Going catless - vehicle inspection? - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

mrshanes · 05-26-2016, 11:48 AM

For those of you on here who removed your cats, how do you pass vehicle inspections? In WV, there is no "smog check", but they do a visual (most places anyway). If it came as OEM equipment on the car, it must be there to pass inspection. They can just tell you that you don't pass and send you on your way or they can "Reject" you which means they put a bright orange sticker on your front windshield and you have 5 days to comply. I'm sure other states have similar procedures. How is everyone getting around this? I have my windows tinted darker than legal, but I found a guy who was willing to pass it. I'm not sure if he will always be available though.

ChibiBlackSheep · 05-26-2016, 12:27 PM

I hollowed mine instead of straight piping on my other car.

jayno20 · 05-26-2016, 03:42 PM

In PA if you drive less than 5k miles in a year you are "exempt" from emissions so they don't care at that point. This past year I was just barely under that, but there is a shop here that just looks at the car and if it looks new he doesn't bother checking for that stuff.

vatechguy3 · 06-01-2016, 01:08 PM

I went with high flow cats on my 4th gen due to the visual check here in virignia.
Plan to do the same with the 5th gen when i mod it.

Those 5 or so hp wont be missed.

Tony

jayno20 · 06-01-2016, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vatechguy3

I went with high flow cats on my 4th gen due to the visual check here in virignia.
Plan to do the same with the 5th gen when i mod it.

Those 5 or so hp wont be missed.

Tony

I didn't go this route, not for the HP difference but because of the higher boost issues with cats. I don't want to be blowing my cats apart every other month due to higher than stock boost levels.

Chrispy · 06-01-2016, 07:05 PM

Do you have stock manifolds? How often is inspection? Should take no time to swap them back for the inspection if it's just off road mid pipes.

AMCBimmer · 06-02-2016, 08:44 AM

I can tell you that you don't want to go Kooks Green Cats. The whole CEL thing is a joke. I have issues with them and Kooks will not do anything for me but give me the run around 6900 miles on them and I get the CEL for Catalyst Efficiency every 200-500 miles.

JANNETTYRACING · 06-03-2016, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMCBimmer

I can tell you that you don't want to go Kooks Green Cats. The whole CEL thing is a joke. I have issues with them and Kooks will not do anything for me but give me the run around 6900 miles on them and I get the CEL for Catalyst Efficiency every 200-500 miles.

I can help with a custom tune.

Ted.

Mkn95u0 · 06-03-2016, 09:52 AM

just a few suggestions:

1) hollow out a cat and put it on
2) exhaust dumps - Y pipe with a switch controls the flow of the exhaust through a cat option & a straight pipe option
3) not sure if you're s/c'd or Turbo route, but maybe a ready to go tune for cats for smog day, put them back on lower the boost, pass inspection, take them off tune back
4) $$

AMCBimmer · 06-03-2016, 10:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JANNETTYRACING

I can help with a custom tune.

Ted.

I appreciate that but I have a tune and I'm still having the issue

JANNETTYRACING · 06-03-2016, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMCBimmer

I appreciate that but I have a tune and I'm still having the issue

That's why you need a JRE tune

mrshanes · 06-03-2016, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrispy

Do you have stock manifolds? How often is inspection? Should take no time to swap them back for the inspection if it's just off road mid pipes.

I'm stock right now. I'd rather not have to switch them out every year at inspection time.

ZO6 Bryan · 06-03-2016, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMCBimmer

I appreciate that but I have a tune and I'm still having the issue

If your tuner couldn't figure out how to prevent the codes from headers coming on then I would question the rest of the tune also. Complete beginners can turn off those codes without any problem.

ZL1-V · 06-03-2016, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AMCBimmer

I appreciate that but I have a tune and I'm still having the issue

Take the advice please don't be hard headed. There are a lot of people on here that have been through "it" already. I always use this quote. It goes, "knowledge speaks but wisdom listens"! Good luck, and I sincerly hope you correct the problem.

