PA Inspection question - Emissions exeption

[Need4Spd]

Okay, before anyone jumps on this thread for requesting illegal services, that is not the point of my post.

Here are the facts:
- 2006 Evo IX MR
- Inspection is up this month (3/2010)
- I am the original owner, so the car has passed both safety/emissions every year since I bought it in 2006
- The car only has around 17k miles. Since 3/2009 (last inspection), I have put less than 2,000 miles on it, therefore I believe I qualify as emissions exempt
- Car has a test pipe that was put on in June

My questions:
- If I am "emissions exempt", then the car does not need to be put on the sniffer? And as long as I don't have a CEL, then I am fine on the emissions portion of the inspection. Is that correct?
- I understand that part of the visual inspection is checking to ensure that their is a cat. Is this a fact? Or are they just looking at the exhaust system to ensure it, well, has one and is in good condition? Are there times when they would not look for a cat?
- frankly, my test pipe looks like a cat, would that help? doens't smell like a cat
- If I will fail because of the test pipe - what if I bolt on a high flow cat? Stock cat does not bolt to this exhaust, but I could purchase a high flow as a last resort I suppose?

Thanks

[86fiveoh]

No sniffer required. I keep my car under 2k have no cats at all

[jpalamar]

I would just find a shop that doesn't care. They usually aren't too hard to find.

[Need4Spd]

Then why do I keep hearing about "visual" check? I keep getting conflicting info. I don't really have a mechanic lined up and I'm sure the dealer would frown upon this and I don't want to roll my car into a gas station. Not sure who to call

[DriftCrash]

The emissions exempt limit is 5000 miles per year. (atleast thats what I was told this past saturday)

The "visual" check is just as it sounds they look to see if all the emissions equipment is there and appear to be in working order, normally its just a quick glance under the car, If your test pipe "looks" like a cat then most shops wouldn't know the difference a dealer probably would.

this is right from Penndots site

The Visual Anti-Tampering Check is an examination of the vehicle to see if the required emissions
components have been tampered with or removed. A certified technician will look for the following
emission control devices:
�� Catalytic converter,
�� Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve,
�� Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve,
�� Fuel inlet restrictor,
�� Air pump, and
�� Evaporative control system components such as vapor canisters and lines.
The technician will also determine if these devices are properly connected and if they are the correct
type for the vehicle being inspected.

My old acura had the vapor canister removed along with the cat and it passed emissions

[sleepersatty99]

Originally Posted by DriftCrash

this is right from Penndots site

The Visual Anti-Tampering Check is an examination of the vehicle to see if the required emissions
components have been tampered with or removed. A certified technician will look for the following
emission control devices:
�� Catalytic converter,
�� Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve,
�� Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve,
�� Fuel inlet restrictor,
�� Air pump, and
�� Evaporative control system components such as vapor canisters and lines.
The technician will also determine if these devices are properly connected and if they are the correct
type for the vehicle being inspected.

HAHAHAHA in all my years driving i have never ever seen a tech that looks under my hood let alone look under it.

[DriftCrash]

Originally Posted by sleepersatty99

HAHAHAHA in all my years driving i have never ever seen a tech that looks under my hood let alone look under it.

Same here lol

[i_ride_fieroGT]

To answer your question yes they will put it on the sniffer but the results that come back will mean nothing. Your check engine light can be on but as long as you can prove you have put less than 5K miles on it since the last inspection the CEL being on and the sniffer readings dont matter. They only put it on the sniffer to send the records to Harrisburg. So yes your emmissions exempt yes they will put it on the sniffer yes you will get an emmissions exempt sticker as long as you can prove your under 5K since last year.

[CTechLite]

Need4spd... If the vehicle has been driven less than 5000 miles in the past 12 months and you have owned for at least 12 months then it qualifies for an emissions exemption. What this means is you go to an inspection station, tell them you want an emissions sticker and that it is 5000 mile exempt. As long as you have passed the safety portion and have a valid safety sticker affixed to your windshield they will input your vehicle information into an emissions "machine" and you will get a sticker. There will be no sniffer, no obd scan, just a sticker that should have a little black "exempt" insert sticker on it.

