Jojo-yoyo

I'm just curious if anyone up here has passed smog with a high flow cat?

I just smogged my other car (Element) and the guy said they only check for codes and do a visual, so there's no need to worry about emissions testing.

I'm trying to decide between the BERK HFC and the Ballade Sports one that can use the OEM heat shields.

Thanks!

bluesaint

you'll pass the tests except visual if they look under. The ballade is the only one you can use oem heatshield to pass visual.

eb597x

As long as you don't have any codes you should be good to go. Unless they do look under the car. I doubt this though as the past 2 times I've gone for smog they never looked under the car.

LeonV

From my experience, they usually look under the car for the cat. Sometimes closely and sometimes just to make sure it's there. YMMV

ES2K

A tech who performed my last smog test used a mirror on a selfie stick to check my cat.
San Jose, CA

XenonKiller99

Same here. I had the Berk HFC, and the tech said it was aftermarket so I had to get an OEM to have it passed. This was in Daly City.

TougeHorseman

Might pass emissions but won’t pass visual. With swapping it beforehand to avoid the hassle.

bluesaint

Here's my ballade sport with OEM heatshield put on. No CEL and passes smog.

gptoyz

I've used a test pipe with the oem heat shield mounts and passed

Chuck S

I had tabs welded onto my Berk high flow cat and fitted the OEM heat shields. Looked OEM under the car. A chunk of concrete under the car at highway speeds cracked the tabs and it rattled so the shield came off for now. Can easily fit the OEM shield well enough for a visual inspection by wrapping heat tape at each end of the cat thickly enough for a tight fit of the shields.

-- Chuck