Hey everyone.... Allow me to begin by writing that I was hesitant to create a new thread asking about this.... Did some searching, found some sort of relevant information, but am still left with a few questions. If there are obvious, stated answers to my questions, please feel free to point me to them and close this thread. Anyway.... I have a 2004 stage two wagon with a version 1 AP, Titek Downpipe, Borla XR-1 3" exhaust, and Sti uppipe (with resistor fix). Since I have done these modifications, the car has seemed happy and has shown no CELs. I haven't gone through emissions with the modifications yet, but it is my understanding that if I do so, I should pass. If not.... no big deal. I throw my old exhaust back on, reflash to stock, and after a few drive cycles, proceed to be retested. HOWEVER.... I am really wanting to do a VF turbo upgrade of some sort. I've been thinking about it since Christmas, and am starting to purchase parts. I see emissions as posing a pretty big hurdle, though. If I don't pass, it doesn't seem like I would have the option of just putting the exhaust back on and reflashing to stock. I would need to remove the turbo, injectors, intercooler, and everything else to run a stock map (temporarily) again wouldn't I? Is there anyone close running an upgraded turbo that's had experience with this? If it's going to pose that much trouble, I'm thinking maybe I should just go ahead and get my current setup tuned. Thanks in advance for any help. I've got some other questions regarding turbo upgrades, but they can wait until I've got a more solid idea of how to handle the above problems. I'm taking it a step at a time for now...
Where do you live? My car is in Fulton County. I have an '03 WRX with a VF-39 with AP V1. I have a full 3" UP, DP, and exhaust with no catalytic converters and I have passed emissions. All they do is hook up to your ECU and the AP takes care of any Catalytic converter CELs. They are supposed to do a visual inspection for cats, but the general sense I get is that they don't pay the people enough that work there enough to crawl around a car. I really don't think you will have a problem. Good luck!
if they give you any shit about it, you can just tell them the flex section in your uppipe is a cat. It kind of looks like one...haha.
Thanks for the input.... I also live in Fulton. I moved down from TN not too awful long ago, and I'm still getting used to the idea of emissions tests. I guess I'm going to go ahead and push through with my plans and hope for the best. I'm still debating which turbo I should actually get, as I do like the quick spool of my TD04... and it seems like the people I've heard from who do VF upgrades either love it or hate it. I reeeeeeeally hope I don't spend all kinds of money doing this only to wish I had the stock turbo again. I may end up starting another thread to see if there's any VF upgraded owners around who would be willing to take me on a brief ride in their car. (Not try to get me killed or anything.... just enough to let me know how different their car feels in terms of power.) I'm probably being more apprehensive about all of this than I should be....
Most of the time they dont even look at your car. As long as your car has no CEL's, you should pass. I went in with my 20G, FMIC, No Cats, etc and the guy said KEWL CAR, Here is your certificate for passing.
we are told that for an o.b.d.test that we do not have to check for cats.(that is what the on-board computer does.If there is no codes present than it assumes there is a functioning cat. Most 96 and up cars get this one.At least on the machine that I am familiar with.But for a 2 stage(step) idle(t.s.i.) test that we are supposed to visually check for cats.
I'll second Fulton county for not giving a damn on emissions. I failed 4 times at one facility and never once even got a visual check, I just kept coming back until all of the OBDII checks cleared.