View Full Version : Who has issues with cops over cats?
2kblackgtp
12-09-2009, 07:24 PM
I have an ORY I'm gonna be installing soon with some other stuff, a little worried about cops questioning me about cats. I am considering welding my SLP res onto my other exhaust so I can claim that as a bullet style cat if the cop asks. Who's got good or bad stories about their catless cars and cops?
NastyEllEssWon
12-09-2009, 07:45 PM
heh be prepared to get looked at by every cop you pass. thats bout it. the occasional loud exhaust ticket in the place of a speeding ticket as well :lol:
fmybody
12-09-2009, 07:52 PM
I have an ORY I'm gonna be installing soon with some other stuff, a little worried about cops questioning me about cats. I am considering welding my SLP res onto my other exhaust so I can claim that as a bullet style cat if the cop asks. Who's got good or bad stories about their catless cars and cops?
ive never done it but my buddy ran his 06 GTO with no mufflers for months and noone bothered him.. i even drove it once like that and i get pulled over for everything
in conclusion i dont think you would get bothered as much as the next guy with a loud exhaust.
NJ Torque
12-09-2009, 08:05 PM
Road side inspection = bye bye car.
LTb1ow
12-09-2009, 08:08 PM
You should just run cats and be nature friendly.
wretched73
12-09-2009, 08:46 PM
You should just run cats and be nature friendly.
Preserving nature FTW
mc73nova
12-09-2009, 09:35 PM
Road side inspection = bye bye car.
I saw a bunch of those this year, even with a legit vehicle I still get nervous!
At least hollow it out or get a high flo cat. I wouldnt drive around with nothing at all.
fmybody
12-09-2009, 09:37 PM
I saw a bunch of those this year, even with a legit vehicle I still get nervous!
At least hollow it out or get a high flo cat. I wouldnt drive around with nothing at all.
i never got stopped for one luckily.. what do they do exactly?
mc73nova
12-09-2009, 09:51 PM
i never got stopped for one luckily.. what do they do exactly?
They basically just give your car an inspection on the spot, they have mirrors and everything else set up. I've only been stopped once and the first thing they checked on mine was the exhaust. And that was with my fathers 1990 Suburban!
MyFirstZ
12-09-2009, 10:31 PM
if you were in ny i would say go all out, but in jersey i dont know how they are. I can safely say most cops don't know what a "cat" is around here.
NastyEllEssWon
12-09-2009, 11:45 PM
http://www.siliconeintakes.com/images/product/cat_allflow_picture.jpg
http://www.frozenboost.com/product_info.php?cPath=210&products_id=320&osCsid=bbc62233664b486be74dc11f7f10267a
JL8Jeff
12-10-2009, 07:40 AM
Why not run cats, it is the law after all? Dual 3" high flow cats don't rob any power until you're way up there. If the car is loud, has tint or anything else that will get you pulled over, you just increased your chance of having the cops check for legal exhaust as well. It's probably 50/50 odds of getting checked. Is the penalty really worth it? I bought the TSP ORY and added dual 3" cats to it and the car runs fine and it keeps it a little quieter as well.
Slow-V6
12-10-2009, 07:56 AM
Its not just a state law but a federal law with a 5000 or so dollar fine. Just hollow out your cats and jam a pipe though it and tack weld the hollowed out cat to the pipe. at least it will look like you have cats.
Slow Z
12-10-2009, 08:40 AM
Its not just a state law but a federal law with a 5000 or so dollar fine. Just hollow out your cats and jam a pipe though it and tack weld the hollowed out cat to the pipe. at least it will look like you have cats.
I could be very wrong but I believe local/state police wont/dont/cant enforce federal laws like that. I've driven around without a cat on my car for 6+ years and I've been pulled over once... I pulled off to the side of the road which happened to have 4" of grass on it. The cop did lean down and glance under my car but never once questioned if it had cats - I just assume that's what he was looking for. He then asked me if my Hoosier QTP's were legal in which I got out and pointed out the DOT rating and told him I had a tread depth gauge he could use to verify they had a legal amount of tread left on them - I didn't actually have one and luckily he I had no idea what I was talking about.
I'd also say my car is pretty loud and I drive past cops all the time with it and have never been pulled over for that reason.
WildBillyT
12-10-2009, 09:03 AM
Its not just a state law but a federal law with a 5000 or so dollar fine. Just hollow out your cats and jam a pipe though it and tack weld the hollowed out cat to the pipe. at least it will look like you have cats.
You are correct about the state vs federal thing but I don't think it's a $5000 dollar fine. That may be for shops that remove cats, or install equipment to bypass them (like cutouts pre-cat).
