hi,
there is for example, a 2.1 waterboxer engine with 10 to 1 compression
ratio and no cat that is used in markets where not cat is required..
it all boils down to how polluted a given area is ..
if they don't have a smog issue ..
they are generally lax about having smog laws and emissions standards.

when I moved to the Olympic Peninsula of Western Washington..
I was rather appalled...there are ZERO smog checks
and NO vehicle inspections EVER...
Totally 3rd world.
And in a small town there  ...it's 4 miles across town, the nearest
freeway is over an hour away ..
many people there didn't even recognize when their old car was s
seriously unsafe . Most people there never drive over 45 or so ..and
that's only if they go out of town.  Some real junkers there. I've seen
a car there with fuel leaking out of it and no one would ever care.

now if there could just be Reasonable smog checks.

On 3/18/2012 11:17 AM, Dennis Haynes wrote:
> Could be a lot of differences. Carburetor instead of fuel injection,
> ignition timing, Valve timing, O2 sensor, compression ratios, even gear
> ratios. All these items can have an effect on emissions especially the
> production of NOx. Many other countries simply allow more pollution
> especially back then.
>
> Dennis
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com] On Behalf Of
> Alistair Bell
> Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2012 1:20 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: Catalytic Converter???? Anyone go without it???
>
> same engine was used in other countries sans cat. I wonder what the
> engineering differences were? Any ideas Dave?
>
> alistair
>
>
> On 2012-03-18, at 9:41 AM, Dave Mcneely wrote:
>
>> Marc, whether your state or local jurisdiction has an emission
>> inspection requirement or not, the converter is required for legal
>> operation of your vehicle.  Further, the vehicle is engineered to
>> operate properly with a functional converter installed.  Sure, folks
>> run without it.  Some folks kill others for money, too.  That doesn't
>> make it legal or right.  mcneely
>>
>> ---- marc rose<mrose1028@GMAIL.COM>  wrote:
>>> I went to change out my worn out and rusted muffler on my 90 Carat
> "Rosie"
>>> yesterday and noticed that the converter was all busted up and the
>>> ceramic is all but gone.  I live in an area that has no enforced
>>> emission tests or anything like that. My question is can i can safely
>>> run without the convertor.  I was going to just bust out the rest of
>>> the ceramic and reinstall but was not sure how it would affect the
>>> overall operation of the engine.
>>>
>>> Any thoughts??
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Marc
>> --
>> David McNeely