Missing Cat Convertor still passed emissions, was it required?

DerekTheGreat said:

I wish they did have mechanical inspections in MI. That POS rolling next to you might only have one wheel with functioning brakes or tires that are bald beyond belief or ready to fold in half.

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I've never seen that as being an issue around here. Maybe in the more densely populated areas it's an issue.

RQ Jay said:

I recently had a look under my 93 C2500 (light Duty, 6 Lug) and realized the vehicle did not have a cat convertor on it.
I had passed emissions last month without, and a friend had mentioned that for that year certain vehicles did not require a convertor dependent of Gross vehicle weight...
Does anyone know anything about this?
Thanks

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Knuckle Dragger said:

Vehicle weight does determine if it needs a cat or not. Without the book in front of me I couldn't tell you what or when the cut offs were. Cats are a federal requirement the states just enforce it via their emissions programs. I did notice the testing process here in AZ is less robust during the COVID pandemic. The techs on Saturday seemed more interested in getting the cars moved through then they did about checking everything. ADEQ doesn't even come out the the fleet locations to test us right now. Our biannual inspections seem to be on the honor system with pictures.

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My '94 C2500 light duty 5.7/auto had a cat from factory. Also, first year for heated O2 with the 400's.

So did my '95 3500HD 7.4/nv4500. BTW, since it was a manual trans truck, just had the single wire non-heated O2. And, weird cat placement, AFTER the muffler. I think that may be a 3500HD-specific thing though due to clearance issues with the narrower, straight framerails. It had the big pancake style cat, and the bottle-shaped muffler was next to the carrier bearing/slip joint on the 2 piece driveshaft.

Richard

someotherguy said:

My '94 C2500 light duty 5.7/auto had a cat from factory. Also, first year for heated O2 with the 400's.

So did my '95 3500HD 7.4/nv4500. BTW, since it was a manual trans truck, just had the single wire non-heated O2. And, weird cat placement, AFTER the muffler. I think that may be a 3500HD-specific thing though due to clearance issues with the narrower, straight framerails. It had the big pancake style cat, and the bottle-shaped muffler was next to the carrier bearing/slip joint on the 2 piece driveshaft.

Richard

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You would be amazed how many different emissions configurations out there. The book we were required to have at the testing stations in California was three or four inches thick. My guess is most everything after the mid 80's is required to have some sort of cat. All the light duty stuff got mandated in 1975.

454cid said:

I've never seen that as being an issue around here. Maybe in the more densely populated areas it's an issue.

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I'm sure it's an issue everywhere. Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it isn't out there. I'm close to Detroit, and while the hipsters are trying to reclaim it, it's still an area where cars wear & tear 5x faster and the immediate suburbs are no better. I'm an odd ball who likes to drive old junk, old but maintained junk. I do not trust my fellow person to do the same. From what I've experienced and seen, the majority of those who drive older cars do so for financial reasons. While they may have money for the latest iPhone or whatever, they don't have money for brakes and tires. Not to mention lack of vehicle maintenance is never their fault; "WTF man? I just had ball joints replaced last month, what do you mean my tires are bad? F U! You're just trying to rip me off. This car is a POS, I'm never buying another [insert vehicle manufacturer here] again!"

I will prob throw a cat back on it, no sweat off my back...
Just found it strange it passed... This was all done prior to Covid...
I figured the Dyno would have caught it.... they had it on there for a drive!

b454rat said:

Any n bout all vehicles off the line since 73 I think came with cats. Only trucks over 8800lbs or something. But for sure ur truck would have came with one. **** I had an 89 1 ton with a 454 that had one. But anymore anything older than 96, don’t think it matters too much. That’s a sign ur truck is running good tho....

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FIRST year of catalytic converters was 1975 model year.

Far as I know, catalytic converters are NOT mandated...it's just that there's no way to meet emissions targets without them on most post-1975 vehicles.

I had a 1980 Honda Civic 1300. NO catalytic converter installed by Honda. Didn't need it to pass emissions restrictions. The 1500 model did have a cat.

Higher GVW trucks don't need to meet the tighter emissions regulations of the lighter-duty vehicles, so again they don't put a cat on them.

Buddy of mine has a ('97?) Ford F250 with an underhood sticker saying it's catalyst-exempt; probably as a farm truck where a hot catalyst could set fire to prairie grass.

I wonder if CA will have stricter standards as Newsom has announced the ending of sales of gas vehicles in 15 years? It is tough but I adhere to all emissions standards (jeeps, etc like mentioned above not a fan of the smells) yet my truck is my second vehicle and I drive it less than 7k a year and its just nice to have a truck!! Doesn't depreciate like the new ones every 4-5 years, easy and accessible parts and I can DIY most of the work. I wont go into the whole weight thing here in CA as my 3/4 is listed as a commercial vehicle and is nearly $500 a year just to register but I could see a shift in emissions standards for all vehicles soon here in CA aka stricter and tougher to phase out older vehicles.

Theres no way in hell they can do without gas vehicles there, or anywhere for that matter. Granted electric cars have come a long way, but doubt if they will have everything figured out in 15 years. When a lipo battery explodes it's more violent than a gas one, and with gas it just burns, lipo is toxic. Had a lipo forklift battery almost catch fire, so they put it outside, course right where I parked trailers, and the smell alone was toxic.

Aparke4 said:

I wonder if CA will have stricter standards as Newsom has announced the ending of sales of gas vehicles in 15 years?

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I guess you need to make more 'phone calls, and do more lobbying.

If the Citizens don't speak up, they're gonna get buried.

Aparke4 said:

Newsom has announced the ending of sales of gas vehicles in 15 years?

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It'll be interesting when everyone owns an electric vehicle and PG&E has rolling blackouts. Is everyone gonna need a generator in their trunk to charge their batteries?