Alright so I live in Kansas right now and we don't have any emissions test on our vehicles here. Im about to move to Arlington Texas where they do have emissions testing. My 2003 v6 is in bad shape and im trying to get it rebuilt before the move next summer. Ive got to get new headers and an entirely new exhaust system put on. My question is this, If I go with Pace Setter long tube headers and off-road x-pipe(running without catalytic converters) will I still be able to pass the emissions test when I get to texas? Or do I need to look at a set-up designed to be run with catalytic converters? Would it be possible to attach cats onto the off-road setup I mentioned before?

 

You're going to spend more money buying an off road setup then buying cats then paying to have them installed than if you buy a crossover already containing cats. Also with long tubes an h pipe will sound better. As well as you will need mufflers.

Without cats and mufflers you wont even make it to the sniff test. You will fail the initial visual inspection.

 

I've priced Pacesetter long tube headers that come with an x-pipe for only $360. I might be able to salvage one of the cats that I still have. if I just bought another and had them welded onto the x-pipe in between the mid pipe and the headers, would that work? and I knew I needed a muffler and tail pipe and all I just didn't know about the cats and the setup I should use there. Im on a tight budget and just need to get it legal for now and worry about everything else later

 

Even buying one cat and paying someone to weld them in will prolly run you more than just buying an xpipe with cats already. And with cats you don't want to use one used and one new, you want them to be even, two used or two new.

 

It wouldn't be as impressive but would it be smarter to just replace it all stock?

 

Prolly be a whole lot cheaper. Emissions are a pain because depending on the mood of the inspector technically anything not stock should fail the visual inspection. So even if you have mufflers and cats like required he might fail you just because its not stock and not even make it to the sniff test.

 

I failed visual test because of a stupid throttle body spacer that does absolutely nothing. look up texas requirement before you change anything to other than stock.