05-26-2016, 11:48 AM	#1
mrshanes Drives: 2014 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Morgantown, WV Posts: 63	Going catless - vehicle inspection? For those of you on here who removed your cats, how do you pass vehicle inspections? In WV, there is no "smog check", but they do a visual (most places anyway). If it came as OEM equipment on the car, it must be there to pass inspection. They can just tell you that you don't pass and send you on your way or they can "Reject" you which means they put a bright orange sticker on your front windshield and you have 5 days to comply. I'm sure other states have similar procedures. How is everyone getting around this? I have my windows tinted darker than legal, but I found a guy who was willing to pass it. I'm not sure if he will always be available though.

05-26-2016, 12:27 PM	#2
ChibiBlackSheep Drives: 2012 2SS/RS, 1968 SS Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southeast, PA Posts: 2,093	I hollowed mine instead of straight piping on my other car. __________________ LS3 Crate Engine Swap \| CSP Custom Cam 232/240 .615/.615 113 +3 \| Stainless Power LT Headers \| Z28 Intake \| Borla S-Type Exhaust \| FTI Triple-Disc Billet 3200 Stall 2012 Camaro 2SS/RS \| 1968 Camaro SS \| 2020 Cadillac CT5 Premium Luxury \| 2021 Spark LS

06-01-2016, 01:08 PM	#4
vatechguy3 Drives: 2014 ZL1 M6 Join Date: Jul 2014 Location: Virginia Posts: 493	I went with high flow cats on my 4th gen due to the visual check here in virignia. Plan to do the same with the 5th gen when i mod it. Those 5 or so hp wont be missed. Tony __________________ 2014 ZL1 M6 Bone stock, for now! 2001 Z28 M6 !cags, !air, FTP 85mm Lid, Z06 85mm MAF, P&P TB !4x4, Strano Springs, Strano Sways, Koni 4/4s, Watts Link ARH LTs, ARH catted Y, SLP catback with Dual/Dual Muffler, SLP CME and Valance OE Wheels Machined Face C5 DDs, 18x10.5s, with 295/35-18s on all 4 corners! 352rwhp and 366rwtq

06-02-2016, 08:44 AM	#7
AMCBimmer Drives: 2002 BMW M5 Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Aldie, VA Posts: 250	I can tell you that you don't want to go Kooks Green Cats. The whole CEL thing is a joke. I have issues with them and Kooks will not do anything for me but give me the run around 6900 miles on them and I get the CEL for Catalyst Efficiency every 200-500 miles. __________________

06-03-2016, 09:52 AM	#9
Mkn95u0 Drives: 2012 IBM L99 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Southern California Posts: 484 View My Garage	just a few suggestions: 1) hollow out a cat and put it on 2) exhaust dumps - Y pipe with a switch controls the flow of the exhaust through a cat option & a straight pipe option 3) not sure if you're s/c'd or Turbo route, but maybe a ready to go tune for cats for smog day, put them back on lower the boost, pass inspection, take them off tune back 4) $$ __________________ Robert 12.012 @ 115.75mph DA: 2371 \| 486rwhp/467rwtq (11/8/2015)M 11.265 @ 123.55mph DA: 2318 \| 526rwhp/532rwtq (11/19/2016)M 10.722 @ 132.21mph DA: 850 \| 645rwhp/581rwtq (12/3/2017)M 10.609 @ 130.19 DA: 975 \| 675rwhp/629rwtq (2/16/2020)D Build: E-Force w/ 3.25" pulley (11lbs of boost), 10% OD under pulley, Fore Dual Fuel System, ID850's, AEM CAI, Borla Long Tubes, Flowmaster Super 10's, Circle D 3200 converter 258mm triple disc lockup, cam 226/242 116+4 LSA, ZL-1 Rear end, E85 & BRC Raceworks Tune (previously known as CMS) Youtube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/RobertMitchellRCM

05-26-2016, 03:42 PM	#3
jayno20 Go fast, please. Drives: 2019 Corvette ZR1 Join Date: May 2014 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 2,471 View My Garage	In PA if you drive less than 5k miles in a year you are "exempt" from emissions so they don't care at that point. This past year I was just barely under that, but there is a shop here that just looks at the car and if it looks new he doesn't bother checking for that stuff.

06-01-2016, 07:05 PM	#6
Chrispy 11.91 ET Bone stock Drives: 2015 Camaro ZL1 Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Canada Posts: 353	Do you have stock manifolds? How often is inspection? Should take no time to swap them back for the inspection if it's just off road mid pipes.