Incorrect. Pre-1990 revisions to the Clean Air Act left loopholes that used to make this true, but since the revision they have been closed. It is a fact that it is against the law to tamper, modify, or remove emissions control equipment from a vehicle by anyone. Exceptions include vehicles exclusively for racing, off road vehicles, vehicles not previously equipped with emissions control from the factory (generally pre-67), etc. Just because they are generally lax about enforcement doesn't make it any less illegal. Lots of people get away with speeding maybe a fe MPH over a given limit or more in some places, but you could still get in trouble for it.

I have no personal opinion either way. On my older vehicles I'll most likely remove it, but I'm taking an educated risk. I wouldn't ever suggest to anyone to do something that breaks the law.

 

Whoa...Didn't say it wasn't against the law to remove it. What I did say was a repair garage won't get involved with removing it. I've never heard of the average joe getting the type of fine that can be levied on a garage, a fix it ticket maybe. I do agree it's better to keep the cats intact, the smell, pollutants, performance and on and on.

 

I know I sometimes come off harsh, like I said obviously if I were a big tree hugger I'd have something other than a 90 f150, a 66 mustang and a motorcycle. It mostly brothers me that there is much bad information accepted as truth when it comes to emissions. Every time some one asks a question about cats, EGR, pipes or air systems several people immediately post remove that junk and your car will run better. Its as bad as those Honda tuner sights that over ride their computers so bad that they spend thousands if dollars on aftermarket parts just to loose 25 hp on their stock cars. I am constantly fixing cars that have been modified to get them to run right again. I just like to think we are a little more intelligent than that. Secondly some of the older guys that have worked in the business can tell you that these smog laws are always getting stiffer. Its only been about 40 years that we went from basically nothing to a complicated system that you are not allowed to touch. My instructor tells stories about every time a new part came out PVC, then smog pumps, then cats, then computers, etc. old mechanics would resist and refuse to learn them. The fact is they aren't going away. Were talking about stuff on 30 year old trucks that they are still using today. Politicians are not car lovers. Auto manufacturers lobby for any law that will make us buy new cars. Tree hugging political groups are made up of rich people who don't work and feel like they are contributing to something. The fact is we can only count on ourselves to make it so we can keep our classics and off roaders. One of my 4x4 groups just fought to keep the property open where king of the hammers is run. We have to be able to show facts that our trucks are not destroying the earth like these pseudo scientists claim we are. That's one big reason I push for it. If it doesn't hurt my performance and it makes things cleaner I'm all for it. They haven't removed a law since prohibition. Laws will just get stricter. If the TH's can point to us and say "see we need a law or these guys will just ruin the environment" then they will be able to make it pass. And they will do it in a heartbeat if it gets them votes. It will definitely get them money. Here in California 75% of what we charge for a state smog check goes to the government in taxes and fees. If you think they won't do it in low population states think about how many states now have helmet laws. And I believe all states now have seatbelt laws. Those only passed within the last 15 years. Tickets make money for local government. Anyway I'm just trying to help out. I'd hate to have to take my grandkids 4 Wheeling on an asphalt track in an electric truck that says Prius on it.

 

okay i'm going off topic here because i like to argue but our state has seatbelt laws yet they cant pull you over just for not wearing your seatbelt. what does that tell me? it says i can get away without wearing it just like you can get away with anything else if you're smart

 

If they see you not wearing it they will pull you over and give you some bs reason so they can write you a seat belt ticket

 

well i've never been pulled over i the ten years or so i've been driving

 

Just because you've never seen a million dollars doesn't mean it doesn't exist. I know a few people that have been stopped for seatbelts.

 

Screw the ticket, have you seen how distracted people are behind the wheel? Texting/talking on the phone, playing with their gps ect ect. I wear mine because I don't want to get piled into by somebody sending a text. I had a coworker that was sitting at a red light and got smoked from behind at 50mph by somebody sending a text, never saw it coming and got beat up pretty bad, he regretted not having a seatbelt on!

 

I didn't say they won't. In my state people get pulled over for it all the time. They said that in there state they can't pull you over for it. All I was saying was they can give you another excuse to give you ticket.

 

Your truck will be fine with no cat. My '91 is catless, true dual with an X pipe and a flowmaster in each pipe. Sounds good, still has all it's power. Exits out the rear. Never smelled any exhaust fumes in the cab either in 4 years. Yeah the exhaust doesn't smell the best, it just smells like an old truck.