Catalytic Converter

[GeeAea]

Well, California is the automobile worship capital of the world. While other states have opted for county by county application of stricter emissions standards, CARB takes the scortched earth approach with wide sweeps of cutting. Now it does make sense given that the residents are SO motivated to modify their rides ...and so highly mobile ..that there would just be a market for out of county addresses just so one could exempt oneself from the stricter standards.

...but in reality ..we know full well that the CARB sticker (cert) has become another term for "official state agency tariff for selling your product in our state". OTOH, you can also be assured that anything that has the CARB cert is pretty much worthless in terms of performance. It may bring you some utility.


There's other ways to achieve this goal. It's most effective with the OEM evolutions. Then you make standards for performance and effectiveness and let the market find the solutions. Now the basic format is two identical parts ..one costing $350 and one costing $150. The $350 part has the CARB cert ..the $150 part does not.

[dorfs]

I would swing it by the dealer and see if it falls under under a re-call for a free replacement. I know certain '95 through '97 xj's, zj's, and yj's had a cat replacement, flash update recall. Worth a try.

[Ricochet870]

I decided to give the parts stores another try, but with more selectivity with whom I spoke to. I got ahold of one of the older guys who have been around awhile at NAPA auto and he actually dug through his stuff and found me what I needed in about 20 mins or so. Its OEM spec, CARB certified and direct fit...its also $200, but after all the searching, I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth. Also, I checked with the dealership and they said that being I had so many miles on my rig that it wouldnt qualify for any cat recalls even if they were honoring it anymore because it wasnt defective, it just wore out.
Thanks for all the helpful insight guys. This should keep me on (and off) the road for awhile longer...at least until I can get out of this state to somewhere with a little more sanity at which point I won't have to worry about this stuff anymore.

-JD

[GeeAea]

Not a bad deal all in all. I don't think you spent too much at all. When the Chinese were buying up every piece of scrap there was, a used cat could pull $85.

This should keep me on (and off) the road for awhile longer...at least until I can get out of this state to somewhere with a little more sanity at which point I won't have to worry about this stuff anymore.

You're just currently stuck in the leading edge of the wave of insanity. Maybe Wyoming will back the timing off a bit.

Remember, these are the good old days!

[RRich]

A couple of years ago I need a muffler on one of my vans - pre OBDII.
My friend Dave with a muffler shop told me I was just in time, the law was changing - I'd need one that's CARB certified next month. He charged me about $100 installed for the old type.

He showed me both certified and non certified. The only difference was the metal stamp on the bottom - identical in every way. He said the 200+ higher price was fees to the ARB, supposedly to help the environment - (I think the the governor wanted a summer house.)

2 or 3 months later I needed to replace one on one of my other vans - same engine, also pre OBDII.
He said he no longer could get, install, or even stock the cheaper one. I had to pay the higher price.

The difference is the metal stamp. Yes, the smog station is supposed to look for the stamp on all OBDII vehicles. The older ones "get it" whenever they replace one.

The people who run the CARB are not car people - they are accountants and politicians - I got tired of dealing with the absolute stupidity years ago when I was a lobbyist in Sac trying to stop some of the insanity.

Also tried to get 2 devices approved - they all wanted bribes "under the table" before they'd even submit it to engineering. I gave up.

[LEVE]

The only difference was the metal stamp on the bottom - identical in every way.

That sticker/stamp comes with a cost. It's >$5000 per part to have it Carb certified, and $5000 is a low estimate.