Which cats would pass CA smog sniff test?
#1
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: South Bay, CA
Posts: 79
Car Info: 2005 WRX
Which cats would pass CA smog sniff test?
if you've passed the sniff test with one or more cats gutted/removed, or high-flow cats installed, what combination resulted in a pass?
or, if I was running my car strictly off-road, but wanted to be eco-conscious, which cat(s) will give me the best bang for my tree-hugging ways, while still preserving the max possible power?
e.g. if the uppipe was gutted, and the third cat was 'deleted', would a high-flow cat in the downpipe be enough to tame the WRX to meet CARB levels for a smog test? (I would think yes, assuming a quality high-flow cat that hasn't been treated to leaded 110, etc.)
looking for the best balance between performance (removing the most restriction) without compromising emissions beyond what CARB would like. hypothetically, the resulting configuration should be able to pass a sniffer test, assuming it didn't fail visual.
or, if I was running my car strictly off-road, but wanted to be eco-conscious, which cat(s) will give me the best bang for my tree-hugging ways, while still preserving the max possible power?
e.g. if the uppipe was gutted, and the third cat was 'deleted', would a high-flow cat in the downpipe be enough to tame the WRX to meet CARB levels for a smog test? (I would think yes, assuming a quality high-flow cat that hasn't been treated to leaded 110, etc.)
looking for the best balance between performance (removing the most restriction) without compromising emissions beyond what CARB would like. hypothetically, the resulting configuration should be able to pass a sniffer test, assuming it didn't fail visual.
#3
Registered User
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Leg Humper
Posts: 2,504
Car Info: '03 WRX wagon, faster than walkin'
I'm not an expert on the subject, but I have heard it told to me by those that are that the downpipe is the single most important cat.
One cat should pass you though.
Good Luck.
One cat should pass you though.
Good Luck.
#5
Registered User
Thread Starter
iTrader: (10)
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: South Bay, CA
Posts: 79
Car Info: 2005 WRX
So, stock dp should be sufficient to meet emissions standards...
And a Helix catted dp has been known to pass emissions.
So, are there other aftermarket dp's with hi-flow cats that perform similarly, and/or a mileage at which they stop meeting the numbers, when the sole cat.
And, with the proper tune, would a larger turbo still meet emissions factors? Intuition tells me that the larger turbo should inherently produce fewer particulates overall at lower rpm's, since the cfm from the compressor will be lower at 2500rpm. A lack of tune might force the computer to spend more time making corrections, impacting emissions, and the wrong AFR targets would do the same.
Assuming the cam grind isn't so aggressive a bystander would notice, is there a case where a single hi-flow cat, or stock cat, in the dp wouldn't be sufficient to control emissions at 2500rpm or less?
I think there's two applications for this. One is a tune that is emissions-conscious in cruising conditions.
And a Helix catted dp has been known to pass emissions.
So, are there other aftermarket dp's with hi-flow cats that perform similarly, and/or a mileage at which they stop meeting the numbers, when the sole cat.
And, with the proper tune, would a larger turbo still meet emissions factors? Intuition tells me that the larger turbo should inherently produce fewer particulates overall at lower rpm's, since the cfm from the compressor will be lower at 2500rpm. A lack of tune might force the computer to spend more time making corrections, impacting emissions, and the wrong AFR targets would do the same.
Assuming the cam grind isn't so aggressive a bystander would notice, is there a case where a single hi-flow cat, or stock cat, in the dp wouldn't be sufficient to control emissions at 2500rpm or less?
I think there's two applications for this. One is a tune that is emissions-conscious in cruising conditions.
#7
#12
Not yet. But yeah its not too bad. I think overall if you put the stock downpipe back on. Your okay no matter how crazy your setup is I think. As long as they're cool with the visual thats all.
#14
VIP Member
iTrader: (17)
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Posts: 22,776
Car Info: '13 BRZ Limited / '02 WRX
You mean 6? I did mine last spring, will have to again next spring. Honestly though, I only have a turboback+up pipe so its not a big deal, I don't even swap out the UP. And taking the turboback off gives me an excuse to change to a different set up each time.