JerzLT1
12-10-2009, 09:22 AM
Road side inspection = bye bye car.
when was the last time you heard of someone's car being impounded because of not having cats?
jts98z28
12-10-2009, 09:34 AM
i dont got cats and ive been pulled over plenty of times even had a cop tell me my exhaust was illegal but only because i have dumps...never had them say anything about cats....but if i had a choice i would have cats so i could pass inspection
deadtrend1
12-10-2009, 11:17 AM
I put long tubes and a ORY on my LT1. Getting someone to put a sticker on it became a hassle (as it should be). Then shops don't wannt put cats on it since its illegal for them to be moved. Then the nervousness of passing by DOT inspections ...
If i did it again, would have gotten a catted Y pipe made from the start.
LTb1ow
12-10-2009, 11:20 AM
I put long tubes and a ORY on my LT1. Getting someone to put a sticker on it became a hassle (as it should be). Then shops don't wannt put cats on it since its illegal for them to be moved. Then the nervousness of passing by DOT inspections ...
If i did it again, would have gotten a catted Y pipe made from the start.
Just take off the ORY and tell them its for a "race" car... I had no problem with getting quotes for that when I was gonna go legit.
But I mean, either or, cats or no cats, with LTs, still gonna be "illegal" no matter how you cut it.
IMO if the cop knows what a cat is and wants to check, he will prob know somethings up when he sees the aftermarket stuff.
LS1ow
12-10-2009, 04:25 PM
just tack weld the car shields onto the pipes...
2kblackgtp
12-10-2009, 09:29 PM
Reason I was asking wasn't cause I dont want to be environmentally friendly, but rather that I dont want to spend $400 on cats... I think I'm gonna order a couple of those frozen boost fake cats and weld em in...
MyFirstZ
12-10-2009, 09:38 PM
yeah they look pretty legitement for inspectors making sure it is there or not.
Foosh
12-10-2009, 10:15 PM
Haha I really like this idea, might look into installing them just for kicks... for the most parts cops near me won't bust your balls that bad... also just don't get caught! The only bs from cops i've gotten is for when i was younger and looked it... they do judge.
JL8Jeff
12-12-2009, 10:34 AM
Reason I was asking wasn't cause I dont want to be environmentally friendly, but rather that I dont want to spend $400 on cats... I think I'm gonna order a couple of those frozen boost fake cats and weld em in...
What makes you think they cost $400? I bought a slightly used pair of 3" cats off LS1Tech for $50 for the pair. Plain old Carsound, Dynomax, Magnaflow cats are about $60-80 new. Search Ebay and LS1Tech, I've gotten brand new cats for $25 off Ebay.
2kblackgtp
12-12-2009, 01:52 PM
What makes you think they cost $400? I bought a slightly used pair of 3" cats off LS1Tech for $50 for the pair. Plain old Carsound, Dynomax, Magnaflow cats are about $60-80 new. Search Ebay and LS1Tech, I've gotten brand new cats for $25 off Ebay.
Judging by the websites I've been to charging $200 for a single magnaflow or RT cat, or a pair of SLP's costing $300. I know stock cats go cheap on tech, and usually find one high flow floating around on ebay but never a set, hence why I feel this way
JL8Jeff
12-12-2009, 05:30 PM
Yeah, SLP overcharges big time for their cats. I think the cats I have are the ones used in the TSP catted y-pipe. They are just plain old 3" Carsound or Magnaflow cats.
deadtrend1
12-12-2009, 05:40 PM
Judging by the websites I've been to charging $200 for a single magnaflow or RT cat, or a pair of SLP's costing $300. I know stock cats go cheap on tech, and usually find one high flow floating around on ebay but never a set, hence why I feel this way
I bought both of my carsound (magnaflow) 3' cats brand new for 79.99 each.
Tru2Chevy
12-12-2009, 06:16 PM
Magnaflow 3" High-Flow cats:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/3-Magnaflow-Catalytic-Hi-Flow-Cat-Converter-94109-NEW_W0QQitemZ170414973437QQcmdZViewItemQQptZMotors _Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories?hash=item27ad8621fd
$69.02 each, with free shipping
- Justin
qwikz28
12-13-2009, 12:03 AM
tangentially related, I did a legal memorandum for law school that explained proper roadside searches and how to get that evidence suppressed in court. Just sayin :)
that being said, I have cats.
maroman88
12-13-2009, 02:59 PM
pep boys has magnaflow high flow cats
2kblackgtp
12-13-2009, 07:23 PM
haha wow, half the parts off my old grand prix came from zzp. they made some great 3.8 parts. I think i'll but some cats from them
KITT's1989Glory
12-14-2009, 01:18 AM
my car is straight-piped n i got pulled over in dunnellen which is near watchung and greenbrook for a loud exhaust but they didnt look under my car
WildBillyT
12-14-2009, 08:41 AM
haha wow, half the parts off my old grand prix came from zzp. they made some great 3.8 parts. I think i'll but some cats from them
Tack weld the heat sheilds on before installing. That's the exact same cat I had the issue with (the spot welds broke and the sheild rattles in place).
2kblackgtp
12-14-2009, 04:53 PM
Yep, already went through that before on my gtp. Had to tack weld the shield
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