DunninLA

Hi. My 2001 W210 has 140,000. The exhasust (Remus) has been making marbles in a tin can sounds for several months and I finally went in to a muffler place... the right rear cat is completely broken.

I can replace it with an aftermarket cat for abouyt $300, or just rip it out and replace with straight pipe. Uf I just rip it out, (cost of $30)

1. Is this legal?
2. will it still pass a smog test... I have one coming up in November
3. If I take out this rear right cat, but leave in the rear left cat, will it imbalance the exahaust and hurt the engine?

Thanks!

RAFFIE55

If you are in CA you will not pass smog test and visual test. I have the same issue. I would like a hi-flow CAT but don't want the hassle of smog testing. If you find a good resolution and a shop that will do it let me know

DunninLA

oops, meant to post this in the W210 non-amg section...

AMG_KID

Im in Los angeles and The "Smog Guy" i use said that I "might pass" the Smog test with only the 1st primary cats installed (2nd cats deleted). But Would not pass visual smog test.

california Law says that CATS, Headers, and muffler have to have factory parts that meet certain california smog levels. If the aftermarket part dose not have the "emission" code it is consider illegal.

I know a smog place that doesn't check visual cats or headers, But I still dont know if i could pass with out my second cats gone or with high performance cats.

RAFFIE55

Not sure, I think you would pass with high performance Cats. Maybe you can PM me the Somg guy. Do you have someone that will cut the old ones out and weld the hi-flow cats in?

apkirby

It is illegal to remove cats in California, thanks to CARB.
Here's the link to the California Air Resources Board (CARB) page that talks about legal after market cats:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermk...ftermktcat.htm
After looking at all the pdf's, you will find that Miller Catalyzer Corp in Hayward sells P/N's 11212 for $175 each and 12212 for $250 each. One is a replacement for the primary cats, and one is a replacement for the secondary cats. These are high flow metal cats. I am not affiliated with Miller. I just did a lot of research and wanted to share what I found out.

JamE55

If you rip it out you will not pass the SMOG. Just replace it with a Random tech or you can do a temporary cat replacement and then remove it after you're done with the SMOG test but is it worth it?

1. Nope (i'm the only who's legal around here. lol! )
2. Nope
3. Yes. You'll get CEL.

Just had my smog done a few weeks ago and kind of failed (long story that i'm not going into) but a week later passed. lol!

RAFFIE55

do you have headers and hi-flow cats? What do you mean kind of failed?either you did or not lol. PM me I'd like to hear your story if you want to share

MR888

Removing the secondary cats won't trigger the CEL, it will trigger a nice GROWL from the exhaust though

JamE55

Yes i do.

KL2DC

FYI I was able to pass emissions here in Virginia with x-pipe/resonator delete, rear cats delete and a rattly primary cat

R.J.

Sorry to bring this old thread alive again but I am pretty sure that removing the secondary cats will cause a CEL, unless of course you re-weld the O2 sensor in the straight pipe where the cat used to be. EDIT: I was just thinking. Is the secondary O2 sensor before the second cat? If so, removing the secondary cat wouldn't cause a CEL.

On that note, I am getting a CEL for the right rear O2 sensor. I'm thinking that it's actually not the O2 sensor that is bad but rather the cat. I say this because that cat has been rattling for about 8 months. What is everyones thoughts? Do you think a bad cat can cause a bad O2 sensor CEL?

snooozie

Damn....I would love to have my #2 cats go south I just have a x-pipe replace my resonator and the sound is not loud enough. I have no reason to take the cats out though I would like to I would take the rusted out cats and have two nice 2.5" straight stainless pipes replace them.

Schweinhund

Rattles can certainly be a cat however, I think even removing all converters but leaving the O2 sensor in won't cause any problems or CELs. I could be wrong. If I am wrong then removing only the cats behind the O2 sensor will NOT cause CELs.