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Penalty/fine in IL for not having cats??

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Old 12-21-2004, 02:40 PM
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Default Penalty/fine in IL for not having cats??

I am trying to decide if I should get a catted y pipe or not. What would be the fine if I get pulled over for having a loud exhaust and they find out I have no cats? Fort the car I want LT headers, ORY, cutout in I-pipe and stock muffler. Car already has cutout in it, so I figured might as well keep stock muffler on it. Also, does anybody know how loud it would be going through stock muffler or if it would be raspy?
Old 12-21-2004, 04:28 PM
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well the fine would be 2000 i believe... it's not an IL law it's a federal law

I do not know anyone that's gotten busted for this though... several have passed recently w/out cats... I plan on testing next april w/my true duals (no cats) that dump before the axles
Old 12-21-2004, 04:33 PM
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i got hit in fall of 03 when i was pulled over. the copper gave me a mover title illegallyi modified exhaust. I believe he mentioned he was being nice and not hanging me for lack of cats though. so mine was just a standard mover.
Old 12-21-2004, 06:41 PM
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The fine would be $2500 for individuals or $25,000 for dealers/manufactures. Here's some info I found while researching a while ago.....

The federal tampering prohibition is contained in section 203(a)(3) of the Clean Air Act (Act), 42 U.S.C. 7522(a)(3). Section 203(a)(3)(A) of the Act prohibits any person from removing or rendering inoperative any device or element of design installed on or in any motor vehicle in compliance with regulations under Title II of the Act (i.e., regulations requiring certification that vehicles meet federal emissions standards). The maximum civil penalty for a violation of this section by a manufacturer or dealer is $25,000; for any other person, $2,500. Accordingly, any change from the original certified configuration of a vehicle or engine, or the manufacture or sale of a non-original equipment aftermarket part or system could be considered a violation of section 203(a)(3) of the Act. This would include modifications to the fuel delivery system.
This is not the sort of fine that would be given by a traffic cop though, it's a USEPA fine to be enforced by the Feds. I suppose a local police department could report it to an ILEPA Regulator who would review the case and maybe inspect the car, and then cite it for any violations and possibily turn the case over to the Feds for the USEPA to prosecute; or maybe the ILEPA would do it themselves......

Will that ever happen to you? Well, to sum it up, I think you've got a hell of a better chance of winning the Mega Millions game..... TWICE.

Worst you'd probably ever face in IL would be the same experiance Silverghost posted above. Get cited for illegal exhaust and pay a standard traffic fine. I drove around with an ORY for years with my '00 WS6. Got pulled over a couple times too, cops never said a word about the exhaust, and they were state troopers too.
Old 12-22-2004, 10:58 AM
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I've gotten a ticket for illegal exhaust in WoodDale only because it was louder than stock. The cop never thought to check if I had cats... Meanwhile, I've passed the EPA test without cats (224 cam, MTI stage 2 heads, FLP headers w/ no cats).

So until they start actively checking, or you say or do something that draws their attention to the fact that you don't have cats, you are likely in the clear and don't need to lose sleep worrying about it.
Old 12-22-2004, 01:10 PM
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These rules are crap. Why should anyone care about what exhaust is on the car as long as it passes tests. If the car is below limmits it should be fine. Just another way the government has you by the *****.
Old 12-22-2004, 04:52 PM
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Been driving around for 4 years without cats and have never had any problems. Most i've ever gotten was a loud exhaust ticket, cop thought i didn't have mufflers on the car. He looked under the sides and asked why i didn't have mufflers, i told him it's in the back in the middle, didn't even notice i wasn't running cats, or my cutout wideopen right next to my muffler in back when he looked at it . I wouldn't sweat it at all, most cops won't even get on their knees to look under your car.
Old 12-22-2004, 07:47 PM
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These rules are crap. Why should anyone care about what exhaust is on the car as long as it passes tests. If the car is below limmits it should be fine. Just another way the government has you by the *****.
It's not below limits, and they only reason it's passing is because people fool the computer by deleting rear Oxygen sensors.
If Illinois still had the sniffer test on OBDII cars, you wouldn;t pass without cats. Even with LT headers and cats you wouldn't pass... I know a couple people in NY that do not pass sniffer with cats and TR224 cam...

Not trying to be a tree hugger here, but let's face the reality: No cats = crap coming out of your pipe....simple as that.

Nothing wrong with cats. They rob ~2rwhp max if you run them. Small price for healthy enviroment...
Old 12-22-2004, 07:56 PM
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Originally Posted by AdamSS
Nothing wrong with cats. They rob ~2rwhp max if you run them. Small price for healthy enviroment...
I disagree. They clog easy with big cams, they complicate your exhaust system (install, routing, and clearance), they mellow the exhaust note (good or bad depending on personal taste), they cost extra $$$, they usually rob more than just 2rwhp (plus rwtq) at many points in the useable rpm band, and your fuel economy will increase with their removal (I've proven this on a couple cars).

