What can I get away with?

[bouigha123]

I want to do a few mods to my formula; here in MD we have emissions testing. We have a visual check where they look under the car and they plugged into the port under my dash. What I’m wondering is what can I do as far as exhaust and still pass emissions, I realize I will need cats, but can I order a tune by frost and still pass?

[RyanJM]

If you find a place like the one I use in Houston you will be ok. My car is tuned and I have lt's bullet carter y pipe which does nothing for the smell just mellowed the sound a bit and a ms3 cam with a 113 LSA and other bolt ons and I pass the plug in emmisions test Everytime, just go to q place with no visual and a tune will make it pass with or without cats.

[bouigha123]

Well they just walked around the car with a mirror to check for cats, im just wondering if I remove the air and egr and have it tuned out will it be noticed when they plug in to my computer.

[RyanJM]

I pass all the obd2 computer testing with the egr and rear o2's deleted without a problem. I just make.sure.no.one looks.under the car.

[35th-ANV-SS]

I pass all the obd2 computer testing with the egr and rear o2's deleted without a problem. I just make.sure.no.one looks.under the car.

If it's a requirement where he is from, which it sounds like it is, he isn't going to be stopping anyone from looking under his car.

[Lunatikgixxer]

why dont you just get some high flow cats?

[bouigha123]

They do look under the car so I will be getting cats, I was just woried about haveing the air and egr turned off and I showing up when they plug in. Frost turns off both right? Also if they are turned off do I need to take the parts off the car or can I just leave em on and not wory about it?

[MudStainKILLA]

if you delete them and have them tuned out youll be fine. as far as the cats go you can get high flow cats or get cheapos and punch em out. Either way id delete the rear O2s from your tune but leave em in for the visual. just dont plug them in, run the wires up to make it look as if they are.

[az gt eater]

LT headers are illegal. Period. You will fail a visual with someone who knows and cares what they are looking for. Even catted, they will fail a visual. As far as the mirror goes, i think most run them under the car so they are "doing" their job. I dont think they can actually see the cats. These cars are so close to the ground, and they are so tucked up inside the engine compartment, it has to be impossible.

[35th-ANV-SS]

az goat eater is correct. All LT's are technically illegal because they relocate the cats further back. Anything that moves the cat from the OEM location is illegal. With that said though, most visual inspections will just ensure you have your cats. The only state that I know of off-hand that is extremely strict on this law as well as emissions in general is California.

I personally have my cats removed and have LT headers. I had my rear 02's tuned out and I passed emissions last year. I live in IN though and they only do the OBDII plug-in, no visual.

[bouigha123]

I know of a few people here who run them, but im not sure about weather or not they have had to go through inspections. My biggest wory was the air, and egr with the tune. Also any sugestions on headers and a catted y that have good ground cleareance for a deacent price?

[35th-ANV-SS]

I know a lot of people that have been happy with Pacesetter's. There are also a lot of people that have had good luck with the e-bay headers, which are stainless steel.

I personally went with Kooks and have 0 issues with ground clearance and I am lowered on Strano's.

[TransAmX2]

1)move to florida or get a florida address and license
2)get it registered in florida
3)remove whatever you want, you can run a turbo diesal with straight stacks behind the cab and dump big clouds of diesal smoke if you want right next to the police, no state inspections

I know it's not practical, but couldn't resist

[ls1camino]

I paid the inspector $20 and he passed me without even plugging in the computer.

[98maro]

when you need to do emissions, you just have to go to the "right" place..
if you know what i mean.

money talks

[RyanJM]

when you need to do emissions, you just have to go to the "right" place..
if you know what i mean.

money talks

I do this every year. My car will pass a obd2 inspection even with the MS3 cam and all the bolt ons thanks to a tune. Just gotta find someone you can pay not to look at anything but the computer.

[RyanJM]

1)move to florida or get a florida address and license
2)get it registered in florida
3)remove whatever you want, you can run a turbo diesal with straight stacks behind the cab and dump big clouds of diesal smoke if you want right next to the police, no state inspections

I know it's not practical, but couldn't resist

FL was a fun place to live if you own a performance car. Limo tint, no cats, drag tires, pretty much anything was ok there except having a LM1 with no cats at 3am driving home through I quiet area they can literally hear you coming and did tell me to get my exhaust leak fixed.

[INMY01TA]

Not sure where you're having your emmissions done but I have mine done in Pasedena Md at the Ordinance rd testing station. They have never looked under my car. I've had long tube headers w/no cats and no air pump/air pipes since 2001. Passes every time. Visual inspection is not part of the required testing procedure. This is something your station is choosing to do.

[INMY01TA]

In fact, a guy on EFA a couple of years ago had a 99 anneversary edition. Full cage, slicks and skinnys, open cutout. He brought the car there on a trailor and unloaded it right out front in the lanes with everyone watching him. Started up and commenced the testing. He said the guys eyes were tearing up from the the fumes (huge cam) and he passed there.

[ls1camino]

Thanks INMY01TA, I thought they had added the visual since my last emissions test, I was getting worried there for a minute.

T/A has gone almost 4 years now without a notice for the emissions. I got the first notice less than a month after registering it in November '07, and haven't seen one since.