With the amount of **** Toyota has been in lately, I'm sure if you went in there and harped about it being an emissions related issue, they can make something happen, if not, try another dealer.
Also, you can apply for help through the air resources board to get the parts you need since it's an emissions related issue. Or find a donor car like yours on the down-low and just take the complete exhaust. I mean, unless you're raising hell, law enforcement or smog facilities would have no way of knowing it was not original. There are ways around it, but this is all theoretical and we're not actually talking about a real situation, right?!

Back on topic, this law really only affects the sale and installation of catalytic converters after 1/09. If you had yours done before then, no problem. If you need one in the future, sure it's going to be a bit more, but hell, bottled water costs more in this state, why wouldn't a cat?! Until everyone that owns a car, STOPS USING IT, the lawmakers will continue to find excuses to twist your **** until they're purple. Just like the previous laws that were in place, we'll adapt.

Will

 

as far as i know converter warranties are 8 years/80000 miles. your tacoma actually probably wasnt affected all that much by this law. mainly it was for the cheap aftermarket cats for non obd2 vehicles pre 95 mostly. they were not up to par with government regulations, putting the bare minimum of metals in there. so they made them re-do them. magnaflow/carsound converters are the most common. but also miller catalytic converters, they also make a few #'s that carsound doesnt offer.