Hi-

I recently inherited a 2000 4.0 Ranger 4x4 from my father. I went to smog it a couple weeks ago (in California) and was told that I am missing the two catalytic converters in the Y-pipe. I can't find any Y-pipe, with two cats, for sale in California. I took to a muffler shop and they said that the Y-pipe that I have, with no cats, appears to be factory installed. If you have a CA model, Ranger, 4.0 4x4, please tell me if you have two cats in the Y-pipe in addition to the two cats in the rear pipe?

Very frustrated.

 

2000 looks like an in-between year for the cats, look at the door sticker to see if it has a Calif. destination.
49 states and Canada have the same requirements for emissions.
California has a stricter emissions requirement

So if the truck was sold first in another state it may not meet calif. standards for that model year.
In other words you may have a factory exhaust meeting National standards but not Calif. standards , if this is the case then you will need to change the exhaust system to meet Calif. standards

And that may not be the only thing missing, I would double check with the "smog guys" to make sure the cats are the only thing missing.

 

RonD-

The truck was originally sold thru a California Ford Dealer.

 

If you can trace it back to the california dealer i would take that paperwork to the smog guys and ask for a referee test if they give you any trouble if it was registered new that way and you can get the registration records from the DMV/tag office to prove it then you should be fine no sense spending money on cats you don't need.

 

Ford schematics show two cats in the Y-pipe. I can't find any Y-pipes for sale into CA with two cats. Ford no longer supports this vehicle with parts. Their part description, for the Y-pipe for this truck, says "catless." I can't register it because I can't find a Y-pipe with cats. I can't sell it because it won't pass smog. It passes emission, but not inspection. The Y-pipe installed has sensors in the pipe, so it's not some shady retrofit.

 

I found this on Magnaflows website, for California only. MagnaFlow Catalytic Converters - 49-STATE & CANADA Catalytic Converters For Trucks, Suv's, American Muscle, Diesel, & Sport Compact Vehicles You can get the part numbers for the front left and front right and see if a muffler shop around has them and can install them for you.

 

I see what you mean but if it appears to be unaltered which if someone straight up removed two cats i would think you'd at least get a code. But if it sold new like that then it was registered and inspected that way. Which means it passed at some point. If it already had a passing endorsement in that configuration regardless what the book says they can't force you to modify it. Thats why i was saying pull the records on it that will tell you if it has been modified or not. I read about a guy that had the same issue on a 4 cylinder they failed him saying his manifold was not factory (even though it had a matching ford part number. Sometimes these inspection guys aren't the sharpest tools in the box). He pulled the records of inspection and the referee certified it. The referee test will be cheaper than buying 2 cats plus install.