Headers for 1997 2-door Tahoe 4x4

[revmatcher]

Not being obstinate here...where else could the cats go? Is there a requirement for straight pipe before the cats? Truck is over 25 years old and no longer subject to sniffer test in NY.

 

[revmatcher]

Not emissions-legal due to the location of the cats, but probably functional.

Not being obstinate here...where else could the cats go? Is there a requirement for straight pipe before the cats? Truck is over 25 years old and no longer subject to sniffer test in NY.

 

[Schurkey]

Federal law--NOT subject to state's emissions testing--is that tampering with emissions controls is illegal, period. Replacement parts must either be OEM, or meet OEM standards, or have an "Official" exemption, like California's CARB exemptions sometimes advertised.

According to the EPA, even if your vehicle is not registered for on-road use, you STILL CANNOT defeat the emissions controls. This is bad for anyone building a race car using a street car as a "core". Legislation called the "RPM Act" has been written to provide an exemption for race cars/trucks, but has not actually been passed into law due to dirtbags infesting Congress. The fines are astronomical--although rarely levied.

For example, it's illegal to remove a functioning catalyst, even if you replace it with a new catalyst. (i.e., you can't cut the bigass, heavy OEM catalysts off of your new Corvette or Ferrari so you can install lightweight aftermarket "high flow" catalysts.)

Catalysts need to be the same number, and same location as stock. If the vehicle had one cat from new...you can't add a second. If the catalyst(s) were on the passenger side, you can't put one on the driver's side. You can't add a catalyst to a vehicle that wasn't equipped with them when new.

There are exemptions, IF (big IF) the vehicle or the parts have been emissions-certified by an EPA-accredited laboratory (not an emissions-testing facility like are seen in every jurisdiction with local or state-wide testing.)

For example, GM once sold an aftermarket dual-cat system for certain single-catalyst Camaros--but those parts had been emissions-certified on newer model-year Camaros. So they had an emissions-legal exemption.

The question here is enforcement. States get into trouble for enforcing Border policy, similarly the local Police or State Highway Patrol can't enforce Federal EPA policies.

But if the Feds want your ass, all they have to do is look under your car and they've got a pretext for arresting you. It's like arresting Capone for tax evasion.

 

[revmatcher]

Great info, thanks Schurkey. You didn't answer the question regarding location of the cats. My understanding is that for best function they should be as close as possible to the exhaust ports. I don't see a way to get closer than the header collectors unless I had 8 independent cats.

Catalytic converter - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SlowZ71]

Schurkey is saying the cats have to be in the factory location for it to be legal. That being said, the epa isn’t likely to come busting down your door for it.

 

[Erik the Awful]

If you aren't using OEM parts, but you're trying to meet the letter of the law as best you can, the EPA's not likely to mess with you. There's a lot more low-hanging fruit out there. The big question is whether or not the smog officials in your area are going to have a problem with it. We don't even have safety inspections here.

 

[revmatcher]

Great info, thanks guys.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

If you aren't using OEM parts, but you're trying to meet the letter of the law as best you can, the EPA's not likely to mess with you. There's a lot more low-hanging fruit out there. The big question is whether or not the smog officials in your area are going to have a problem with it. We don't even have safety inspections here.

Do not drive your truck to California. Recently saw where they have made people traveling through the state with out of state registrations visit Smog Referee stations merely because they were there, otherwise pay a big fine/vehicle impoundment. Caught without emissions equipment your vehicle was built with, big fine and vehicle impoundment. Their DPS will actually look under vehicles they have stopped with a mirror on a pole to see if the cats are there too. Probably aimed more at diesel trucks that visibly smoke and Mustangs/Camaros and the like with obnoxiously loud exhaust but still worth taking notice. Heaven forbid you start up your generator in your RV either, that is against the law there too. They cannot even use a gas powered fire pump in that state to keep their house from burning down in a wildfire.

 

[89gmc]

Do not drive your truck to California. Recently saw where they have made people traveling through the state with out of state registrations visit Smog Referee stations merely because they were there, otherwise pay a big fine/vehicle impoundment. Caught without emissions equipment your vehicle was built with, big fine and vehicle impoundment. Their DPS will actually look under vehicles they have stopped with a mirror on a pole to see if the cats are there too. Probably aimed more at diesel trucks that visibly smoke and Mustangs/Camaros and the like with obnoxiously loud exhaust but still worth taking notice. Heaven forbid you start up your generator in your RV either, that is against the law there too. They cannot even use a gas powered fire pump in that state to keep their house from burning down in a wildfire.

That's just one more great reason for me not to go to Calif. . Among many others.

 

[Sean Buick 76]

You would be fine in Canada it sounds great!!