DanaT

My nice state politicians have decided that where I live now needs emission testing.

I have been running a test pipe forever. The car runs like crap with the factory cat (which I have).

Anyways, I will not pass the visual without a cat.

Does anyone have experience with the LR 3" performance cat?

I can put cat on, test, take cat off but that becomes a PITA.

Does the 3" cat rob much power? I need to measure my exhaust. I think I only have a 2.5 inch.

So, if anyone has any opinions (hopefully based upon experience) on the 3" LR cat, I would love to hear them.

The pricing on that cat seems awefully cheap. I see it for $125. Is that correct? I didn't know there was any part for a 951 for under $250.

Thanks

-Dana

kev951

dont waste money on racing cats (oxy-moron kind of like mazdaspeed). just get a good used factory cat set up fot the emissions test, make sure you pass. and then remove it .. 9 bolts. it is not in any way a pita, dont be lazy .

DanaT

I have a factory cat (just not on the car).

The top three bolts are a total PITA.

The damn thing is so low I can't get under it.

I was actually looking at the damn thing today.

What makes sense, is to Vband the cat and pipes. That way it is really easy to take on and off.

A muffler shop should be able to do that quite cheaply.

-Dana

-Dana

Tom M'Guinn

I agree the factory cat is big and clumsy to deal with. If you don't know what you have, then chances are good it's 2.5 inch exhaust. You'd remember getting the 3" to fit. The easiest route would be to order a universal converter from Summit and have your local exhaust place weld it into your test pipe (unless you are handy with a welder yourself). Or you could have them use slip joints on it (and the pipe you cut out) so you can swap it in and out with band clamps like this:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-692250/

If you need the converter to reduce emissions and not just look pretty, a CA version is your best bet:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/MPE-33006/

If you just need it to look pretty and don't want to restrict as much, something like this would work:

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/DTC-779-40025/

I pass smog with a universal converter, though it is more like the first one linked above than the second.

Reimu

..You could just get a fake cat or hollow one out

Since it's just a visual inspection there are tons of tricks to get around it

gpr8er

This is exactly the setup I have quick and painless.

mtnman82

Hey Tom, do you have a source for a CA legal 3" in/out converter?

I have passed CA smog the past few times with the SFR (Fabspeed) converter. This last time a couple weeks ago they were really **** about the converter (anyone who has one of these knows the #'s are on the top side when mounted which brings immediate suspicion). I discussed with them how it was the exact same converter/exhaust that was on the car the previous 2 times they passed it. In the end they passed it, but I'm wondering about the next time now...

That said, the converter does rob some power but not as much as the stock one (then again, I've only run the stock converter with the stock exhaust...). It does mellow out the exhaust quite nicely IMHO (sounds stockish, but meaner than stock).

LuigiVampa

I bought my 1987 951 last year and waited to register it in CT until this year because once it is 25 years you are exempt.

I would just let an exhaust shop do it and get it over with. That sucks.

m73m95

http://www.siliconeintakes.com/produ...85c5cbcd4bb438

/thread

I've got one, and they are fantastic. They're heavy (the "cat" tin is filled with something), so when the inspection dude taps on it, it feels solid, and not like an empty "fake" cat

Tom M'Guinn

These days even the "universal" converters come with a list of vehicles on which they are approved. So, while you can get a 100% legal univeral converter, it has like 2" inlet/outlets. They do make 3" universal fit CARB approved converters, like the one in the link below, but if the tester is super officious he might look it up and see that it is not CARB approved for the 951. I've never seen a tester do that, but there's always a first. Probably the most foolproof for testing is a factory-fit DEC unit.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/SUM-692250/

Paulyy

buy a properly good cat, get some V-bands, weld them on to the cat. cut the pipe from your original exhaust, weld V-bands on that also.

so all you got to do is get the car on ramps, undo 2 bolts, remove and replace cat with straight pipe, do up 2 bolts, drive car off!

Andrewporsche

i have the same problem here..I have resigned myself to the fact that every other year I need to re-install the cat to pass emissions..The emissions is actually good for 1 year but since I only insure it for an average of 6 months..I insure it the second year just before the expiry date..