sooo cherokee county is pretty strict on their emissions and i have to get them done every year. im new to the wrx scene and im just wandering exactly what you can replace in the exhaust with cats (DP, up pipes, ect.) and still pass emissions with flying colors.
You don't have to get emissions checked in the county that you live in. It really seems to be hit or miss at the vairous testing locations. The primary check is if the CEL is lit or not. You can replace your catted up (02-05), and 2 cats in the DP and get "fixes" for the CEL. Also if you are doing these you want some sort of tuning / engine management. Most of those will disable the CEL's. Now the visual inspection is a different matter. Some places are strict and some are not. I passed with 1 high flow cat in my mid pipe and my Cobb Stage 2 map that disabled the CEL's. I didn't see if the guy did a "visual" or not. Some here have failed recently with no cats - the visual inspection.
There is a big thread on this here... apparently, more and more places are going with the visual inspection (they were allways SUPPOSED to check, but most places didn't).
so what if were to get a catted down pipe and upipe not catted? or is a catted down pipe not even worth it?
Coming from a completely catless setup: It used to be "overlooked". However this year seems to be a different story. There are shops that are more loose about this policy it seems. Nevertheless, to post the location and names of these shops online potentially places them in a legal pinch. There is nothing wrong running a high-flow catted exhaust setup. There is independent research that suggests catalytic converters create additional "strain" on our environment and ozone. This fact, regardless of it's authenticity is irrelevant as the EPA still requires the use of them in registered street legal vehicles. Users report small loses when compared to a catless setup. Just ask the tuners on the forum. Of course this functions on the margin of diminishing returns. There is a point in which in order to achieve additional horsepower a catless setup will be required.
I just failed yesterday with a new catted dp, so im going to clear the cell again and drive for 50-100 miles to reset the ecu, and hope the check engine light doesnt come on again. If it does im going to have to bite the bullet and get it fixed with tuning I guess
also the guy at the emissions place off canton rd near the tag office, did a visual inspection to see if the cat was there, just a fyi
Yeah, I have never had problems with my car but then again, I know someone that owns an emmissions tent. It is a 20 minute drive for me but worth it. He knows I dont have a cat and still passes me.
Alright so i am going to have to register in Ga when i come back from Afghanistan in July. I will have the stock downpipe on so i am not worried about the cat issue. how are they regarding aftermarket CAI's. ie. APS 70MM?? and can someone recommend a station that is less strict. I stay in Lawrenceville.
Actually Cherokee is an emissions county. I speak with experience. Catted DP should be enough for you with no CEL. Cobb AP will do the trick.
I think he was referring to the fact you can get checked in Forsyth, even though you live in Cherokee...not that you're limited to only going to an emissions place IN Cherokee
Anything other than STOCK or C.A.R.B/EPA certified is illegal per EPA/DOT regulations. PERIOD. Modify at your own risk and be prepared to meet with fail. If any of these inspection places actually did their jobs correctly most of us on WRXATL would have failing vehicles until we put it back to stock with stock parts and/or CARB/EPA parts. ANYTHING and EVERYTHING that modifies the airflow in/out of the engine is illegal for street use. Even the SPT catback exhausts. However, some of the AEM and Injen intakes are CARB certified and so is the SPT intake. Those are non-issue as long as you have the CARB certification plate/sticker affixed to the vehicle near/on the intake. ZERO exhaust systems are CARB/EPA certified. Sure RandomTech has CARB/EPA cats installed on their up/downpipes, but the assembly is not CARB/EPA certified so its illegal. The only aftermarket allowance with aftermarket cats involve being past the 80,000 mile/8 year Federal Catalytic Converter Warranty; once past that you can install aftermarket cats but they have to be CARB/EPA certified. Otherwise, if under that, your dealer *WILL* warranty the defective cats and replace with stock units. Any other unit is illegal until you are past 80k/8yr. That being said, I'm sure you can find a shady place that is lazy and will only do the OBD2 hookup and as long as you have no stored or current DTCs in the ECU you will pass.
seems like i heard its a 10,000$ fine to modify a stock exhaust system on a street car.. (federal law). this was told to me by a jeep dealer right before he put cherry bomb mufflers and an aftermarket holley on my newly purchased in 78 jeep v8 cj5 (in 1978). he said basically 'if you wont tell i wont either'.... been that way for a very long time.. that puts a lot of shops in GA out of biz.. but in GA i dont think its an issue at this time. from what i understand.. they check your car for a cat, they plug into your ODBII port and check for various ready-tests and cat effeciencies, they test your fuel cap for seal and thats it. in Kalifornistan, they examine the parts on your car and if they arent stock, the must have a CARB (CALIFORNISTAN AIR RESOURCES BOARD) certification number. dunno if satraps other than the glorious peoples paradise of the left cost even recognize these numbers..... in kalifornsitan.. the ODBII port tests you...
^Modern times, its a $25,000 fine PER catalytic converter removed illegally. Meaning anyone with 3 cats gone before 80k miles for no good reason needs to pay up $75k. :rofl:
this is why, if you are considering breaking this law on a 3 cat car.. you should just kick in a little more money (surely not much more than 10k) and buy a new GTR (what.. 85k?). and forget about them illegal cats.. decisions.. decisions..
i think i will just suck it up and buy the Cobb Short Ram intake.. dont really feel like being hassled since i have to register and get license in GA...
I'm catless as well (with EM of course), so I am going to chop up the OEM downpipe upper cat heat shield and rig in on the DP before I get emissions (in 2013!). Not like the tech is going to grab it or anything to see if it is fake. At least I hope not. I estimate that you'd be amazed what a $100 bill will get you at some of those places though...
im bringing this thread up again ha. well i just added a catless downpipe with a accessport stage 2 tune and i have no cels. im completely catless with no cels. i have to get my emissions done in a couple weeks and im hoping i pass. the place i go to doesnt do a visual inspection. so im just hoping that i still pass even without the check engine light on. oh and im straight piped but im welding an sti muffler on tomorrow cause sh*t is ridiculous.
An emissions tech will not 'grab' a cat more than one time to learn to not touch hot exhaust parts..Emissions school teaches to do a visual inspection for a cat.Check for 2 if it is a true dual exhaust..Thank you that is all.Previously they said to do obd test and gas cap test only.Possibly they realize their is a need to visually confirm the presence of the cat..So,if you have a cat,no check engine light on,monitors run and a good gas cap then pay up and get your v. i. r. (your emissions certificate)...