OverlandZJ

Rob92XJ

I've had a vehicle impounded because of it plus the 5000 in fines and having to have a new exhaust installed with a receipt for the courts not worth it, granted that was when I lived in NY.

76ANTHONY

yeah at 41 im not about being load and racey, just reliable and tuned well. perfect, i guess i need ta get ordering....

Rob92XJ

https://www.cherokeeforum.com/showpo...71&postcount=8

My Ram is annoying me so I'm getting rid of the pos wanna be Flowmaster exhaust on it for a 4" mandrel bent pipes and a Hooker Aero Chamber muffler.

crashzx6r

ITS NOT A FEDERAL CRIME. you wont be a felon if you take your cat off....if you dont have to pass emissions then you dont have to have it. you just have to have a system that lets out at the rear of vehicle. Unless you have to deal with noise tickets, emissions or just want to be a hippie there are more things a thousand times worse that people do to polute. RIP IT OFF AND run pipe from down pipe to one single chamber flowmaster and dump it if you can get by with it.

crashzx6r

THE ONLY WAY YOU WOULD GET CAUGHT IS IF YOU HAD TO HAVE IT FOR EMMISIONS AND THEY SAY IT OR YOU WERENT RUNNIN A MUFFLER....and they pull you for noise and see it not there. 95 and older dont have to pass nething but safety and just have to have exhaust system with or without cats....in nc at least. I DONT KNOW HOW IN THE HELL THEY COULD IMPOUND A VEHICLE AND FINE 5000 for a damn cat...

OverlandZJ

Damn, at 41 can ya still hear the exhaust anyway?!


J/K.. i'v got 5 on ya...

Rob92XJ

If your from NC you still need to have a functioning cat and muffler to pass an inspection legally be it safety or emissions.
Look into your states inspection laws, my vehicle was impounded because I was a state inspector and as the judge stated I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER.

Copied from the NC inspection manual and applies to all vehicles if they were OE equipped.
19A NCAC 03D .0541 EXHAUST EMISSION
CONTROLS
1. An exhaust emission shall not be approved if the vehicle is subject to a
safety or safety emissions inspection and any of the visible emissions
control devices placed thereon by the manufacturer are missing,
disconnected, made inoperative or have been altered without approval
of the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.
2. If a vehicle manufactured with an unleaded gas restrictor has been
altered or removed a new or reconditioned catalytic converter and
unleaded gas restrictor must be replaced before the vehicle passes
inspection. (Some newer model vehicles are manufactured without
unleaded gas restrictors).
3. An exhaust system shall not be approved if:
(a) The vehicle has no muffler.
(b) The muffler, exhaust or tail pipes have leaking joints.
(c) The exhaust or tail pipes have holes, leaking seams or leaking
patches on muffler.
(d) The tail pipe end is pinched.
(e) The exhaust system is equipped with muffler cutout or muffler
bypass.
(f) Any part of the system passes through the passenger compartment.
[Many mufflers are manufactured with a seep hole. The
presence of this hole does not constitute a failure.]
History Note: Authority G.S. 20-2; 20-39; 20-183.3(9);
Eff. October 1, 1994

19A NCAC 03D .0542 EMISSIONS CONTROL
DEVICES
A civil penalty shall be assessed against individuals who instruct or allow a
person to remove, disconnect, tamper with, or render inoperable any emissions
control device equipped by the manufacturer of any motor vehicle as described
in G.S. 20-183.3.
1. These devices include:
(a) Catalytic Converter
(b) Unleaded Gas Restrictor
(c) Air Pump System
(d) EGR Valve
(e) PCV Valve
(f) Thermostatic air cleaner
(g) Evaporative Emission System (includes gas cap and fuel tank
systems)
(h) Oxygen sensor
History Note: Authority G.S. 20-2; 20-39; 20-183.3(9);
Eff. October 1, 1994.

From EPA
Abstract: Section 203(a) of the Clean Air Act (Act), 42 U.S.C.
7522(a), prohibits removing or rendering inoperative automobile
emission control devices or elements of design and prohibits the sale
or installation of any device that bypasses or renders inoperative
emission control elements of design. Prior to the issuance of the
aftermarket catalytic converter enforcement policy (51 FR 28114-28119,
28133 (Aug. 5, 1986); 52 FR 42144 (Nov. 3, 1987)), the manufacture,
sale or installation of aftermarket catalytic converters not equivalent
to new original equipment (OE) converters violated Sec. 203 of the Act.
However, current EPA policy allows aftermarket converters to be
manufactured and installed, under the conditions that the converters
meet certain specified standards; a converter may be installed on a
vehicle only if it is the appropriate type and size for that vehicle.
The record keeping and testing requirements of the policy are needed to
ensure the quality and installation requirements are met.

crashzx6r

i gotta go next week to dmv ill check on my states regs and let yall know also ill find some others just for yalls refrence...or curiosity

finneys98xj

you should have!

OverlandZJ

I'd just like to start by saying this is an important topic, and some have differing views. I'm sure the MODS would appreciate it if this discussion were to remain civil. Lets try to do so and some may learn from such a discussion.


OK, read this....

Notice a few lines down where it mentions federal law. quote.. "Please note that Federal law prohibits removal or replacement of a properly functioning O.E. converter." end quote

http://www.catalyticconverter.org/law/index.htm

OverlandZJ

And the NC statute...

19A NCAC 03D .0541 EXHAUST EMISSION CONTROLS

1. Any vehicle shall not be approved if the vehicle is subject to inspection with any of the visible emissions control devices placed thereon by the manufacturer are missing, disconnected, made inoperative or have been altered without approval of the Department of Environment, Health, and Natural Resources.

http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/vehicle_ser...nforcement.pdf

FleXXedOUT88

haha DAM YANKEES lol. they hug to many trees. if you aint gotta pass inspection then you dont need one. they mildly affect sound but if your runnin any type of muffle you wont really notice. so if you dont need it take it out! the only way i would suggest keeping it is if you are gonna run a glass pac or flow thru style muffler cuz the engine needs some back pressure. having said that and being a lil bit of a hypocryt. lol. mine has a stock maifold i hacked the down pipe off and ran 2 1/4 in down pipe cut out the cat and the rest of the exhaust and ran it into a 10in long glass pac that dumps b4 the rear axle. lol. but i was told that is bad cuz there is little to no back presssure... which makes sense an engine needs some back pressure to promote scavaging. it sounds really good and i have been runnin like that for a while with no problems at all.

OverlandZJ

Treehugger... hardly. I might hug one to figure how many cord i could get from it.

I personally am discussing the legality aspect of this thread.. thats it. True one vehicle might not affect the environment, but what if millions thought that way. Ever been to Cali and seen the smog.. with these regs in place? Wonder why their tougher than the rest of the country... must be a conspiracy?




Let me ask ya a question... how do you feel about the Tread Lightly principles?

Rob92XJ

Yeah I did know better but figured that I would never get caught, go figure a EPA inspector would be conducting a surprise inspection on the station the reason my old job didn't get a fine was it was my car(91 Ford Mustang) and I was there on my day off so at that time I wasn't considered working there.

I have a new cat to install when I install my stroker in the next few weeks to replace the one that was damaged on a huge rock and I have a nice skid plate to cover it with.