I recently bought a 1983 Civic S in AZ. I got the Copper historic vehicle plates and i am now exempt from emmissions tesing. WOOHOO!
So i need some help/advice...
-Is it legal for me to take off my catalytic converter from the exhuast?
-What kind of power gains can i expect if i do it?
-If i dont want to pay for a new exhuast system, is there a way for me to make the cat. conv. free flowing? like clear out whatever it is that makes it restrictlive?
-thanks for the help!!

In most (if not all) states, regardless of whether the vehicle has to pass emissions or not it still must legally retain all it's emissions equipment.

Having said that, no one will likely ever check for it. But legally you have to have it, and a muffler shop can not legally remove it.



Your best bet is to just install a new free-flowing cat. This keeps everybody happy.


$64 from Summit: Magnaflow catalytic converter

For the reference, kindly visit this site http://www.catalyticconverter.org/law/index.htm

It is a violation of federal law to tamper with the environmental equipment on your car. I just wanna ask, why you want to remove that part?..Does it bring you hassle. Much better if not. And besides you will have a contribution for a cleaner air movement of our country.

Oh geez, this whole time I've been reducing carbon footprint when what I REALLY need to do is work on cleaner air movement.

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-Cam
1988 Mazda RX7
1980 Toyota Celica
a bunch of cool other cars I'm not allowed to list

Legality:
It's already been pointed out that Federal law prohibits tampering with or removing emissions control devices on any vehicle, and the EPA asserts that this even extends to unlicensed cars not driven on public roads, though they admit they have something like three people to cover enforcement in 50 states and more important things to worry about.
State laws usually prohibit removing or tampering with emissions control devices even on vehicles that do not require emissions testing. The state I live in ended emissions testing on all pre-1995 vehicles. But, the state licensed inspection stations have closed circuit cameras wired back to the state capitol, each car gets the VIN entered into the computer, and goes up on the lift in front of the camera for a safety inspection, and no catalytic converter is a inspection failure. They state that the catalytic converter is now classified as a safety device.

Performance:
Honeycomb style converters do not cause much measurable loss of performance as long as they are not broken or melted to cause them to become plugged. Most human beings would not be able to tell the difference in performance between a converter in working condition and a straight pipe.
If you have a larger pipe in front of and behind a stock size converter, there would be some justification for changing to a larger size converter.
DO NOT EVER hollow out a converter and bolt the shell back in place. The turbulence of the air entering and exiting the large canister will reduce performance. If you want to be sneaky, cut the ends off the cat, run a piece of pipe through the middle, and weld it back together so it looks like it is original. Then it will flow like a straight pipe and fulfill a visual inspection.

There are situations where aftermarket (Magnaflow) catalytic converters are not compatible with reality.
Turbo cars with the boost turned up will melt converters.
Naturally aspirated cars that run lean will melt converters.
Engine vibration and banging against road debris or speed bumps will crack the honeycomb.
Summit, etc., may be selling converters for $64, but that does not include the flanges, pipe, weld wire, weld gas, and labor, and after the third or fourth replacement, it's a lot easier to put a converter on for inspection day and then put it on the shelf where it will be safe and undamaged for the next inspection.

Pollution:
Catalytic converters may increase Nitrogen Dioxide, but they increase Formaldehyde. Climate Gate revealed that the global warming "scientists" have been cooking the books to get the results they want, and the entire subject is open for renewed debate. But Formaldehyde is universally recognized as a toxin and a cancer causing carcinogen.
And does anyone need to be reminded that gasoline additive MTBE was endorsed and championed by the American Cancer Society and American Lung Association, only to be later found to be a toxin and a cancer causing carcinogen. Finally banned from use in 2005.
The benefits of catalytic converter required usage are equally dubious.

It makes the exhaust sound louder. There really aren't that many cars running without a cat and dirty factories and the like are a much bigger concern environmentally. Basically, no one really cares about the emissions equipment on a 20 year old car.

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92 Honda Civic - 65 Ford F100 V8

kinda makes you sick when youve got a car and its paid for legally in your name, but yet you still have to abide by their rules. It would seem like if it was my car I paid for I should be able to "tamper" with most anything on my car.

You can. No one is stopping you. Tamper all you like.

They will only stop you from tampering when you want to drive it on "their" roads.

if you want a less restrictive exhaust, you'll need a nice header, mandrel bend exhaust piping, free flowing muffler, and a high flow cat.

also, if you have the privilege to be smog exempt, why ruin that with tampering with your emissions?? get caught doing so and you'll pay handsomely.

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i might be young, but i love old school cars.
1981 corolla wagon
1985 corolla gts
model car blogspot
http://zenkitrdcoupe.blogspot.com/

Move to washington. Nce its 25 years old you don't need any emission stuff what so ever. Don't even need a proper exhaust system.

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77 TE51
86 AE86- need fenders, lights, rear bumper, Hood, seats, interior knobs.

Thats the same way it is here. Texas has a rolling 25 year exemption on emission testing.

My MR2 qualified last year.

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Jeff "Kingtoy" Brown
King of Toyotas
Sophisticated Toys - Toyota club

81 TE75 Corolla SR5 Sport Coupe modified
Custom 93 Toyota minitruck

ha yeah good point i suppose... although we paid for "their" roads... man thats effed up.

No rolling emissions in CA - if you have a 76 or newer, your car needs a smog test every 2 years in order to be registered. If you pulled the emissions equipment off of this example, you now have a 49 state car (not that you should care, but it's always good to understand the ramifications).

My car is dangerous in California. Everything on my car causes cancer in California. Boy, I'm sure glad I live in Ohio. California sounds like a scary place to live.

I'll keep my 49 state cars, thanks.

_________________
-Cam
1988 Mazda RX7
1980 Toyota Celica
a bunch of cool other cars I'm not allowed to list

I don't know about AZ, but in Michigan it doesn't matter much. Most you'll get here are loud exhaust tickets, and those are fix-its. No one checks for cats, no one cares. The entire exhaust fell off my '78 Impala over a year ago, no one has bothered me for it.

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And this is why I'm glad I live somewhere without any emmsion testing at all.

It's just the California legislature's way of doing "something" without really doing anything. Cars out here can last longer than many other places, so it's not uncommon to see 70's cars daily. However, all those 25+ year-old cars collectively probably do less damage to the environment than the "Happy California Cows" do.

FL has no emissions testing at all. and they definitely dont even glance at cars twenty years or older.

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-84 Celica GT