There may not be one listed by Magnaflow for our cars, but its likely phuzzy picked one that is carb certified that will fit our cars.

 

I didn't think that there was any 3" high-flow cat or catted downpipe CARB(California Air Resources Board) certified for use on the S60R/V70R on CA roads. I visited the Phuzzy website on Monday and was happy when I read this,

"High-Flow Magnaflow (EPA & Carb Certified) Catalytic Converter."

There is no 3" inlet/3" outlet CARB certified unit listed for these cars on Magnaflow's site. Only 49-state units. I haven't been able to get a response by contacting Phuzzy Motorsports directly. Can anybody here speak to the validity of the CARB certification claim on the Phuzzy Motorsports website?

you are right and he is wrong. There is no CARB certified aftermarket muffler anywhere. If you go to the Magnaflow site you will see they say they are CARB 'compliant' but not certified.

 

California, what will you think of next?

I see nothing wrong with a CC that is "compliant". Isn't that what you want, something that complies with their regulations?

Let's not get hung up on terminology, the poor guy just wants a downpipe that is legal to us in his state.

 

let's not get hung up on terminology? Well California certainly will! ESPECIALLY when it comes to CARB. No shop can install that legally without a CARB certificate.

California makes this intentionally hard, because they want to know the car hasn't been modified from its stock specifications which they KNOW are CARB certified.

 

Install it yourself and carry the paperwork with that phrasing highlighted. Play dumb and let them take it up with phuz!

 

sure, great idea! while your car sits parked without a valid CARB sticker!

 

Well OP, California basically says F you

Here is a good explanation on Magnaflows website

http://www.magnaflow.com/02catalytic_converters/04basics/04caliobdll.asp

Bottom line is the CC has to be CARB compliant for your particular vehicle, no exceptions. These approved CCs are hand selected by the state of CA and I hate to tell you this but either they haven't gotten around to testing aftermarket CCs on Volvos or just couldn't find the right one because you basically have no options.

And according to the CARB's actual website, no aftermarket CC has been approved for use on our cars

https://ssl.arb.ca.gov/PartsSearchTool/CatalystSearchTool.aspx

So if you actually did fail a test on your OEM CC, your only option is to obtain an OEM CC from Volvo I presume? That really really sucks.

 

This may help. CARB is very strict.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/aftermktcat/aftermktcatdbase.htm

 

Here is a more detailed link

http://www.magnaflow.com/02catalytic_converters/04basics/04california.asp

 

Holy snap super strong lib content ITT.

You have to get a sticker saying your car is compliant? Eff that.

 

Yes, Kalifonia is practically another country.

I will never live in a state that pulls that crap.

 

Perhaps they are using the 2.5 inch that is certified for our cars and welding their pipe around the outside of it?

http://www.magnaflow.com/02catalyti....asp?portal=CALIFORNIA&year=2004&make=VOLVO&model=S60&engine=2.5L&splityear=OBD

http://www.magnaflow.com/02catalytic_converters/02product/displayuniversal_obd.asp?universal=448006

 

Gotta love the Peoples' Republic of California!

 

I have the PhuzzyDP here in CO and no it will not pass so no you will not pass in California...

 

I'm glad I live in an isolated part of CO where there are no smog inspections, but if I lived up north in the populated regions of the state I'd be subject to the same hassle that a CA resident would.

 

I got a check engine light on due to my Phuzzy DP, installed by Phuzzy. I guess I need to get a spacer to see if that will fix it. No inspections here in WA.

 

Well there we go, the CAT is not sufficient for the vehicle. A spacer is not needed on a good cat.

IIRC, you can only replace a CAT in CA that has failed. You cannot replace for no reason?

 

I'm planning on putting a catless OBX on my car as part of the rebuild, from what I've been reading the spacer on the downstream sensor is pretty much required if you don't want to be throwing codes on a regular basis.

 

Thanks for posting the particulars, gentlemen. I knew it was too good to be true and that it was more likely that Phuzzy had made a mistake. Stealthy, I don't think that Phuz is using the 2.5" cat on his 3" DP. The photos on the site confirm as much. Plus that is only CARB certified for the 2.5L 2WD trim. Making any changes to the intake or exhaust system on a CA registered car is tough on cars with a tuner base as small as ours(compared to Mustangs or STI's). CARB certification costs money and cuts into any aftermarket vendor's bottom line. We're much worse than NY.

I drive 30 miles out of my way when ever I need to get smogged for registration. With stricter shops, even if I can pass the sniffer test, I fail visual inspection instantly because of my shiny PhMIC plumbing before they even see my DP.

 

My DP was on for 3 years with no code, then I shipped the car and I had a check engine light upon delivery from Germany.

 

I assume in CA you are allowed to replace defective and damaged exhaust and emission parts with aftermarket equivalents as long as they are a carb certified replacement. Since magna flow DOES make several certified cats for the R, I don't see why one wouldn't be allowed to splice one into your exhaust system with some new pieces of pipe, but if someone knows why this shouldn't be allowed then perhaps they should point out why.

If I was a california resident why should I not be allowed to splice the certified cat into a new down pipe instead of purchasing an OEM unit from volvo? A 2.5" hi-perf cat could be nicely spliced into a 3 inch down pipe after all. My understanding of exhaust systems is that you are allowed to fabricate the piping any way you want, but that the emission controls have to conform to spec.

 

I assume in CA you are allowed to replace defective and damaged exhaust and emission parts with aftermarket equivalents as long as they are a carb certified replacement. Since magna flow DOES make several certified cats for the R, I don't see why one wouldn't be allowed to splice one into your exhaust system with some new pieces of pipe, but if someone knows why this shouldn't be allowed then perhaps they should point out why.

If I was a california resident why should I not be allowed to splice the certified cat into a new down pipe instead of purchasing an OEM unit from volvo? A 2.5" hi-perf cat could be nicely spliced into a 3 inch down pipe after all. My understanding of exhaust systems is that you are allowed to fabricate the piping any way you want, but that the emission controls have to conform to spec.

You are correct, it your cat fails you can replace with a carb certified replacement.

It should have gone through all testing to ensure it will not cause an increase in emissions or cause a dtc...

In reality not all will work 100% or say the person welding it in leaves some pinholes, causing the 02 sensor to read incorrectly causing problems...

 

Well, all that being the case, if phuz did splice in the large R certified magna flow cat into their pipe (not hard to do by cutting off the 2.5" inlets and outlets and welding into the 3 inch pipe), then they may be right that they can provide the paperwork to go with the cat that will make it CA compliant.

You'd think they are legitimate enough to not advertise its carb certified unless that's how they went about this.

 

From the product page on Phuzzy's site(I updated the original post with the 3" measurement):
"3" High-Flow Magnaflow (EPA & Carb Certified) Catalytic Converter"

He is using a 3" inlet/outlet unit. Employing a 2.5" in/out in his 3" downpipe and sacrificing performance to satisfy some CA buyers was probably a non-option. Especially with every other competitor selling a full length 3" alternative. He wouldn't sell a single unit outside of CA. I suspect that most CA tuners wouldn't even buy that. I've only owned my R for a few years, I searched and wanted to ask on the off chance that Magnaflow had previously produced a CARB certified unit, and that Phuz's DP's were built with those. It was a long short