2003 Ford F 250 Catalytic converter

[DRONE]

So 3 weeks ago my trucks Cat was removed during the night
Took the truck to my mechanic and he has been unable to find the replacement , anywhere in California and looked nation wide, in the mean time I’ve had a flanged straight pipe installed
My mechanic contacted acted CARB Referee and they found no available replacements
The truck is a 6.0 diesel and California registered

[vmax]

https://www.xtremediesel.com/magnaflow-49-state-direct-fit-catalytic-converter-60511?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAmMC6BhA6EiwAdN5iLcfbxn-pQATAL89cHOdfHOZQOJJ7TNRmEinIf0WkfzqqPSed1k3YAhoCs XsQAvD_BwE

[Arizona_928]

I cage in my cats at night so they don’t get out.

[Bob Kontak]

I suspect you will get a waiver and a federal cat will be allowed if nothing can be found.

But I do not know what California is like when it comes to practical sense.

[Tobra]

CARB is not famous for being rational and reasonable
California
Air
Resources
Board

[DRONE]

When my certification becomeso due my mechanic will fail it and I will have to get an appointment with the referee and I am supposed to get my exemption ,
Not sure how it will work out but keeping my fingers crossed

[faverymi]

Time to register it in montana

[speeder]

I’ve never once had a vehicle smogged in CA. and had the person conducting the smog test crawl under to read the numbers off of the catalytic converter to confirm that it’s the CA. version. Neither has anyone else. You do realize that you can register and smog any vehicle from any of the other 49 states in CA., right? They make no distinction. Only when they are sold new is this applicable.

Do you know anyone in any other state who can accept a package delivery for you? Order the 49 state version of the cat for a fraction of the price, (only catch is that it cannot be shipped to a CA. address), go get it in Nevada or wherever or have it shipped to you. Install it and live happily after, or at least until the next time it’s stolen.

[Tobra]

If you want to get your truck seized, do what ^this guy^ says

[DRONE]

I will up date this post come June when it comes due until then I’ll enjoy my straight pipe

[Tobra]

They will look very closely at whatever catalytic convertor ends up on your truck, I guarantee it.

Oh, and for future reference, if you buy a used car in California, buy one that was sold new in some other state. I can tell you from personal experience, it you need to replace one in California, a catalytic convertor for a 49 state car will cost about 30% of what a California one will cost. Yes, they check when you put a new one on your car after it is stolen, look at it and write down the number.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Tobra

If you want to get your truck seized, do what ^this guy^ says

^Such a drama queen.^ No one is going to look under your truck from the CARB, ever. If it’s already registered in CA., you know that the smog test for that particular vehicle consists of plugging in an OB2 scanner, period. There is likely no difference between the CA. cat and the 49 state version other than certification. At least that’s the way it was when cars were certified separately for CA.

Do whatever you want, I’m telling you what I would do.

[speeder]

Originally Posted by Tobra

They will look very closely at whatever catalytic convertor ends up on your truck, I guarantee it.

Oh, and for future reference, if you buy a used car in California, buy one that was sold new in some other state. I can tell you from personal experience, it you need to replace one in California, a catalytic convertor for a 49 state car will cost about 30% of what a California one will cost. Yes, they check when you put a new one on your car after it is stolen, look at it and write down the number.

Who is, “they?”

My cat gets stolen. I have my favorite exhaust shop weld on a new one. How does anyone from the state get involved??

[rfuerst911sc]

So if you go to a local exhaust shop in CA and ask for a replacement cat for the one that was stolen what do they say/do ? Do they all tell you we can't help you ? Do they just do pipes and mufflers ?

[Tobra]

They are likely to lose their business license if they get caught doing illegal cat installs,maybe locked up.

Despite what Denis may believe, they take this very seriously.

The VIN for that truck is flagged. They are supposed to inspect the cat to be sure it is legal on a flagged VIN

Ask me how I know this

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by Tobra

They are likely to lose their business license if they get caught doing illegal cat installs,maybe locked up.

I agree with this. No legitimate shop under CARB rules would be that sloppy every day. Word gets out.

One-off for a customer who is "in the club"? It could and does happen.




FWIW......

The emission laws in Ohio are rigorous. You had better have a solid story about your 70's 911 with air injection that was removed and it had better have follow the rules as to why, or serious penalty will result.

Thing is there is absolutely no infrastructure to do this.

[rfuerst911sc]

So all the muffler/exhaust shops in CA don't have CA compliant generic cat converters ????? That seems very odd to me . So a CA compliant cat converter has a stamping or ID plate or stenciling stating compliance ? And that marking remains legible through thousands of heat cycles along with rain/mud etc. ? Sure glad I live in Georgia for a variety of reasons .

[Bob Kontak]

There is probably a certificate of CARB compliance issued with the part as well.

Generic CARB cats appear to exist (30 second search). There is a list of cars it is compatible with.

https://caautoparts.com/products/mf-334005?currency=USD&variant=42767936585893&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&stkn=afe895cfea0d&gad_source=1

[DRONE]

We involved the CARB referee early in this to assist in finding the specific converter for my truck, Ford quit making mine and no others in stock
Not sure why there is no alternative must be a load of paperwork involved and is a probably whole lot easier to give a single exemption to my truck?

[Tobra]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

So all the muffler/exhaust shops in CA don't have CA compliant generic cat converters ????? That seems very odd to me . So a CA compliant cat converter has a stamping or ID plate or stenciling stating compliance ? And that marking remains legible through thousands of heat cycles along with rain/mud etc. ? Sure glad I live in Georgia for a variety of reasons .

"Generic" catalytic convertor, how is the California Air Resources Board making money on that? I think they have a little metal plate on them with the number stamped onto it

I had to replace a stolen cat on my wife's vehicle. Bought new in Texas. The same catalytic convertor, one with a CARB EO number on it and one without, identical in every other respect. 49 state one was $600, California one was $1300. They put a sticker on the door jam. If you have that sticker, they look to make sure the cat matches the sticker, no matter what the tailpipe sniffer says.

You can pass everything, but if there is no Exemption Order number on the cat, you fail. It is technically illegal to drive a car on the street in California with the wrong cat or a test pipe.