I asked this question in the California section and only got one response, so I'll try here: My two year anniverasary of owning my 348 is fast approaching. I installed gutted cats with my tubi when I bought the car, and now I am due for smog. The plan was to reinstall the stock cats, get it smogged, and replace the gutted cats. But I'm tempted to get the car warmed up really good and see if it can meet emmision standards for the 92 model year with the gutted cats. If I'm wrong, the carfax will show a failed emission test, and I can retest for free within two weeks. I'm driving the car up to Concorso Italiano next month and I guess I'm just a little lazy about the R&R. The gutted cats look absolutely stock and I'm not worried about the visual inspection. Has anyone passed California emissions with a gutted cat? Bee Jay
Nope. One person posted a while back they were able to barely pass with one good cat and one gutted, but it won't with both gutted. It's a fairly easy and quick job - get out your 13mm wrenches and socket set!
I cannot imagine you getting close to a passing grade. Buck up and get to work, BJ! For a wine bribe, I might be coaxed up to help you with that replacement.
The first hint of a problem when cats are not working or the internals are not present is the O2 reading on the machine , besides HC and CO readings being out of line. I deal with smogs all the time, and functional cats are absolutely necessary to pass. Gary Bobileff
Well I barely passed smog with one cat that got gutted out, due to a misfire problem I was having. And I mean BAAAARELY passed. Just put the stock cats on and put it on the rollers.
Try standing behind a running F-car with cats and then one without cats and your eyes and nose will give you the answer your looking for.
Now that should be good enough for you BJ! Let's have a cat BBQ at your place. Calling all Stooges...
Speaking of a Stooge BBQ - I guess the one FBB tried to set up for today fell through? BJ, if I were in your position I would just put the good cats on and leave them on. As 355 stated it is really easy to tell when the cats are gutted and the state is cracking down on this. If a cop pulls you over and smells it I believe they can make you do a smog re-test at any time and the fines for intentionally modifying emissions equipment are insane - not worth the risk in my mind for the few extra hp.
I guess I don't have that problem, my F-car with gutted cats isn't bad at all, especially compared to my converterless air cooled Porsche and my 5.7 liter converterless Corvette. I am surprised at how clean this car runs without cats, but I'll never know if I don't get a reading. But I think you guys have shamed me into bolting the stock cats in next week. But they will be out before Monterey. I love the tubi with gutted cats sound. Bee Jay http://s52.photobucket.com/albums/g33/Beejay007/?action=view¤t=MVI_0136.flv
OK, it took me a couple of hours, what a pain in the potootie, but the cats are back in. I'll get it smogged sometimes this week. The sound is definitely not as sweet. Bee Jay
LOL you'd do anything to keep from buying the beer! God job and good luck with the test. See, every 2 years, this job ain't that bad and it's a small sacrifice for runnning the car the way you want duing the other months. Now, you could adopt the gothspeed modification plan and just keep the dang thing smog legal all year round...
It passed smog with flying colors! But, the sound sucks and the throttle response is lethargic. I'm not sure what that means but it's like my throttle cable is a rubber band. I sometimes shift by sound and I'm shifting way late, because there is no sweet, sweet engine sound. It's just sweet right now. The cats come out this weekend. Bee Jay
You realize that goth will allow only one set per county - good thing you live in Ventura! LA is mine! Question is who gets SD, OC, SB and Riv?
