TheFool

How's it go! It's been some time since I've been on this forum. Been a bit busy with school and all...anyways, I'm here, posting this today because I need a bit (or a lot) of help regarding my catalytic converter/emissions!

So first off, I went to go and SMOG test my car today and it failed both visual and emissions (I'll save that for next paragraph or so)..they were looking through they 'mechanics' booklet and apparently my Camaro should've came with 2 catalytic converters from factory?!?!

Sorry, forgot to mention that I have a 1991 T-Tops Camaro RS 5.0TBI with the 5 speed and apparently they never made any of those packages in CA?

So to continue the subject, from what I know at least, Dual Catalytic converters only came in 'sportier' packages (ex.Irocz) Please correct me if I'm wrong.

So my second issue is that the motor, currently isn't a 5.0,but rather a 5.7 *Shhh* lol.II got it that way btw.Call me an idiot, but when I rebuilt the engine here at my college, instructor told me I was able to go with a 262/282 cam (Lunati to be specific) and still pass...results show otherwise..It didn't fail too bad I suppose having measure 188 while max is 110..I'm thinking it could've either been a Catalytic issue or a powerband issue as my powerband seems to be around 4000 and up after changing the camshaft.

Please help me! I'm stumped and honestly do not want to get stuck with this problem!
I'm sorry, I haven't really been active on this forum (should've posted my progress on my car at least) but I've been going through a lot, I guess you could say.

Any help would be MUCH appreciated!!

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

Right: the 2-converter pkg was usually in the G92 cars, which is "really" a gear option, but typically came in a package that also installed the dual converters. It was only available on the models that were already the highest-performance versions, specifically TPI 305/5-spd and 35-/auto; never the TPI 305/auto, and certainly not on anything NOT TPI.

Don't know if the TBI 305/5-spd was available on California or not; but regardless, wouldn't have had dual cats. If it wasn't available in California then it'll simply be listed as a "federal" (49-state) car.

Basically you just need the correct cat for your car, which you can get from Summit and the like.

Go here http://www.walkerexhaust.com/catalog...catalog-lookup and look up your car, print the page when you find it, and take it with you to the smog station.

Base91

iTrader: (1)

I think too it has to be a "California" cat and can only be installed by a licensed shop. Let us know how it goes and what it ends up costing.

gearhead141

I just had a new California cat installed on my '85 LG4 Trans Am by a shop that does repairs and smog tests. My cat failed because of age; it wasn't the original and it was on the car when I purchased it, so who knows how long it had been there. The replacement is a Magnaflow universal and the price was $175. I was out the door for $350. My car was failing on Nox and the new cat took care of that problem.

If the shop you went to can't even figure out the exhaust configuration, I say go to a different shop. You definitely don't need that kind of frustration.

TheFool

That WalkerExhaust may help a lot, so thank you for that! but that thing that gets me is what Base and Gearhead is mentioning. I did a bit of research (looking through summit, jegs, rockauto etc.) and the aftermarket CATS seem to be NON COMPLIANT as they don't have the CARB stamping on them, meaning it will pass the emissions, but not the visual test. I'd honestly like to find one that I could get online and install myself. I have the means to do so here at my campus, but If worst comes to worst, I may have to go to a shop...also, do you guys think keeping the vehicle in it's powerband makes a huge difference? I believe the SMOG technician wasn't aware of where to shift and it was causing the car to jerk and hesitate.

gearhead141

When they do the smog test, the numbers are taken at 15mph and 25mph. Your rpm is going to be really low at those speeds. As far as installing your own cat, that's simply not possible in California. It is in its current policy because of abuse by car owners, i.e. gutted cats and so forth.

nosajwols

iTrader: (1)

If it is installed correctly how do they know "who" installed it or how long it has been there? I guess if it is obviously new they may ask but once it is a few months old...

Base91

iTrader: (1)

I suppose if it looks like a more recent replacement they could challenge it. Possibly you'd have to prove how long it had been in the car or where it was installed. From what I've read all the CA cats have numbers stamped into them, they can only be installed by a regulated shop and the numbers are recorded. I assume at some point only stamped cats with a valid paper trail will pass the visual inspection. As always in CA it's all about the money.

TheFool

Well guys, I guess I'm just going to have to go the shop route according to you guys. Hopefully it isn't too hard on the Wallet lol.
Thank you everyone for the helpful advice!
Definitely learned something new, and necessary in Communist California! lol
I'll post results ASAP!

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

If it's a federal car, shouldn't need a California cat, unless they've changed that since I lived out there.

TheFool

Took a while, but finally got the catalytic replaced. It came out to be $191.00
For part and labor which isn't too bad!
Now, I just hope it will last long enough to where I could pass a few smog tests lol.

83HOZ

Just another reason CARB should be disbanded. What a scam this state runs--and gets away with!!!

The goal is supposed to be about clean air, but it's not good enough that cars can achieve that goal. So to keep their jobs, the stooges in Sacramento continue to make the requirements tougher on older cars, to the point of unreasonableness, and limit us to only the parts that they've deemed acceptable, regardless of whether other parts can meet the goal.

Not only that, but older cars must meet a standard that's almost twice as difficult to meet as newer cars are allowed to meet. How fair is that? If one car is allowed to meet a lower standard, then shouldn't ALL cars be allowed to meet that same standard--ONE standard? That's a rhetorical question, as the obvious goal by CARB is to remove older cars from the road, when, as I've already stated, the goal is SUPPOSED to be about clean air. What a scam.

Most cars on the road in CA are newer cars, which meet a low, easy-to-pass emissions standard, compared to the few older cars on the road, which meet a high, not-as-easy-to-pass standard of emissions, so seems to me that the amount of overall pollution is coming from the newer cars, not the older cars. Oh wait, but that's ACCEPTABLE pollution, right?

CARB has outlived its usefulness, that's obvious. It continues to make things more difficult than necessary, proving that its REAL goal now is simply about keeping its organization afloat, FUNDING its existence, because the Feds and the world have not only met, but also have surpassed any goals CARB could ever have dreamt of. It's time to put this organization out to pasture.

Obviously this bugs me LOL. It's just so darn crooked! Sorry for the rant. Just my

TheFool

Man, no worries! I totally agree with you haha! It's my first SMOG experience as it my first car and I'm having WAY too many issues at this point LOL.
..and My NEW cat at the moment is SO restrictive, it's causing my car to hesitate/Jerk, therefore, not being able to continue with the test??...or maybe something that has to do with the AIR system?!

I'm clueless...I mean, I truly Love this car! but because of all these regulations, this car is becoming a money pit! lol