I would advice to have the safety and emissions done at the same shop, it will probably save your time...

[sleeper15]

yeah, i live in a county that doesn't do emmisions testing, but, they do a visual inspection to make sure the emmision crap is still there.

[sleepersatty99]

Originally Posted by sleeper15

yeah, i live in a county that doesn't do emmisions testing, but, they do a visual inspection to make sure the emmision crap is still there.

Don't you live in a county where Cow tipping is a sport?





enough said then!






J/k

[J240]

New laws are out. If cat converter is not there, No state sticker. Visual is now part of State inspection, or at least on 96 and newer obd2 vehicles. And You must get your Emissions sticker affixed before you can have a state sticker affixed to your windshield. You will get an Exempt sticker when you go in for your inspection, but like everyone said hopefully the shop you go to just thinks your test pipe is just a high flow cat and they won't give you any problems.

[sleepersatty99]

Originally Posted by J240

New laws are out. If cat converter is not there, No state sticker. Visual is now part of State inspection, or at least on 96 and newer obd2 vehicles. And You must get your Emissions sticker affixed before you can have a state sticker affixed to your windshield. You will get an Exempt sticker when you go in for your inspection, but like everyone said hopefully the shop you go to just thinks your test pipe is just a high flow cat and they won't give you any problems.

How many shops do you know that really look for this stuff reguardless of the "LAWS". There are shops that will put either sticker on if you fail one or the other. I.E. Firestone for one

[ThePrimerSuspect]

Originally Posted by sleepersatty99

How many shops do you know that really look for this stuff reguardless of the "LAWS". There are shops that will put either sticker on if you fail one or the other. I.E. Firestone for one

yea honestly if the light was off and the gas cap was good it always got a sticker when i was still in the shop. im not aware of any new laws though. and even if there are new rules theres not much they can do in the way of enforcing them.

[sleepersatty99]

I just had my car done a few weeks ago and they just put the obd2 on it and boom i was out of there in like 10 mins. Same thing with my wife's car.

[J240]

Avoid a dealer then. Go to what ever firestone sleepersatty99 knows of before their inspection prevlidges get suspended. And for enforcing it, it all depends on the shop owners. As far as the law it's just that the visual is now part of State inspection and not the emission inspection for the obd2 cars. And no more leaving to cord hanging for the emissions test. If the computer can't comunicate with the vehicle you have to call the state now. It's simple if no light is on and test pipe looks like a Cat. then more then likely no one is going to give you a problem.

[Evo8kid]

ill give you the right answer since i have both my licenses. Your car will never get a tailpipe emissions test because it is an OBDII car. If your car is 1996 or newer you have strictly a OBD test. (plugging state computer into vehicle diagnostic port) Since you have driven under 5000 miles, you do not get any sort of emissions test at all. Its simply a matter of the tech putting your info in the state computer under exemption (no connection to the vehicle). When you are exempt check engine lights do not matter at all.

As stated above it is the job of the tech to check for all emissions related components. Some do, some dont. Having a straight pipe where the cat is...if the tech remotely cares about his job he will fail you. In your case, if your test pipe looks like a cat they have no way to proove its not a cat, no matter how bad your car smells.

Hope this helps

[xtnct]

I have been putting on less than 5K/year on my car so I have been getting emissions exempt for multiple years. They still connect my car up to their DMV computer (to pull the car info I guess) but they do not run it to check the emissions. I just go to the local Monroe muffler joint down the road, as I can see what they are doing to the car and I require no work other than them driving it into the bay, looking at it and backing it out again.

[Metal4all6]

Haha, I was just about to ask this same question. I'm in the same exact situation except I have an 05' Evo (inspection due this month, car is emissions exempt, and I have a test pipe).

[Evo8kid]

^ is your check engine light on? you can use that spark plug non fouler drilled out to half inch and space out the rear 02. I had it on my 05 for over 2 years with no cat codes. for some reason it didnt work on my buddies 04. go figure