With all the engine/ exhaust mods that everyone seems to be carrying out, how are people passing their State emission tests? Just about all the exhaust mods remove the cat. Won't that fail you?

 

yeah, but people either a) put it back to stock for the test, or b)have hookups.

 

or people will just pay the fine

-Ave

 

or move to a state with no emissions testing....

 

In some states, you can actually buy an exemption from testing; it ranges from $200-600.00. In Arizona I can buy a 2-year exemption for $429. This was originally designed to allow people with older/historic vehicles to still be able to register their cars legally, but if you use it for a brand-new car the DMV won't blink. They like money.

 

Hmmm.. From all the posts I've read about changing the up-pipe etc. It sounds like a lot of grief every two years. Does anyone know if Illinois has an exemption you can buy? I've not found anything to suggest they have..

 

I think people don't usually put their stock UP back in for testing. It's very unlikely that the inspector will look down in there and actually be able to tell you removed a cat. The UP is very well hidden.

I've always been lucky and found the "good" shop in town to go to. Really, most WRX's shouldn't have a problem passing a sniffer with one good cat. It's just the inspectors that might notice the aftermarket DP that you need to avoid.

Also make sure you don't have any CEL's and that your ECU hasn't been reset recently or that can fail you on the OBDII portion.

 

emissions testing facilities don't have all wheel dynos they just plug into your obd. if you have no cel's and the codes have been cleared you will pass with no cats. check engine lights give you error codes that the stock ecu saves and when the emissions place plugs in the see those saved codes. get rid of your cel's and have the error codes deleted and you should be fine.

 

illinois doesn't have anyway around emissions just good tuning and no cel's. i live in illinois and have an 03 wrx with no cats in the exhaust at all. when i have to go next year i will be getting a tune before i go and make sure that they also hide the error codes the sensors have set off so i can pass. the only way i won't pass is if someone working at the emissions place no something about cars, because at idle it smells like a 1970's muscle car.

 

Depends on your state. In CA they use a sniffer. A properly maintained car should pass the sniffer with only one (fully warmed up) cat.