Exhaust/ Mufflers/ Catalytic Converters in Orange Park, FL
If the Exhaust has to be removed to test or to be be repaired or replaced, It Must Go Back the Way the Factories Say…
The catalytic converter is part of your car's exhaust system and works to convert the toxic gases your motor produces into less harmful substances to be emitted. When the converter first starts showing signs of failure, it will not immediately affect the engine. Left unchecked, however, it will eventually degrade and collapse, plugging the exhaust, which will choke vehicle performance and limit the life of the motor but if you don't have a converter fitted, your car will produce emissions above the permitted standards, making it illegal to drive on the road.
On some cars, there's no choice; the exhaust has to come down to get enough clearance to remove the transmission. If that's the case, federal law is clear on the matter: It must be reinstalled exactly the way the factory designed it. No test pipes, no alterations. That means if someone removed the catalytic converter and replaced it with a test pipe, the transmission shop's technicians will have to replace the catalytic converter when they reinstall the exhaust. It doesn't matter whether the customer agrees to "accept the responsibility" for the altered exhaust: according to the law, the last technician to install any part of the exhaust is responsible for its condition. And the law also stipulates no used cats unless they've been tested by an authorized test center. Which means the transmission shop can't just put the original one back; the original one is used, so it can't be reinstalled without having it tested. Unless there's an authorized test center nearby to test the original cat, the transmission shop will have no choice but to replace it with a new one. If the EPA catches a technician reinstalling an altered exhaust, or installing a used, untested catalytic converter, the shop could be liable for a fine of up to $2500 per violation. In addition, there are other specific requirements for replacing a catalytic converter, including the type of cat required, where it must be installed, and the paperwork required.
The specific requirements have been published by the EPA at
http://www.epa.gov/otaq/cert/factshts/catcvrts.pdf.
Transmission Hero’s policy on exhausts is simple: All customer’s & shops should obey the law. If they take the exhaust down, they have to make sure it gets put back in the original factory configuration. A cat-back system refers to after-market exhaust system piping and mufflers that can be installed after the catalytic converters. It is used by owners who wish to enhance exhaust flow and sound on a converter-equipped street vehicle, without disturbing the converter's emissions handling.