California CARB vs Non Carb Cat

I recently replaced mine before I got my smog check at a star station. They checked each very carefully. Mine were CARB compliant and they would have failed me if they weren't. I know CARB compliancy costs money but not going that way wasn't worth the hassle for me.
 
yep they check them. You can't even get those non carb compliant shipped to CA anyway and no one carries them.
I had to get some new ones welded in and the old cut out to pass smog since i couldn't afford the 2.2k for the maganflow ones.
I paid 800 for the 2 pre cats.
 
This isn't about jeep specifically, but NO way do you want to do ANY thing that isn't exactly what DMV/Smog wants. I have gone around and around with the Referees for Smog and it is not fun. My biggest problem with them is they will tell you what they WILL NOT accept, but will never tell you what they will accept.
Any question that deviates from exactly what the rules say, they do not have an answer. The best I have ever gotten from a referee is..."well maybe" and usually you are talking way too much money to take a "maybe" My experience has been so frustrating dealing with smog referees it is just not worth it.
...and that is probably the whole idea from the beginning.
 
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Had Cats replaced in November with CARB certified replacements. Had to go to STAR station this year. He noticed the cats and looked at the CARB number. He sent me home because my air intake tube didn’t have a CARB sticker. He definitely would have sent me packing with non CARB cats
 
Thanks for all the responses y’all! I’m gonna try and hit an exhaust shop and get some precats put in
rancholago said:
This isn't about jeep specifically, but NO way do you want to do ANY thing that isn't exactly what DMV/Smog wants. I have gone around and around with the Referees for Smog and it is not fun. My biggest problem with them is they will tell you what they WILL NOT accept, but will never tell you what they will accept.
Any question that deviates from exactly what the rules say, they do not have an answer. The best I have ever gotten from a referee is..."well maybe" and usually you are talking way too much money to take a "maybe" My experience has been so frustrating dealing with smog referees it is just not worth it.
...and that is probably the whole idea from the beginning.
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😂 man I hate this state.
 
I am lucky enough to have a second home in a county that does not require a smog check, so all my cars are registered there 🤫

Smog check are required by local air quality boards and not the state
 
My experience has been you can NOT buy, have installed, have shipped, even look at an after market "cat". CA has that pretty much sewed up, and are oppressive in their compliance with THEIR rules. After all it is what the majority of the voters wanted, or so it seems. Soon, it will be wind powered vehicles and then there will be happiness all around.

ohhh and doesn't the "C" in carb mean California
 
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