Emissions inspection Catalytic converter

[Acworld34]

I'm in Washington DC and just registering my car. I was trying to look through their website which is a mess and see if I was required to have a Catalytic converter.

I know my cars exhaust has been modified and I didn't see the catalytic converter on it and now it has Glass packs. I'm going to take the glass pack mufflers off and put new ones on for the inspection but I don't know if it came from the factory with Catalytic converter. I doubt it because I think it was a requirement in 1975.

I have a 1970 Plymouth Satellite with 383


1. How was the exhaust from the factory?
2. Does anyone know about emission inspection requirements (I know they are different in every state) but I hope I don't have to add a Catalytic converter to pass.
3. Historic tags won't let me drive the car every day. which I want to have the option of doing.


Pease advise if you have information

 

[Hemi Rebel]

It didn't come with a catalytic converter. There should be no emissions testing on that car.

 

[Kern Dog]

In 1970, things were pretty simple.
The 383 was built in both 2 barrel and 4 barrel form. The 2 barrel cars had a single exhaust pipe with a single muffler. The 383 4 barrel had dual exhaust pipes, each with its own muffler. No Chrysler, plymouth or Dodge models came equipped with a catalytic converter before the 1976 model year.
Regarding emission equipment, your 383 whether 2 or 4 barrel is likely to only have a closed element air cleaner. A PCV valve plumbed to the intaake manifold or the base of the carb uretor is also part of the deal.
Finally, some states are still stuck in the stone ages and still require smog checks on old cars such as ours. We drive these things only a few thousand miles a year but these braniacs think they are accomplishing something by poking their noses in our classic tailpipes. ONE late model car with a dirty air filter commuting 40 miles to work puts out more smog in a year than 5-7 of our limited use cars.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

I just looked up dc emission laws. Only vehicles prior to 68 are exempt. Not sure what that means for you.

 

[69a100]

I just looked up dc emission laws. Only vehicles prior to 68 are exempt. Not sure what that means for you.

If so, that's jacked up big time!!!! Glad I don't plan on living there anytime soon!

 

[Hemi Rebel]

As if I needed another reason to despise DC. Here it is. Reason # 20100754867775.

 

[Cranky]

It should mean that the car should have anything that it came with from the factory as far as emissions controls go and in 1970, it didn't have much. PCV and maybe a hot air stove for heated air when cold from the exhaust manifold to the air cleaner and if it was a California car, it may have a charcoal canister for fuel vapors? Texas was a stickler for awhile back in the 80's with my 71 340 Cuda. It didn't have the stove because it had a 'facsimile' fresh air hood on it (go figure) but the state inspectors thought I had modified it all since I had headers on it. I asked for the 'book' and found exactly what was stated in it and from then on, I had no problems. However, some states changed the requirements but I think the Fed stopped that mess. Fed laws usually trump state laws but I remember that seat beats became a requirement from 64 on and most cars didn't come with them in 64 but the Fed said you got to have them. And the DC web site is a mess??? Gee, who would have thought that would happen!!?

 

[WileE]

As if I needed another reason to despise DC. Here it is. Reason # 20100754867775.

... and you've only scratched the surface...

 

[Hemi Rebel]

I dont know what he will face when he gets it tested. If they sniff the tailpipe I dont know what standards they will use. There is no way it will pass. And if you put cats on it they wont work well, if at all, and they wont last long.

- - - Updated - - -

Im not even going to get into the fed laws trumping the state. Thats another discussion for another thread.

 

[67 coronet]

here in nevada we also have the 68 and newer require smog law.no need for the cats unless the car had them original.its one of the things controlled by fed smog laws.your car should only need to have a pcv,if that even gets checked for is unlikely.biggest thing is how the motor and fuel system are doing.the #'s they reference for the older cars are pretty liberal,but a bad running eng will fail every time.do an oil change before you get it tested as well.dirty oil will cause an older motor to fail as well.

 

[Acworld34]

here in nevada we also have the 68 and newer require smog law.no need for the cats unless the car had them original.its one of the things controlled by fed smog laws.your car should only need to have a pcv,if that even gets checked for is unlikely.biggest thing is how the motor and fuel system are doing.the #'s they reference for the older cars are pretty liberal,but a bad running eng will fail every time.do an oil change before you get it tested as well.dirty oil will cause an older motor to fail as well.

Thanks everyone for the feedback I saw the same 68 and older after I looked and looked on the website... If I can't get it to pass inspection. My brother lives in Northern VA so I might just get it registered there....


I'm really tired of DC and how they treat their residents..... no vote in the senate ....the council people are corrupt and if I park in a different section of the city to visit a friend over two hours I get a parking ticket.

They just figure a way to get money out of you but than don't do anything for you.

I'm probably moving to VA

 

[67 coronet]

Thanks everyone for the feedback I saw the same 68 and older after I looked and looked on the website... If I can't get it to pass inspection. My brother lives in Northern VA so I might just get it registered there....


I'm really tired of DC and how they treat their residents..... no vote in the senate ....the council people are corrupt and if I park in a different section of the city to visit a friend over two hours I get a parking ticket.

They just figure a way to get money out of you but than don't do anything for you.

I'm probably moving to VA

wow,kinda sounds like dc sucks.

 

[Acworld34]

Thankfully.... Car Passed emissions... the only test for a car this old is to run the car in Park basically idling and see what comes out the tail pipe by using those sensors to measure the fumes... I seen cars from the 90's go through and fail because they put the wheels on a belt and run the car while they stick those sensors in the tail pipe...