QUICK!!! Has anyone failed a smog check on a new RT Cat
08-10-2003, 06:00 PM
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,493
QUICK!!! Has anyone failed a smog check on a new RT Cat
Hey guys,
My registration for my Maxima was due yesterday so I had my car smogged on Wednesday and it failed in 3 out of 6 sections. I thought the car wasn't warm enough, so I did it again on Saturday after a 120 mile drive. I also tried that "guaranteed emission passing" treatment and I lowered my octane to 89 (Motor Trend told me to use the lowest octane that won't cause knocking). I still failed the NO and the HC at 15 MPH. I paid $65 to have the car diagnosed and the technician was 99% sure it was the cat that went bad. All other readings were looking good.
My 97SE has 67K miles on it, a Stillen Y-pipe, intake, Stillen B-pipe, with the stock muffler. I bought an RT cat from Nick Stam about 2 years ago and never installed it. Now that my cat has gone bad, the technician said a new OEM cat would run $800+. I told him I'd try the RT. So I went for the install and noticed that the RT has a silver inside with some gold colored dust lightly coated around parts of the inside. When I pulled out the stock cat, it was completely black and had no gold stuff inside.
Is the RT cat still good? Should I run another smog test with the RT or will it just not pass? Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks...this is really frustrating.
My registration for my Maxima was due yesterday so I had my car smogged on Wednesday and it failed in 3 out of 6 sections. I thought the car wasn't warm enough, so I did it again on Saturday after a 120 mile drive. I also tried that "guaranteed emission passing" treatment and I lowered my octane to 89 (Motor Trend told me to use the lowest octane that won't cause knocking). I still failed the NO and the HC at 15 MPH. I paid $65 to have the car diagnosed and the technician was 99% sure it was the cat that went bad. All other readings were looking good.
My 97SE has 67K miles on it, a Stillen Y-pipe, intake, Stillen B-pipe, with the stock muffler. I bought an RT cat from Nick Stam about 2 years ago and never installed it. Now that my cat has gone bad, the technician said a new OEM cat would run $800+. I told him I'd try the RT. So I went for the install and noticed that the RT has a silver inside with some gold colored dust lightly coated around parts of the inside. When I pulled out the stock cat, it was completely black and had no gold stuff inside.
Is the RT cat still good? Should I run another smog test with the RT or will it just not pass? Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks...this is really frustrating.
08-10-2003, 06:02 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,391
Re: QUICK!!! Has anyone failed a smog check on a new RT Cat
Originally posted by Kevin Wong
Hey guys,
My registration for my Maxima was due yesterday so I had my car smogged on Wednesday and it failed in 3 out of 6 sections. I thought the car wasn't warm enough, so I did it again on Saturday after a 120 mile drive. I also tried that "guaranteed emission passing" treatment and I lowered my octane to 89 (Motor Trend told me to use the lowest octane that won't cause knocking). I still failed the NO and the HC at 15 MPH. I paid $65 to have the car diagnosed and the technician was 99% sure it was the cat that went bad. All other readings were looking good.
My 97SE has 67K miles on it, a Stillen Y-pipe, intake, Stillen B-pipe, with the stock muffler. I bought an RT cat from Nick Stam about 2 years ago and never installed it. Now that my cat has gone bad, the technician said a new OEM cat would run $800+. I told him I'd try the RT. So I went for the install and noticed that the RT has a silver inside with some gold colored dust lightly coated around parts of the inside. When I pulled out the stock cat, it was completely black and had no gold stuff inside.
Is the RT cat still good? Should I run another smog test with the RT or will it just not pass? Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks...this is really frustrating.
Hey guys,
My registration for my Maxima was due yesterday so I had my car smogged on Wednesday and it failed in 3 out of 6 sections. I thought the car wasn't warm enough, so I did it again on Saturday after a 120 mile drive. I also tried that "guaranteed emission passing" treatment and I lowered my octane to 89 (Motor Trend told me to use the lowest octane that won't cause knocking). I still failed the NO and the HC at 15 MPH. I paid $65 to have the car diagnosed and the technician was 99% sure it was the cat that went bad. All other readings were looking good.
My 97SE has 67K miles on it, a Stillen Y-pipe, intake, Stillen B-pipe, with the stock muffler. I bought an RT cat from Nick Stam about 2 years ago and never installed it. Now that my cat has gone bad, the technician said a new OEM cat would run $800+. I told him I'd try the RT. So I went for the install and noticed that the RT has a silver inside with some gold colored dust lightly coated around parts of the inside. When I pulled out the stock cat, it was completely black and had no gold stuff inside.
Is the RT cat still good? Should I run another smog test with the RT or will it just not pass? Any advice would be appreciated.
thanks...this is really frustrating.
08-10-2003, 07:48 PM
#3
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,493
Re: Re: QUICK!!! Has anyone failed a smog check on a new RT Cat
Originally posted by drewm
I just passed a month ago with a 3 year old RT Cat, Stillen Y, and JWT Intake.
I just passed a month ago with a 3 year old RT Cat, Stillen Y, and JWT Intake.
08-12-2003, 12:11 AM
#4
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,493
PASSED!!!
But barely...technician said that it probably won't pass in 2 years. I'm convinced there is something wrong with my Maxima that caused the stock cat to foul out. I'll get down to the bottom of it as I'll replace the O2 sensors, knock sensor, and EGR. I bought all these parts for really cheap off of eBay and I'll be sure to test each component as they are removed.
A side note, my car feels sooooo much more powerful and smooth with the RT cat. I'm not sure if it's because of the hi-flow character, or if its because my stock cat was bad. Regardless, I'm just pleased with the results.
A side note, my car feels sooooo much more powerful and smooth with the RT cat. I'm not sure if it's because of the hi-flow character, or if its because my stock cat was bad. Regardless, I'm just pleased with the results.
08-12-2003, 01:44 AM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,391
Re: PASSED!!!
Originally posted by Kevin Wong
But barely...technician said that it probably won't pass in 2 years. I'm convinced there is something wrong with my Maxima that caused the stock cat to foul out. I'll get down to the bottom of it as I'll replace the O2 sensors, knock sensor, and EGR. I bought all these parts for really cheap off of eBay and I'll be sure to test each component as they are removed.
A side note, my car feels sooooo much more powerful and smooth with the RT cat. I'm not sure if it's because of the hi-flow character, or if its because my stock cat was bad. Regardless, I'm just pleased with the results.
But barely...technician said that it probably won't pass in 2 years. I'm convinced there is something wrong with my Maxima that caused the stock cat to foul out. I'll get down to the bottom of it as I'll replace the O2 sensors, knock sensor, and EGR. I bought all these parts for really cheap off of eBay and I'll be sure to test each component as they are removed.
A side note, my car feels sooooo much more powerful and smooth with the RT cat. I'm not sure if it's because of the hi-flow character, or if its because my stock cat was bad. Regardless, I'm just pleased with the results.
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