DANG that's high!

In Texas it's 25 years to emission checking freedom. 2017 may be the last time to have to pass? It wouldn't surprise me much if they extended the limit.

Robert

The $650.00 was the total of everything, not JUST Midas.

Taken directly from the TX.gov website:

Quick Facts:

Houston-Galveston-Brazoria Program Area: Brazoria, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, and Montgomery Counties
Dallas-Fort Worth Program Area: Collin, Dallas, Denton, Ellis, Johnson, Kaufman, Parker, Rockwall, and Tarrant Counties
Austin Area: Travis and Williamson Counties
El Paso Area: El Paso County
Motorists must successfully pass both the emissions and safety portions of the inspection prior to receiving a vehicle inspection report, which will be used to obtain a vehicle registration sticker.
Gasoline vehicles model-year 2 through 24 years old are inspected annually beginning with the vehicle's second anniversary.
Remote sensing element randomly inspects vehicles emissions on highways.
All inspections are collected at a central database.
Recognized Emission Repair Facilities ensure quality repair of vehicles.
Waivers and time extensions are available for eligible vehicle owners.
To find the nearest certified inspection station, use the Texas Department of Public Safety(DPS) station locator Exit the TCEQ.
To locate a Recognized Emissions Repair Facility in your area, use the DPS repair facility locator

Talk to four different shops, you'll get four different answers. Same thing when asked at the DMV.

We had something like that in Colorado, but with a democrat Governor and both statehouses, the rule was changed to ONLY 1975 and older cars get "collector plates" which only require you pass the test once, without further annual testing. Cars with collector plates already were grandfathered. I had let the collector plates lapse on both my '76 and '77 and now I'm stressed out if I want to be strictly legal.

R.

Do you know what make and model number of new catalytic converter Midas put on?

Glad you passed.

I was told it was a universal magnaflow.

There's no part # on the receipt and I haven't climbed under the truck to look for a part number.

Thanks for sharing the Magnaflow info.

Earlier in this thread i browsed the Rockauto selection of 1993 cat cons and had the suspicion that some might be more effective than others, since the two brands that met the ridiculously tough California NOx specs were much more expensive.

I would guess that a "universial" cat con sold in 2016 might have much better NOx reduction than the original cat con from 1993

I would guess that a "universial" cat con sold in 2016 might have much better NOx reduction than the original cat con from 1993

I would think (hope) so too. The original cat went bye-bye right after I bought the truck. When I got this truck, it had two cats on it, the original one, then a second one back where the muffler usually goes. Then, not 6" off that cat they had a 'race' (?) muffler about the size of a shoebox, and dual tail pipes off that. The truck was loud and sounded like crap.

When I had a shop put a proper muffler and tailpipe on, they removed the original cat and installed the newer looking second cat up in place of the stock orignal. How old it was or what kind of shape it was in I have no idea. It just 'looked' better than the 22 yr old piece.

While the $650 tab still stings, the truck runs so, SO much better now, its like it lost 100K off the odometer. Hands down, the new EGR made the biggest difference, even more so than when I did the tune up.

If I had spent $650 only to have it continue to fail and /or run worse, this might've been the next step.........

The primary cost of a Cat is the Platinum and Palladium catalyst elements, the aftermarket Cats either A- cut corners and don't work well (or for very long), or B- cost nearly as much as the OE units. In CA the OBD2 Cats have to warranty performance= OE spec, so they cost much more. I.E. you get what you pay for. Cheap Cats will get you through this time, but in 2 years

Colorado also has roadside drive by emission checks. My Durango has not been to a dyno inspection in 10 years. BTW, the collector car plate program is due in large part to lobbying by the Collector Car Council of Colorado and I applaud their efforts to keep the system in place.
Craig