who else hates this Smog poo not really a post just venting ..
there is so much i want to do to my car but not sure what i can get away with since the whole smog issue ..!!
well i dont know abouyt the rest of you guys but i need to find someone that will just pass me through.

 

Why wouldn't you pass? Never imagined the NOVA area having a particular smog problem. It's not like w are in a vally or anything.

Just change the air cleaner and ensure the engine is at operating temperature and you should have no problems.

 

where in nove u from im in arlington

 

Here goes.....I am a Service Manager at the largest non-dealer inspection station in the state. The Virginia Department of Environmental Quality just restructured the emissions program effective 10/1/05.

All vehicles year 1996 and newer are no longer run on a dynomometer to have actual emissions readings taken at the tailpipe. The test is run solely through the car's computer (OBD II). The exception to this is on certain occasions, the emissions computer will require certain 1996 and newer vehicles to run a dyno test.

The car being tested will pass the Virginia Emissions test as long as:

1.The car's MIL/CEL/SES light does not stay on with the engine running.
2.The car's MIL/CEL/SES light comes on with the ignition on/engine off verifying proper operation of the light.
3.The emissions computer can communicate with the car's on board computer.
4.There are no stored fault codes in the car's on board computer.

(MIL = Malfunction Indicator Lamp, CEL = Check Engine Light, SES = Service Engine Soon)

The X-factor in all this is if your car has had recent computer-related work where the MIL/CEL/SES has been reset or if the battery has recently lost power. If any of that has occurred, the car's computer will need to go through a set of drive cycles to reset all of the monitors and give it time to verify that there are no other problems.

It seems like a lot, but it's falling into place rather well. Some glitches, but not too bad.

Sorry I got a little longwinded.

Let me know if anyone has any questions. No problem answering them, at all!

 

So how about anything befofe 96 like my 93, 91, and 89. Will they be the regular tail pipe test or dyno run?

 

All 1995 and older vehicles (up to vehicles that are 25 years old) will do a dyno test that reads actual tailpipe emissions. The test is performed and readings are taken while the car is doing 25 mph first and the at 15 mph.

The exception to that is vehicles equipped with AWD or Traction Control that can not be disabled. Those vehicles do not run on the dyno; they perform a two speed idle test where the readings are taken at 2500 rpm and at idle.

Vehicles that are more than 25 years old are exempt from the Virginia Emissions Program.

 

So are you telling us that we no longer have to worry about high flow cats not passing inspection? I had a guy tell me that the computer can be programmed during tuning to not trip the CEL for the cats...kinda like the mil eliminators for the off-road pipes. Any truth to this? I have always wanted a nice xpipe with high flow cas, but never bought because of the testing.

 

With regards to catalytic converters specifically in Virginia......As long as:

1. There are cats in place during the visual inspection.
2. There are no codes in the computer's memory.

...you're fine.

Now, you can't legally get an H-pipe or X-pipe without cats or longtube headers that delete the cats even if you don't have the CEL on.

Case in point, I had a 2005 Mustang GT with long tube headers without cats......CEL WAS NOT on but my inspector couldn't pass it because there were no cats to visually inspect.....so automatic failure.

Hope this helps.

 

damn my car has 4 cats what if the first two are not there and no smog and twin turbos will i pass lol