it is a federally mandated if you are caught removing them you can go to jail or be fined out the ***.

 

You really think a truck with no cats is going to destroy the atmosphere? Give me a break. How about all the factorys, dump trucks, and even better when you see a car atleast once a week goin down the road blowing so much blue smoke that the cars behind him has to almost stop since they cant see. Or how about all the illegal dumping, burning and etc... Trucks with no cats should be the least of our worries right now.

I get the impression that alot of the people who comment on this or think that they know more than somebody else has never done it or have no idea what they are talking about. Why do you think the older cars and trucks didnt even come with cats and almost all of them on the road still dont have them?

Like I said before, i didnt want to get in it again, but apparently its a big topic here about once a month, so why not.

But here in Florida there is no inspections and it really seems that no-one gives a ***** any more. If your in a state with inspections i would have to say definatly DONT do it. It wouldnt be worth the hassle of trying to pass. On the other hand, if you have no inspections go for it.

 

To those of you who claim that you can go to jail and have ridiculous fines, please provide a source to back up your claim.

 

its a federal law, its is illegal to remove a good cat for no reason,

 

MisterCMK...never did the research on this before, but I just did some digging at U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and here's what I found:

From the Federal Clean Air Act:

SEC. 203. (a) The following acts and the causing thereof are
prohibited—
...........
(3)(A) for any person to remove or render inoperative any
device or element of design installed on or in a motor vehicle
or motor vehicle engine in compliance with regulations under
this title prior to its sale and delivery to the ultimate purchaser,
or for any person knowingly to remove or render inoperative
any such device or element of design after such sale
and delivery to the ultimate purchaser


Any person other than a manufacturer or dealer who
violates section 203(a)(3)(A) or any person who violates section
203(a)(3)(B) shall be subject to a civil penalty of not more than
$2,500.


Check it out, page 237 of the federal clean air act.....

 

The law is the law and it is there fior a reason. Catalytic converters are there for a reason, and absolutely no shop I know of will remove a converter and by pass it and issue a reciept stating such. The catalytic converters today are free flowing, and while you might be in a part of the country where it is not checked, hope you never move to where they do. Since I bought my F350 new in 02, my truck has been visually checked for a converter all 3 times it has been summoned to a mandatory emissions test in Illinois. I was also pulled over in Ohio when the truck was about 6 months old, and during the stop, the trooper looked underneath with a mirror checking for the presence of a catalytic converter. Also the gas cap has been tested, along with making sure the computer is working and not storing any mil codes during all emissions tests. In Illinois, if you fail the emissions test , or simply ignore the notices, eventually your license plates and or drivers license will be suspended. Atleast where I live, there is little to gain and much to lose by removing a converter.

 

Well, see...that would be a 1968 model...and not many of them are on the road anymore...cats or otherwise!

And, will one truck cause problems? Probably not...but if everyone thinks like you do...we will have a problem! As I stated before...no consideration for anyone else....a real shame....

 

Two well known custom builders ended up with hefty fines concerning emissions.

Boyd Coddington somehow titled newly custom built hot rod cars as vintage cars, and as a vintage car it was emissions exempt, even though little to nothing on the car was vintage. He did this to circumvent emissions laws. This was called a "Ship of Theseus"
fraud. $3000 fine 160 hours community service.

Jesse James (west coast choppers)was caught selling new custom motorcycles which did not meet emissions requirements, and he tried to have an agreement which basically he would recall and modify all motorcycles to meet emissions standards. Somehow the state of california declined and fined him some $271,250 for the 50 motorcycles he built during that period.

 

Now granted, California is a different animal, they go above and beyond Federal mandates because they can. Most of the nation is not that stringent. However, what do you hope to gain by doing so. Seriously, the modern catalyst is extremely free flowing, plus as the hot gases expand from further burning in the catalyst can under certain conditions actually increase power, something I didn't believe it was a strong effect till I saw a track car improve its quarter mile by a little more than a tenth of a second running cats (the driver forgot to take them off before the race). The car was a 1988 Buick Grand National running a bored 4.0L and twin turbos. This car engine dynoed at just over 750 hp. I was impressed, I knew cats didn't restrict much, and that under certain conditions they could increase torque, but not that they could shave more than a tenth of a second off a track car.

 

Does anyone know if the heavy equiptment industry has been mandated to any emissions standards. I know as time goes on it is a growing concern, and I thought I remember someone saying that they did have a set of standards to adhere to.

Also on a side note, pretty soon lawn and garden equipt. will have more emssions equiptment on them, so people will be cutting off their baby cats to gain more HP out of their Toro.

Anyone ever wonder why the old lawn boy 2cyl has vanished?

 

Because the last ones made were junk. You can still find old lawn boys that run well. That, and the emissions would be tough on them. That is a cool story about the Grand National. I've seen enough hachet jobs from people who thought they were freeing the engine up only to trash a vehicle in the process and it's resale value.

 

I think the trucking industry carries alot of weight in washington. But as of recently, diesel fuel is now low sulphur, so something has happened to reduce emissions. .

 

there is a ton of new emissions stuff for all the new 08 diesel and its getting stiffer every year.

 

Yeah, the diesel emissions regs are starting to get ridiculous...they're driving down the efficiency of the engines, causing them to burn more fuel...all over harmless particulates...

 

"Yeah...ridiculous" another "harmless" boogeyman to add to the list.

Right all "harmless" like; asbestos, DDT, Dioxin, PVC, PCBs, FREON, Nicotene, DES, lead, mercury, fallout from atmospheric nuke tests, etc?

IMO commercial diesel engines have actually been enjoying significant improvements in efficiency brought about by extensive research & severe market pressures to reduce operating costs.