I am sure this has been beaten to death but as everyone has tried search is down.

Ok, My dilema:

Looking at getting a new exhaust for MY00, and the way it looks the 70mm T1R sounds to be the best bang for the buck. My concerns are the legality issue of not having a catalitic converter. I am moving to CA soon, but won't need any emissions tests while I am there. (I'm Active duty military, and the car is registered out of state) I know removing a Cat "could" net you a hefty fine. With the current trend in street racing/import mods I know that a loud exhaust will attract undue attention especially from the authorities.

1: Should I just go with a different exhaust, one that is "legal" or take my chances that no one will be inspecting the undercarrage of my car.

2: Get the T1R anyway and take necessary precautions as to avoid any legal issues.

Any rate I will be keeping my stock exhaust if I get the new one, just incase I have to put it back on for service.


Basically im wondering if the fine (or whatever the consequences are) is worth the trouble if I were to get "caught" not having one.

 

CA has a heafty fine for running with no cat.. however, you have to get caught first. Since you won't need any emissions testing done, the only danger is being pulled over by a cop who can identify the smell of a catless vehicle then actually taking the initiative to look under the car. You can probably rig up the original heat sheild on the T1R so it looks like you have a cat (this exhaust might even come with hangers for this very purpose?)

 

As I recall, the stock cat's heat shield will bolt up properly to the T1R test pipe.

 

I wouldn't risk it. California seems to be the hardest one to get away with something like that especially with a crazy loud exhaust. Stiff fines too.

 

If you have "out of State" registration and plate, will CA authorities even bother? I went down to CA last year from Canada with no cat. I wasn't worried about it at all. Don't "visitors" get away with stuff?

 

if you use a T1R testpipe is has the brackets to hang the heat sheilds from the stock cat so it looks the same as the stock cat. Granted it will still smell catless, it will look like you still have one. I wouldn't worry about it...

 

$2500.00 fine if you get caught.

 

From what I heard, the 70mm test pipe will not have the tabs to bolt on the stock cat hea shield, as te piping is too big for it to fit around. Don't quote me on it though.