California catalytic convertor advice

[Paradiddle]

Googled the forum and found older articles and a bunch of recommendations for "normal state" cats.

Who has replaced their cat recently and what brand did you go with? 1998 TJ 4.0. Must be Calioforinia legal/compliant.

Thanks,

Jeff

 

[Steel City 06]

Magnaflow sells cats that are for use in California. Make sure you use their website to get the correct part number for the California version.

They're expensive but as good if not better than stock. Certainly way better than the cheap brands. The processes used to bend and weld the tubing are much better, leading to less flow restriction and thus better power/fuel economy.

 

[GregBelleville]

Googled the forum and found older articles and a bunch of recommendations for "normal state" cats.

Who has replaced their cat recently and what brand did you go with? 1998 TJ 4.0. Must be Calioforinia legal/compliant.

Thanks,

Jeff

I'm actually taking my 99 in tomorrow to have a new cat and muffler installed because I failed smog. I'm having it done at The Muffler Man in Placentia. I'll report back with the cat they put on mine once I confirm tomorrow. It's either a magnaflow or a catco I believe.

http://ocmufflerman.com/

 

[Paradiddle]

I'm actually taking my 99 in tomorrow to have a new cat and muffler installed because I failed smog. I'm having it done at The Muffler Man in Placentia. I'll report back with the cat they put on mine once I confirm tomorrow. It's either a magnaflow or a catco I believe.

http://ocmufflerman.com/

Perfect. Let me know what they charged you as well - you can PM me that if you want.

 

[TheBoogieman]

Perfect. Let me know what they charged you as well

Rough estimate in Cali.

 

[TJ Jim]

Move out of California is my only suggestion

 

[alittleoff]

I moved out 5 years ago. But I’m back in SoCal now to drag another TJ back home to MT.

 

[Andy-WhiteTJ]

NY has CARB compliant requirements as well. I went with a Magnaflow when I did my Jeep. Don't get me started on the unit I needed for my wife's 2017 Hyundai. They wanted $4,000.00 for the part and I couldn't get it anywhere else but at the dealer!!!!!! Traded that car in instead. Freakin smog laws are getting out of hand.

 

[GregBelleville]

Perfect. Let me know what they charged you as well - you can PM me that if you want.

Will do. The quote for a new cat and muffler was $1000. I believe it was $450 for the cat, $250 for a magnaflow muffler and $300 labor.

 

[Duck Doctor]

Do you think the smog shop will actually crawl under your rig to verify existence of a CARB compliant catalytic converter?

 

[GregBelleville]

They do in Cali. You'll fail visual inspection if they cannot find an executive order number on the cat that corresponds to the make/model/year of your vehicle.

 

[Duck Doctor]

I live in SoCal and never had the inspector crawl under any of my rigs. Dudes have no interest in trying to read serial numbers from a cat that is buried under a tummy tuck skid. That is just my experience. Could be different in one of the counties further south

 

[Paradiddle]

Move out of California is my only suggestion

Gee - really? Duh.... How about I come to Franklin and drive up your real estate prices then you can cry about that also....

 

[Paradiddle]

Will do. The quote for a new cat and muffler was $1000. I believe it was $450 for the cat, $250 for a magnaflow muffler and $300 labor.

That isn't bad at all.

 

[Paradiddle]

I live in SoCal and never had the inspector crawl under any of my rigs. Dudes have no interest in trying to read serial numbers from a cat that is buried under a tummy tuck skid. That is just my experience. Could be different in one of the counties further south

I had one fail my other TJ, which was totally stock because the computer said "it had two cats" and he didn't believe me when I pointed to the pre-cat and said this is the other one. The exhaust was clearly stock on that Jeep. Had to find another shop. Smog shops are essentially risking everything if they don't follow the exact letter of the law because they don't know which one of us is a code enforcement dude.

 

[GregBelleville]

That isn't bad at all.

I think us early year TJ guys get a bit of a break only having one cat compared to the late models that I believe had 3?!?

 

[GregBelleville]

Gee - really? Duh.... How about I come to Franklin and drive up your real estate prices then you can cry about that also....

I get the Cali hate from a political standpoint, but it's hard somedays trying to decide whether to make the 20 minute drive to the beach, the 45 minute drive to the desert, or the 90 minute drive to the mountains... The struggle is real.

 

[mrblaine]

Do you think the smog shop will actually crawl under your rig to verify existence of a CARB compliant catalytic converter?

Depending on the shop but yes they do and will. You fail the visual, they won't even plug it in.

 

[mrblaine]

I live in SoCal and never had the inspector crawl under any of my rigs. Dudes have no interest in trying to read serial numbers from a cat that is buried under a tummy tuck skid. That is just my experience. Could be different in one of the counties further south

How's about we make a deal? I'll stick in the non EO cat, if they fail it, you'll buy me the CA compliant version.

 

[mrblaine]

I had one fail my other TJ, which was totally stock because the computer said "it had two cats" and he didn't believe me when I pointed to the pre-cat and said this is the other one. The exhaust was clearly stock on that Jeep. Had to find another shop. Smog shops are essentially risking everything if they don't follow the exact letter of the law because they don't know which one of us is a code enforcement dude.

Two identical rigs, one passed, the other one was having issues. Smog shop owner is friends with both owners of the rigs. I told them that this is an easy one, pull the passing one in, scan the VIN label of the problem child, presto, everyone is happy. They all politely told me to fuck off.