For a car that sees little usage like a nice weather weekend cruiser or race car, the enviromental "damage" is not even measureable.
Old 12-22-2004, 08:42 PM
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When I removed my cats I was getting easy an extra 20 miles out of a tank and I hate damn catsall they do is cause more problem I say F*** em
Old 12-23-2004, 10:51 AM
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I have heard of guys (before OBDII testing) that would pass without cats. You can tune it to poor less gas out the pipes for a cleaner burn, also add more fuel because you can fail too rich or too lean. If you get it right you can pass sniffer without cats.
Old 12-23-2004, 11:48 AM
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I just wish people were speaking less out of their asses, and more from their brains....

Cats do make a huge difference, and no matter how well you tune, without cats you will polute like crazy...

Check out this Study done at University of Michigan....
See figure II, and how cats decrease HC emissions....

http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/ceep/...98/shamim.html
Old 12-23-2004, 02:45 PM
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No cats on any of my vehs
Never had a problem.
I also hear folks cutting shells in half and welding them around pipes to give
the appearance that the cats are there - passes the "visual" test.
Personal pref for me. If it passes the tests - all the better
Old 12-23-2004, 05:15 PM
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Cats suck...they are independent, don't like to cuddle, etc. They pretty much just meow, crap in a box, and eat all of your food.

And in about a week, my car won't have them either I figure for every Hybrid Honda on the road, I need to be making up for them. It is kinda like the Lion King. Circle of life. You know the song...
Old 12-23-2004, 05:38 PM
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I was told by a IL cop that if you get pulled over without CATS they are supposted to impound your car on the spot and its a minimum $500 fine. He let us go, but said he wanted to warn us.
Old 12-23-2004, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by AdamSS
I just wish people were speaking less out of their asses, and more from their brains....
Not sure who this was directed at, but if it was me then I suggest you re-read my post before making such statements.

Incase you didn't notice, everything I posted was correct. Can you disprove any of it? Here, I'll quote myself so you don't even have to scroll back up:

I disagree. They [cats] clog easy with big cams, they complicate your exhaust system (install, routing, and clearance), they mellow the exhaust note (good or bad depending on personal taste), they cost extra $$$, they usually rob more than just 2rwhp (plus rwtq) at many points in the useable rpm band, and your fuel economy will increase with their removal (I've proven this on a couple cars).
No one is saying that cats don't help to reduce emissions (at least I'm not making that claim). The point is, you made the statement, "Nothing wrong with cats", and all I did was point out that there are in fact downsides to using them. Period.

Do they reduce emissions? Yes.
Do they rob power? Yes.
Do they cost money? Yes.
Do they hurt MPG? Yes.
Do they clog easy with LARGE cam motors? Yes.

So I guess we're both right.

Anyway, it's the holiday season so merry christmas and happy new year!
Old 12-23-2004, 06:11 PM
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On bolt on cars cats do a lot to cleanup the exhaust, however once you get to the point were you have a cam in the car they don't do as much. There's to much raw fuel in the exhaust for them to do their job properly. They will clog a lot sooner with the extra raw fuel too. Also to whoever, i can guarntee that you will never come close to passing without cats in our cars. The only way i could see you passing is if you had a geo metro.
Old 12-27-2004, 02:12 PM
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Originally Posted by bowtieman81
I am trying to decide if I should get a catted y pipe or not. What would be the fine if I get pulled over for having a loud exhaust and they find out I have no cats? Fort the car I want LT headers, ORY, cutout in I-pipe and stock muffler. Car already has cutout in it, so I figured might as well keep stock muffler on it. Also, does anybody know how loud it would be going through stock muffler or if it would be raspy?
I wouldn't worry about it much in our area. I have never heard of anyone getting busted for it around here. I plan on going with race headers and true duals here in a few months.

I have been pulled over twice with my loudmouth and nothing was even mentioned about my exhaust. I do make sure to shut my car off as soon as I pull over just to be safe though.
Old 12-29-2004, 11:17 AM
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I agree with Harley. Around here it is not an issue. Now go hug a tree!
Old 12-29-2004, 01:23 PM
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I know of two F-Bodies that passed without cats. A 93 and a 95 T/A. Both had long tubes with ORY pipes. I don't just talk out of my *** and make **** up. I also saw a Fox body pass after a few injector swaps at a shop I used to work at. It was a blown and built 5.0. I think he went from 42lbs to 36lbs to pass. Don't get me wrong most times a tune or injector swap is not enough. These guys were lucky. Also I never said that the cats do nothing for smog, they do reduce emissions.


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