Is 2nd catalytic required by law?

[Vanguard]

I'm looking at replacing the exhaust system. The muffler is a must. It rusted out at the support tang on the pipe in front of the muffler (and the muffler and pipe are one piece for the Subarua part). I got a pretty cheap quota (and verified it at the shop where I had them take a look-see at it). They also came up with a good price on replacing the exhaust and muffler up to the front catalytic converter, the primary one where the exhaust headers go into.

 

So there are 2 catalytic converters: the front, or primary, one into which the exhaust pipes go into and where is the O2 sensor, and the inline secondary one in the mid-pipe. Is the secondary really necessary functionally or legally? I'm not in California. The job would be cheaper if they didn't have to put the inline cat back in but I'm wondering if it is required by law to be there. Often cars are built with under the LCD (least common denominator): they are built for the worst or most restrictive sales region.

 

If I don't need the inline secondary catalytic converter for functionality, and if it isn't required by law (and the shop thinks so), then I'd rather not keep this rusty piece in the exhaust system and also save on the cost of having to insert it back in. However, it's there so I figured it was required, like maybe for emissions certification (we don't test in our state). The primary cat will still be there, just maybe not the secondary cat after the exhaust rework. The dealer says it is required but I suspect they do lots of stuff to play it safe. It's not like I'd be permanently using a "test pipe" in place of the [primary] catalytic converter.

[Manarius]

If your state doesn't test for emissions, then it's not required.

 

As long as you can pass either a visual inspection or a hydrocarbon test then you're good to go. Probably would be best to either ask a friend who is a person who inspects cars or look up the laws online.

[porcupine73]

Well dude I would suspect that any changes to the emission system might be 'illegal' at the federal level if not the state. But I think most states they just have to hook up the emission contraption to the car as part of the emmision/safety inspection which may dial by phone or whatever the results back to big brother headquarters (but you said your state doesn't do such a thing).

[nipper]

You need to see what your local emissions inspections laws are. Actually in this case the car is built to pass federal emissions, and seperate cars for CA level emissions (and states with them). If you dont have required emissions testing, then you can probably forgo this cat.

The dealer has to replace it, but you dont. A muffler chain shop may have to replace it by law also. Again you dont have to.

 

nipper

[Vanguard]

Actually it was the muffler shop that remarked that they could do the job for $20 cheaper if the inline secondary cat was left out. I'm not doing the work (no hydraulic lift and squeezing under a car with rust falling on me in not worth the trouble). It'd be easier for the muffler shop to bend out the pipe without having to figure in the inline cat and also have to extract it from the old pipes and manage to stick the rusty beast in with the new pipes.

 

There is http://www.leg.state.mn.us/leg/statutes.asp for checking up on my states laws but it's a pain trying to wade through there. So far, I haven't found the magic search string to use at http://ros.leg.mn/revisor/pages/search_text/doc_search.php?search=stat to find out if my state requires the secondary cat or what they require regarding vehicle emissions. At one time, like maybe 10 years ago, they had an annual emission check, but cars older than maybe 10 years weren't required to be tested. Mine is now 14 years old and my state has not done the emissions tests for a long time.

 

I found http://www.pca.state.mn.us/air/mvetlocation.html which says no more emissions testing in my state. A search there on "catalytic" turned up http://search.pca.state.mn.us/cs.html?url=http%3A//www.pca.state.mn.us/air/pubs/catcv-fs.pdf&qt=catalytic&col=mpca2&n=2. At http://www.epa.gov/oar/caa/caa202.txt, it mentions the requirement of *a* catalytic converter as required by the Federal Clean Air Act but then the other article about why my state no longer requires emissions testing makes it sounds like we aren't under the thumb of this Act regarding emissions for cars in our state.

[NoahDL88]

If your state doesn't test for emissions, then it's not required.

 

 

Incorrect

 

Even if your state does not test, if the cop that pulls you over wants to be a wongleflute, he can inspect your emissions systems and make sure you have all applicable bits. In Michigan, which will probably be the last state to ever have emissions, you are still required to have all emissions equipment on the car, at least for 10 years from manufacture, i believe.

 

Just cause they don't test, dosen't mean you can legally take the bits off.

 

 

could you get away with it, probably.

[Vanguard]

... you are still required to have all emissions equipment on the car, at least for 10 years from manufacture, i believe.

 

It's a 1992 Subaru and now 14 years old.

[DerFahrer]

Noah is right.

 

If you want to get technical, your car is illegal if ANY of the emissions equipment that originally came on the vehicle from the manufacturer is not working properly or missing.

 

No matter which state you're in.