Not all guys running turbo in CA are in trouble if they pop the hood. I've got a Greddy CARB sticker as well as photocopies of the paperwork from the CARB Referree who approved my car... and since the only logos in the engine bay are Greddy ones - on the manifold and the bov, it appears to one who doesn't know what the Greddy kit includes to be the same thing as the ref approved...
For a cat though, I hammered out a cheapo cat... this is a much better option and for $20 less than I paid for the shitty cat...
-Ryan

 

Hollowing out a cat is cheap if you have an old cat, but it becomes an exhaust flow restriction and sounds really awful. The pipe-in-cat option is definitely the better option.

 

Tim

I got an old stock cat off a 1.6l you can have if you want next time I am up in that area. Actually are you planning on hitting up the Megasquirt Megameet in PA in June?

 

Does a car sound and smell differently with NO cat?

 

It depends on the rest of the exhaust system really, but mine has always smelled a little more like unburned fuel. (that was even before boost)

 

yes.

I bought a magnaflow cat.... the thing has a cat section thats 3 or 4" long and 3" diameter.

It is probably taking a whopping 1-5hp away from me, but im legal and i wont get hastled for my car smelling like raw fuel unless i hit rev cut in which i will have more issues since i will be speeding and "stunt driving"

 

I really like that fake cat. I bought a resonated test pipe off ebay some years ago for 30 bucks, and it passed for a cat. The one time it was ever checked. Thankfully there is no form of vehicle inspection in TN.

 

I didn't know of a meet in June. Link?

I'll take whatever cat you want to give me, thanks

 

Yes. Smell is night and day if you have a sensitive nose. Also depending on how car idles can make it even more noticable.