When it comes to choosing the right catalytic converter for your vehicle, there are many things to consider. Price, performance, and what your state’s regulations are when it comes to passing emissions tests. Below is our 4 point guide on what steps we take to make sure you get the right catalytic converter to meet your needs.

As your local catalytic converter experts, we know that some people prefer to get their hands dirty and do the work themselves, and others prefer to let the professionals, like us at The Catalytic Converter Shop, handle it for you. Either way, our goal is to be your best source of information to show you the best choices.

Before we go about taking steps to find the right catalytic converter for your vehicle, let’s first look at emissions testing and exemptions. 

Massachusetts Smog Check / Emissions Test

The state of Massachusetts requires an annual mandatory vehicle safety inspection and vehicle emissions test. Obviously, these tests are in place to help reduce air pollution and protect our environment and the people of Massachusetts. The program and testing requirements are run by The Massachusetts Registry for Motor Vehicles (RMV) and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. We all know that these tests are an important service and are vital to our air quality.

All motor vehicles in Massachusetts must pass the annual safety inspection, but the following vehicles are exempt from smog checks:

• Cars, trucks, and SUVs made in the 2000 model year or earlier but do not emit visible smoke
• Diesel vehicles weighing less than 8,500 lbs and made before 2003 and/or are over 15 years old
• Construction equipment, such as articulated loaders, backhoes, bulldozers, cranes, excavators, loaders, and pavers  (This does not include pickups or vehicles owned by construction companies driven on MA roadways (i.e. semis, dump trucks, cement trucks, etc.)
• Tracked vehicles
• All-terrain vehicles
• Military vehicles
• Tractors and off-road farm equipment (does not include pickups or vehicles with farm registration plates driven on MA roadways)
• Diesel vehicles weighing up to 10,000 lbs and made before the 2007 model year and/or are over 15 years old
• Non-diesel medium-duty vehicles made before the 2008 model year and/or are more than 15 years old
• New vehicles
• Mopeds, motorcycles, and tactical military vehicles
• Electric vehicles

Now that we have determined if you need to comply with the Massachusetts emissions standards, it is time to narrow down the search for the right catalytic converter for your vehicle. There are 4 basic steps to finding your ideal cat, and we listed them below.

Step 1) Focus On Your Vehicle - The first step to finding your catalytic converter is to eliminate what is not relevant in the search. First, we focus on the catalytic converter made to fit your vehicle’s year, make, and model.

Step 2) Identify The Emissions Level For Your Vehicle - We locate the sticker called the “Vehicle Emissions Control information Tag” which can be located in a few areas under your hood depending on the vehicle you own. It states the factory OBDII emissions certification for your vehicle. It will tell you whether your vehicle is certified for federal EPA emissions, California (CARB) emissions, or 50 State certification. This can be on the radiator support, on the underside of the hood, or on the strut tower.

Step 3) Get The Proper Converter Grade - For OBDII vehicles, there are two grades of catalytic converters based on the emissions certification of your vehicle.

• Federal EPA Tier 0 and Tier 1 Certifications: for vehicles with this certification you will need to select the Standard or Heavy Metal (HM) Grade.
• California (CARB) TLEV, LEV, ULEV, SULEV, or Federal EPA NLEV emissions: Any vehicle with one of these certifications will require a cat certified to be OEM Grade. As of 2009, this also includes vehicles in the state of New York.

Step 4) Choose The Configuration Of Your Converter - Now that we know the grade of your catalytic converter, the last step is deciding on whether you need one of 2 types of catalytic converter configuration types.

1. Direct-Fit Configuration - This is where the catalytic converter was built to fit your exact vehicle’s make and model. These will just bolt right into place as they are designed for your exact car.
2. Universal-Fit Configuration - This is a generic catalytic converter that meets the requirements for your vehicle, but can fit any vehicle with the same requirements. These will likely need to have some modification and custom fabrication to be made to fit your vehicle. These can be more cost-effective than a direct fit as they are normally at a lower price point. We recommend that a professional like us at The Catalytic Converter Shop do the work to make sure it is installed and working properly. Universal-fit catalytic converters are a great solution if your vehicle has a custom exhaust system. 
   

Contact Us For Professional And Cost-Effective Catalytic Converter Service

Now that you have all the facts, you can move forward towards getting a new catalytic converter for your vehicle. Whether you like or dislike the emissions laws, they are not going away and you will need to make sure your catalytic converter is in proper operating condition. 

When you need a new catalytic converter for your vehicle, contact the best in the business in Northeastern Massachusetts - The Catalytic Converter Shop