I am SOOOoooo.......glad I do NOT live in California. Eric
On Fri, May 8, 2009 at 8:16 PM, <[email protected]> wrote: > This is copy and pasted from IATN, > > > > *Aftermarket Catalyst > Terminology*<http://members.iatn.net/forums/read/msg.aspx?fv=4&f=forum12&m=45352> > *Technical Theory Forum* > *Mike from the California Air Resources Board* > > Given the recent law changes in California and the posts, I thought it > might clear up some of the confusion (or at least not add more to it) to > explain some of the terms commonly used with aftermarket cats so it makes a > bit more sense. There are some that are quasi-legal terms that are used by > the cat regulations and then there are many that are marketing/advertising > terms used by the cat manufacturers. > > 'CARB-approved' -- Should mean that the manufacturer has applied for and > received and Executive Order (EO) number from CARB certifying that the > specific catalyst model has meant the minimum criteria and been approved by > CARB. The proof is an EO #. If it has an EO #, it has been approved. If not, > it has not. > > EO number -- Executive Order number. Just like other aftermarket emission > controls that are not identical to the OEM part (replacement parts) such as > intake kits, headers, add-on superchargers, etc, if the part has gone > through the legal process to be approved for use in Calif, it gets an EO #. > There is actually a document on-line for each EO # that describes the part, > the testing that was done to confirm it was legal, and in the case of > aftermarket catalysts, all the vehicle applications that the specific part > is legal for. http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/device > s/amquery.php<http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermkt/devices/amquery.php> > > 'EPA-approved'/'Federal-approved' -- A marketing term, not a legal term. It > means nothing because EPA does not have an approval process whereby they > review and approve catalysts. To be legal for sale Federally, there are > rules but it is up to the catalyst manufacturer itself to decide their cats > meet the rules and thus, are legal. There is no application submitted to EPA > nor does anybody review it or issue an approval or anything like that. > > '49-state legal'/ 'OBD II-legal'/'OBD-legal'/'OBD-compatible' -- More > marketing terms. Again, outside of California, it is up to the catalyst > manufacturer itself to decide if its own cats meet the Federal rules or not. > The Federal requirements are quite simple--the catalyst must last for 25,000 > miles and have at least 70% conversion efficiency for HC and CO and 30% (yes > that's not a typo) for NOx. Lastly, the catalyst manufacturer must agree to > warranty the catalyst for 25,000 miles including if the OBD system detects a > bad catalyst in those 25,000 miles. These terms just mean the catalyst > manufacter has decided on its own that its cats meet those requirements. It > does not mean the catalyst will have high enough conversion efficiency to > pass your state's IM tailpipe test (if you have one) or that it will keep > the MIL off for a little while or a long while or that it really 'works' > with the OBD system. > > '50-state legal' --Another marketing term. CARB approves cats for use in > Calif, the manufacturers self-decide for cats in other states. Clearly, if > the cat does not have a CARB EO #, it cannot be 50-state legal since it > won't be legal in Calif. A CARB EO # doesn't directly make a cat legal in > other states but since it is solely up to the manufacturer to decide what is > legal in the other states, they typically would decide that any cat that got > a CARB EO # has to be good enough for other states. (And yes, that is a very > reasonable assumption). > > "Direct-Fit" -- A marketing term. Nothing in any regulation talks about > direct fit or no t. Typically, catalyst manufacturers use this to mean it is > a bolt-up type part, not a cut and weld-in type part. It relates only to how > the part is installed and doesn't mean a thing about its performance. It > does not mean it is 'like the OEM' for catalyst performance or that it has > been certified or verified by anybody. > > "Universal" -- Another marketing term. The counterpart to 'direct-fit', > universal typically means it is a cut and weld-in type part and only refers > to the method of installation. Again, it does not mean anything about its > performance (or lack of) nor about its legal uses (e.g., it doesn't mean it > is legal to put on lots of different vehicles or anything like that). > > I won't summarize the new rules again--there have been other posts on that. > This link on our website does indeed have some other info if you are > interested in the California changes: > http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermktcat/aftermktcat.htm > > It has the label decoding that Chris already linked, some FAQs that we try > to keep expanding, some installer tips, etc. for California-installers and > shops. > > The bottom line--when Randy or others ask about a Calif cat, they mean one > with an EO and no matter what the sales guy on the phone tells you, if it > ain't got an EO, it is not a CARB-approved cat that has gone through an > approval process. If you hear direct-fit, think bolt-in installation but > don't assume anything about how well the cat performs. If you hear > universal, think weld-in but again don't assume anything about how well it > performs or what cars it is legal on. > > And, while the coverage is still not great, for those vehicles that do > indeed have a CARB-approved cat legal for it, our testing has shown pretty > good durability and conversion efficiency that makes me comfortable > recommending them to consumers or installers as a reasonable alternative to > OEM. > > ------------------------------ > *A Good Credit Score is 700 or Above. See yours in just 2 easy > steps!<http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100126575x1221322931x1201367171/aol?redir=http://www.freecreditreport.com/pm/default.aspx?sc=668072%26hmpgID=115%26bcd=May5509AvgfooterNO115> > * > > _______________________________________________ > Miatapower mailing list > [email protected] > http://list.miatapower.net/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/miatapower > >
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