Ok so I have a 94 F250 XLT 351w and when i went to inspect it at cole muffler for the first time and it didnt pass due to front end issues and later got a ticket for driving without inspection (I live in NY By the way). So I had to fix the issues and decided to do a solid front axle swap and 6'' skyjacker lift instead of repalcing everything that was wrong in my TTB front end. Anyway i went to get it inspected at a different shop and it failed becuase my CAT was shot which cole said nothing about. Which i had always been told that since my truck is a 94 before the emisions regulations and computer BS that i didnt need all the fancy exhaust ****. So i went ahead and did a flo master super 40 to a straight pipe. My question is... Since my truck is before emissions reg. do i really need a CAT or was the second shop that i brought it to get inspected at, wrong about absolutely needing a CAT to pass NYS inspection, when Cole muffler passed the exhaust. ? THANKS !!!

 

Second place is correct. Your truck should have had a cat when new and is computer controlled. It does fall under federal emissions standards. Sorry

 

Yup it's in writing, you have to have a 25 yo vehicle or older.

NYS DMV - (Brochure) New York State Vehicle Safety/Emissions Inspection Program for Cars and Light Trucks

 

They might be able to rig you up something so after emissions you can take the cat off...I see it everyday on hondas lol.

 

This is in Texas, so the regs are different, but I took my son's '95 F150 (302) to get it inspected, PO had put on true dual exhaust with no cats. I wanted to get a baseline without the cats so when I put them on I would know how much they helped, if at all. So was expecting to fail first and then bring it back with cats on to pass. It passed with no cats. Not by a little, by quite a bit. Who knew the cats are not needed to pass inspection? This is the kind where they stick the sniffer probe up your tailpipe, BTW.

 

We had to get them installed on our 93 or it would fail. But in PA all they have to do is be able to see the cats, meaning that you yourself could "clean out" the cats by ramming the guts out of it. I've never done it, but have heard of people doing it and passing with no problem. But again this in PA, not sure if they actually test emission levels where you are.

 

you have to gut 'em.

 

I was worried about the CAT on my 96 F350.

I put Banks headers, Y-pipe, Hi-flow 3" cat and Flow master 20 series muffler with 3" custom exhaust. I was a little worried about the hydro carbons(that is what the cat really cleans up). Well at the time I live in NJ and the HC limit was 300. Well my truck went thru with 3, yes 3. SO I suggest if you need a cat to pass, put in a hi-flow one that will not restrict flow

 

Emissions regulations started at least in the '70s, and have been continually tightening ever since. Your '94 truck is nowhere near "before emissions regs."

Some states do inspections, and some that do quit inspecting when a vehicle reaches a certain age (apparently 26 years in New York). But even that just means that it's exempt from inspection, not that it's from before emissions regs.

 

Find out if you are required to get emissions to pass inspection. In MO they don't test emissions if your truck is older than a 1996 or something like if you drive it less than 3000 miles a year I think. Only safety every 2 years to get plates. On a 1996 or newer, you will not be able to get license plates if your vehicle doesn't pass inspection (emissions and safety). By federal law though, you are pretty much required to have a cat