passing emmsions with...

[lt14mla]

got a quick question here and hoping you guys can help me out here. I want to run LT's on my 97 Formula, but i need to pass emissions and all that bull. So i would get some pacesetter LTs. Then heres the situation. I wanted to run a y-pipe with a cutout. Can i have the cutout at the end of the y-pipe and then weld a cat to the end of the cutout and still pass NJ emmissions. I know the 97 has 2 cats and i was wondering what is the best way to tackle this problem cheaply and effiecently and leagaly. I definitly want a cutout before the cats. thanks for anyhelp in advance guys.

[lt14mla]

nobody knows?lol

[Joe 1320]

It's not that simple.... I'm hoping that someone with NJ emissions will chime in, but there are two portions that you'll most likely have to pass. The visiual, which unless the headers have emissions hookups and come with a carb exemption #, won't pass that portion right away. Then the issue of a cut out prior to the cat.... I don't know about that one. Next is the sniffer test. Many long tubes will still pass the sniffer test as long as all the emissions hardware is still functional. Make sure she is already really warmed up before you try the sniff test.

The next issue is that technically, it is illegal to remove or alter the position of the factory cat unless a documented defect can be proved. That means taking the driver's side cat and moving it is a no-no. Have you taken your dual cats and converted them to a single cat? You won't pass with that setup unless you are best friends with the inspector and he is on your payroll.

Some states are tougher than others, when Florida had the same testing proceedure, no way would that setup pass. It may pass the sniff test which isn't that hard to do, it's the visual that will get ya every time.

probably not what you wanted to hear, but my solution was SLP ceramic headers (50 state leagal with emission hookups and carb exempt #) along with a random tech high flow dual cat Y pipe. Even the Y pipe relocated the driver's side car down to the point of being parallel with the passenger side cat, giving the room for cutouts prior to the cats. Not long tubes, but for the street they work just fine.

[lt14mla]

thanks joe well my uncle works for the DMV here in NJ so maybe he can let me slide by lol jk im gonna give him a call and see if thats a legal setup

[Injuneer]

You might want to rethink that.... if your uncle gets caught, its MANDATORY 6 months in jail and a $10,000 fine. Being a "state official", he might get something worse, since the stated penalty it for private inspection station owners.

How do you plan to explain to the "mobile" DMV inspectors, who pull you over at random on the side of the road and do a complete rolling emissions and visual inspection, that you have a valid sticker, yet illegal exhaust system? I faced up to that problem by simply taking my car off the street. Given the extremely poor condition of the roads here in central NJ, and the suffocating heavy traffic, a serious street car is becoming a major problem.

I passed with dual cats on a single cat car, simply by going to a private facility. He was willing to risk it, and I sort of had to agree that if I got caught, I would state that I made the changes after he inspected it. Currently, a friend of mine who works in a private instpection station will not even listen to requests for stickers. He has been dragged into a special "emissions court", where they make it very difficult to even have a lawyer present. He was charged once when an undercover DMV team brought a pickup truck for inspection. The truck had dual fuel tanks, and the DMV claimed he put the sticker on the truck without checking the seal on the second fuel fill cap. He got out of it only after he went to court, swore he tested both caps, and was able to prove that the DMV team could not see the second fuel fill cap, because he had required them, as it required by law, to wait in the designated " area", which prevented them from seeing the second fill cap.

NJ is becoming more facist every day.

Your car.... take the risks you see fit.

[Mike71]

thats harsh..most of the guys in cali just switch back to stock to smog then once smogged switch bach to the good stuff

if anything ull get a fix it ticket..which either means a sizable fine and u keep the crap on. or u change it and pay 10$ ...then put it back on

[lt14mla]

i dont want to break any laws, thats why im asking if this setup is legal lol i simply cannot afford to have any legal problems with this car lol thanks for the support tho guys

[RyanB58]

I have a 97 TA converted to single-cat. I just set-up LT Pacesetters with a dummy cat and a cutout after the cat. It will not be up for inspection till next fall, but I think I will have no problems. Missouri is not too strict, we are just a bunch of rednecks anyway.

[Formulaboy95]

I had emissions in mind when I did the headers on my car. I live in NJ also. I decided to get the SLP Shorty coated headers, and a high flow catco catalytic converter. The shorty slp headers have gained me 3+mph & 2-3 tenths in the quarter. I don't know what your goals are, but LT's might just be overkill/problematic. Also, the setup maintains the cat in the stock location... Had to weld some extra 3" pipe onto the pipe coming out of the cat (no flanges on the catco)
I tried to get an exhaust shop to weld the pipe to the cat, but they would not touch it, and also insisted on inspecting the old cat. It seems you are not allowed to replace a 9+yr old cat because you think it could be defective or clogged. (or so they told me)
I face NJ inspection in May, so I hope I can still pass. I don't think it should be a problem though.

[Injuneer]

i dont want to break any laws, thats why im asking if this setup is legal lol i simply cannot afford to have any legal problems with this car lol thanks for the support tho guys

Joe gave you the correct answer.... it is a violation of Federal law to remove, change the number of, or change the location of the factory catalysts. A new cat can be installed withing th warranty period, ONLY if proven to be defective.

If you take your car to a State-run station, they probably will not know the details of your specific car, and will pass it, as long as it has cats and it passes the ALDL connect test (no rolling emissions, unless you have problems showing an SES light or codes). Key word here is "probably".

But you sort of blew off his response/help, because you have "connections". Just wanted to point out the risks... not to you, but to the person who knowingly passes an illegal vehicle.