Exhaust?

[LT1_Malibu]

That pretty much sucks. You might as well not even tag one if that was the only option lol. I'm thankful no one cares about my ingrained part of the US to worry about air pollution lol, we currently do not have any kind of yearly emissions test and probably won't for a long time.

 

[Wagon Master]

Yea, tell me about it. That's why I want to try to get regular plates for it, even if I have to do a single cat exhaust.

 

[t5montecarlo]

Did you speak to your shop contact?

 

[Wagon Master]

No, not yet. I've been getting home from work too late and he's been closed when I get there. I'm hoping to stop by tomorrow (sat).

In speaking to someone else about this, he said that he is 99% sure that you can change from singles to duals, I asked him to back it up and we did a few minutes of internet searching and couldn't find anything conclusive. A number of forums said that when they went to a shop, the shop said no (I had the same experience at a Meineke). But no one came up with anything offical (epa, gov, etc.) to back it up either way.

My searching came up with this so far;
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/factshts/catcvrts.pdf

In it the only thing I found in it that comes close to to an answer is this on page 5;
"Install the converter in the same location as the original."
So that could be subject to interpertation, it doesn't say I can't add a second as long as one of them is in the same place as the original.

"If you ain't cheatin', you ain't tryin'", Junior Johnson

 

[Wagon Master]

Here is another EPA document that I found from Ohio. It maybe from Ohio, but I would guess it is based on Federal laws. It's in a eaiser to understand format, situation questions and answers.

http://www.epa.ohio.gov/portals/27/echeck/docs/exhaust_repair_guidelines.pdf

In question 16 they use an 1981 Malibu with dual exhaust as an example! Also read question 22...carefully.

 

[t5montecarlo]

It clearly states what Federal law stipulates and what Ohio disagrees with and allows.

Ask a shop for the NJ equivalent document.

 

[Wagon Master]

So...I finally stopped by my local shop where they passed my '89 truck after it failed state emissions. The guy who has the inpsection licence wasn't there, but I spoke to one of the mechanics and he said that they don't care how many cats it has on it, as long as it has cats and it passes emissions for the year of vehicle. If the cats are missing, they won't pass it.

After reading the previous docs and hearing what the mechanic said, I'm starting to think that any shop cannot alter any of the emissons equipment and must put it back to factory if they need to work on any of it. But if you do it yourself and it passes, you're good to go. Just my opinion...

So...It looks like I'm going to go with the dual cat setup and probably the Pypes crossmember back system with the X-pipe. I just now need to find the downpipes that will fit and bolt to the LS exhaust manifolds.

BTW, if any of you are still concerned and want to go the single cat route, I found this dual in/dual out cat;
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/WLK-15020/
A cat and a X-pipe function all in one!

 

[lt4malibu]

i would get long tubes, put cats on it and be done with it, as long as it passes the tailpipe test you'll be fine, just dont ever let the sticker expire and get caught at a roadside inspection.

 

[Wagon Master]

If you had to, could you still get the starter out with the long tubes?

 

[lt4malibu]

yep ive taken it out multiple times already lol