SprintCarDriver

Me again trying to get this machine ready for inspection. I was told something this morning and I am trying to get it verified. Thought I would try here first. Here is what I was told:

"As I remember the law, if that body style (any year) was available with true dual exaust, then you can retro fit it to your car. At least it was that way for Camaro's."

Does anyknow if this is true? If so doe that mean that I can put on True duals and still pass inspection?

Thanks for the help

MWILLET

I don't believe you're going to be able to pull this off. While it's true that other C3s had true duals, ('74 & back) the difference is the catalytic converter (standard & mandatory since '75) Sounds like you're hoping to run 2 individual exhaust pipes (I assume with a cat on each side). Most inspection places in DFW seem so terrified of the EPA etc, I doubt they'd let you slide. Same for businesses that work on exhaust systems; they all tell me they're afraid of having their work traced back to them. Anyway, that's been my experience around here. If you figure out a way to do it, please let us know.
IIRC, our cars have an indentation in the passenger side of the chassis where the factory cat fits up into; I don't believe the other side has that, so your exhaust on that side may hang lower at that point.



[Modified by MWILLET, 8:09 AM 1/17/2002]

SprintCarDriver

Mine has the same indentation on the passenger side, and none on the driver side. My current design is to run the exhaust thru the crossmember then into the cats. I am looking at the Dynomax Hi-flow cats. Like I said in an earlier post, seems like I will need two seperate exhaust systems. That suxs!

JB

It just really depends on where you are. Strictly speaking, for '75s & later, you got to have cats. In DFW, you're not going to get away with not having them. Here in backwater central Texas, I get through with no problems with my true duals (I'm buying a pair of sidepipes, and I don't know if those will fly or not--maybe a little too blatant).

JB

'78SA

Shrike

I have never had a cat on my '76, or on the '76 blazer I used to have, both registered in Tarrant county. I also ran true duals on them both. The only thing I ever got called on was having an open element air filter, so one day a year I run a filter housing that I bought at a junkyard for $10. I have found that the best way to get inspected is not to go to a place specializing in inspections only. I call around and ask what I need to pass for my year; the shortest answer wins.

Tom73

Sorry but it is the configuration that was available and certified for that year of manufacture.

Got a relative living in a non-emission testing county? If so register the car using their address, then get it inspected in their county. :D

tom...


[Modified by Tom73, 9:31 AM 1/17/2002]

JB

Or, you could just drive it without inspection for a couple years until it's 25 years old and exempt. That's what I'm probably going to do if Austin & surrounding counties get sniffer testing as they're threatening to do. I figure since I don't drive the vette more than once or twice a week at most, the odds are good at not getting a ticket.

Strictly speaking, though, emissions testing is irrelevant. Even if you don't live in a Texas county with emissions testing, your car is not supposed to pass inspection unless it has all of the emissions gear the factory put on it. Fortunately, if you don't live in a major metropolitan area, most of 'em don't bother looking under the car for cats, or even under the hood for air pumps and such. Some of 'em do. The advice to stay away from shops that specialize in inspections is good--I took my truck to one of those places a couple years ago and the guy tried to flunk it because there was an empty bracket on the engine. Wouldn't believe me when I told him that was for the air conditioning compressor the truck no longer had. Had to get another mechanic from his shop to convince him. That's the other thing--the shop I use now pops the hood every time, looks right at the engine, and passes it anyway--I think because they don't really know what's supposed to be on a '78 and if thinks look clean they just pass it.

JB

'78SA

Jaybo

I'm getting mine done soon, but never had a problem with the duals it now has. Now that I dumped a pile of $$$ into the parking brake, it better not have a problem with that! :mad

Hey Shrike! When did you get the paint job? Looks good. :yesnod:

Shrike

Thanks! just a month or so ago, I'm still getting used to walking in the garage and seeing something shiny there :D

DaveL82

Anyone know if they have changed the rules in Collin County. So far we have only needed a gas cap and safety inspection. My car will be 25 years old (1980) soon so it may not be an issue.

Have ZZ4 with all the emissions hooked up (I like the power of the ZZ4 but stock look).

Dave

zwede

Collin is supposed to go to a dyno test in May this year, but they've said that before and it never happened so who knows.

Gameshow Bob

from the TxDPS website http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/rule...ejectsubmit=Go
....

If installed as original equipment by the manufacturer, the catalytic converter will be considered a part of the exhaust emission system on all 1984 and later model vehicles. It will be inspected as a part of the exhaust system on prior to 1984 model vehicles.
...
from another page http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/rule...ejectsubmit=Go
....

Dual exhaust systems may be modified to single exhaust systems and single exhaust systems to dual exhaust systems, provided the modification does not violate requirements concerning exhaust emission systems.

....

since the cat is part of the exhaust system and not the exhaust emission system on pre '84 vehicles, you can switch to the dual setup!



[Modified by Gameshow Bob, 5:39 PM 1/17/2002]

MIKER

Gameshow Bob,
Thank you for posting those links.
This seems too good to be true! I can hardly believe what I am reading but it seems to be absolutely correct information. :cheers:

This is GREAT!!! If this is a dream, DON'T WAKE ME!

WHOOOOO - HOOOOOO :D

Budman68

I guess McKinney is exempt. I have no had a problem with the inspection and duals. I even took it to one of those American Service Station places. :D

Phlash

Be sure to take a copy of the rules with you. Sometimes the inspector does make a 100% on his test when getting his license. Ex-licensed Tx. inspector.

Phlash 72 BB Roadster :seeya

JB

Well, hell, that is righteous. I love to win on a technicality! The list that inspectors use (I've looked at it) certainly doesn't say that, though, and I'd think printing that out from the TXDot page & taking it with you would be a heck of good idea. I'm definitely putting the sidepipes on now!

JB

'78SA

MoMo

Why not get as close as you can to a dual exhaust, but still have it technically be a single exhaust by using a dual in/dual out cat?

SprintCarDriver

Thank you Gameshwow Bob. The first thing I did was print them out for the Inspectors...
This forum will always find an answer.
Now if I read this correctly, I will need to put the air pump back on, but what will I connect it to, since I have headers? Plump it to the Cats?

Thanks again.

Gameshow Bob

Yea, that's the problem, you *must* have the air pump with the injector pipes to officially pass. I don't have one so I'm a bit worried about it. I also don't have an EGR valve which I'm also supposed to have. I figure that if I can pass the sniffer test I can argue about the importance of the missing pieces, hopefully it will get me somewhere. The guy I bought it from in Austin didn't have these items on and he passed, but he didn't have a sniffer test either. We'll see. :rolleyes:

Tom73

One additional thing to consider about Texas emission laws. There is a Texas statute that states you cannot sell a car that does not have all of it emission equipment in place and in operating order. Now I have never heard of this statute being enforced but it is on the books and could jump up and bit someone on the :nonod:

tom...