Emissions Readiness + "Stage 2" tunes

[Richbot]

Secondary cats still in place shouldn't stink too badly when they're warm.

[ppatel14]

Originally Posted by statik

Alpine stage 2, only one readiness monitor is not ready. will pass fine in your state, same in NY

Forgot about this rule. Thanks for the heads up.

Georgia's rule reads as follows.
For example, 1996 to 2000 model year vehicles will fail if three or more monitors are “Not Ready,” while 2001 and newer model year vehicles will fail if two or more monitors are “Not Ready.”

Originally Posted by //steve\\

In Georgia you don't do emissions through the DMV. There are thousands of small businesses that do it. The place I go is literally a 30sqft brick building that basically has nothing more than the equipment they need and a computer.

That said, I have to think they all must follow the same procedure.

I've found here that 50% of the time the person doing it does not bother with a visual inspection and for someone like me who intends to keep the secondary cats I think it would be easy enough to convince someone nothing has been altered from stock.

Agreed, most places dont check in metro Atlanta. I have some friends who register their cars outside the metro counties to avoid this but seems more like a hassle.

[Pet Rock]

Originally Posted by ppatel14

Forgot about this rule. Thanks for the heads up.

Georgia's rule reads as follows.
For example, 1996 to 2000 model year vehicles will fail if three or more monitors are “Not Ready,” while 2001 and newer model year vehicles will fail if two or more monitors are “Not Ready.”



Agreed, most places dont check in metro Atlanta. I have some friends who register their cars outside the metro counties to avoid this but seems more like a hassle.

I'm stage 2, no primary/secondary and it reeks of fuel. Do you think they'll do a visual inspection for cats?

[kjchristopher]

Estimate on how much lower (if any) it hangs than stock? Curious on ground clearance in STU trim.

Originally Posted by Richbot

This headache is why I have the AFE catted xpipe and a "stage 1" tune that leaves monitor readiness untouched. I was not willing to risk the annoyance of an OBD monitor readiness issue on test day, (we are a two monitors pending or one "fault" = fail and fix it within x number of days area) hough I installed the AFE fully expecting I might have to remove it before my next test two years later, I was pleasantly surprised it passed just fine with all monitors ready and never threw a code.

The aFe catted X uses 300-cell (as opposed to stock 400-cell, and most HFC cats' 200-cell) in the primary location. I think this is why, I'm simply giving up a few more hp to ride the safe edge of the performance the algorithm is expecting from the cat. The 200-cell cats seem to ride the unsafe edge in that people sometimes report they still throw codes without additional help from extenders or whatnot.

That said, I'm sure there's a way to make this work with TP's and still pass an OBD check especially if your state/jurisdiction doesn't mind a cat monitor readiness status issue. Some areas will just flunk you on the cat monitor pending status because it's the single most important monitor on a car, even if you're "allowed" one fault and still pass, what they really mean is you're allowed to have an EVAP code or something

The aFe isn't perfect, at all, but it's what I recommend to people who want to gain a little sound, lose 9lb and gain 10-15 ish hp over stock without dealing with cat efficiency codes. It's never going to yield the 20-25hp the test pipes do, but it's better than nothing!

[Evo13]

Originally Posted by RYDEM3

For those catless with tune and 1 monitor not ready and passing, are you guys taking it to the dmv inspection stations or somewhere else (for a fee)? Sorry for the noob ques.

If you find a place in Jersey let me know lol. Otherwise, I have to drive up to ACM from CNJ to swap out the ACM test pipe and then drive around and then have my car inspected, not looking forward to that when I gotta do my inspection at the DMV.

[Richbot]

Originally Posted by kjchristopher

Estimate on how much lower (if any) it hangs than stock? Curious on ground clearance in STU trim.

It's definitely lower. i'd guess i lost 3/4" or so of ground clearance. But it tucks up well, I think they did a good job maximizing the available space with how they bent it. My car is about 10mm lower than ZCP up front, and close to stock ZCP height in rear, and it will bang on really severe speed bumps/humps if you don't angle it. I've got one really mild scrape (and had one cringey speed hump hit when I forgot to angle on an egregiously bad hump in a mall garage) on mine after 2+ years. I'm not sure how much lower you would run an STU car but I would think at least 10-12mm lower than I am, before taking into account the tire if you use a 285/30. I think I'd be hitting more stuff on a shorter tire. I'm on 275/35-18's square right now. So...manageable because racecar, but not perfectly protected like the stock pancakes.

If the stupid engine wasn't so far back that the cats are almost behind the driver this wouldn't be a problem, but I guess I forgive them for not doing an audi

[Hoosier_M3]

Another option that is often overlooked on here is O2 spacers. The sensors on our cars are very sensitive so the typical 90 degree bend O2 spacers will not work, which I think has given this idea a bad reputation.

I took a shot in the dark with the "mini cat" O2 spacers that appear to have a small catalytic converter in them. They've now been on my car for over 2 years (with test pipes) and the car has passed emissions twice with the secondary O2s reading ready both times. FWIW I've never had a CEL with them on.

I got the cheapest ones off Amazon, see below, but Fabspeed makes a really nice set.

https://www.amazon.ca/LEDAUT-Degree-.../dp/B01MTA6OXG

[pbonsalb]

I might add a couple of bungs to my x pipe to try straight extenders. 90s did not work for me. But I think people who run test pipes and retain the rear cats have better luck in general.

[bmwlover0725]

Just PM'ed you.

[SYT_Shadow]

Originally Posted by Hoosier_M3

Another option that is often overlooked on here is O2 spacers. The sensors on our cars are very sensitive so the typical 90 degree bend O2 spacers will not work, which I think has given this idea a bad reputation.

I took a shot in the dark with the "mini cat" O2 spacers that appear to have a small catalytic converter in them. They've now been on my car for over 2 years (with test pipes) and the car has passed emissions twice with the secondary O2s reading ready both times. FWIW I've never had a CEL with them on.

I got the cheapest ones off Amazon, see below, but Fabspeed makes a really nice set.

https://www.amazon.ca/LEDAUT-Degree-.../dp/B01MTA6OXG

This sounds pretty interesting, unfortunately it is out of stock

[Hoosier_M3]

Originally Posted by SYT_Shadow

This sounds pretty interesting, unfortunately it is out of stock

I really should've looked a bit closer at the Amazon page before linking it....

I would imagine any similar product should accomplish the same thing. I only bought this one because it was the cheapest available at the time. They seem pretty commoditized.

Would be interesting to hear if I just got lucky or if this is a real solution to the readiness problem.

[BimmerNugget]

Originally Posted by statik

Alpine stage 2, only one readiness monitor is not ready. will pass fine in your state, same in NY

So test pipes with alpine tune will allow you to pass NYS OBD2 plugin inspection? I'm getting the test pipes soon!