What determines if an engine must have catalytic converters?
A mandate from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) stipulates that, beginning in 2008, any engine sold in the state of California must achieve a combined 75 percent reduction in hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxides. The only way to reach that emissions level is to fit the engines with catalytic converters. Any engine with a manufactured date on or after January 1, 2008, to be sold in the state of California must have catalytic converters. The one exception to this rule is 4.3L engines, which are covered by an exemption. Engines sold in California must be CARB-certified. For more information, visit the CARB (California Air Resources Board) Web site at http://www.arb.ca.gov/homepage.htm. If an engine is CARB-certified in California, it can be sold in California. Engines purchased for the purpose of repower replacement are required to meet the current regulatory requirements unless it is not possible to replace the existing engine with a catalyzed engine. In this case the replacement en
