Guys,

I just moved to the ATL metro area, and now I have to pass emissions. I've searched and nobody (that I found) has tried to do what I'm looking at below. This vehicle has never had to do emissions before. I am looking for advice on how to make what I want to do, work.

Here's the current situation: No cat installed currently. Airpump installed but venting to atmosphere. Running a PFC. I have the original ECU and stock exhaust system.

The stock exhaust has just been sitting around for YEARS. No telling what kind of crap is inside it now, and no telling if the cat(s) would even work properly.

I really like the way it runs now. I've worked on it and removed the spike and creep. So, I'd like to run the aftermarket pipe (long term). The car is at my other house in AL, so I don't have it in GA for trial and error. I need to make a plan.

I was thinking of going 2 different routes:

Problem: I'm doubting the stock system will attach to the 3" aftermarket without leaking, or some other problems.
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Problem: Same as above, I'm doubting the stock system will attach to the 3" aftermarket without leaking, or some other problems.
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Problem: The PFC may cause it to NOT pass.
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Problem: When installing the PFC, I cut 3 wires as instructed. I considered their function at the time, but now I forget. I don't know if these wires were emissions related or what. Could cause a problem with the ECU working, or possibly passing the test.


All 3 of these options cost me nothing but elbow grease. I don't care if the car is slow or runs not great with the stock exhaust, it will only be on for a short time. The options above assume the original cats work. If they don't, I will replace them (for the test).

Can you guys advise? As I have no experience with emissions.

 

Been a while, JYRO.

I would leave the DP on, run the stock cat and airpump, and the stock ecu. Tuning the PFC to pass emissions is an arduous process, FWIU. Hopefully you cut wires that won't mess with anything.

 

Hey Barban - How's the restrictor plates working? Thanks for the advice. I was under the impression (and likely could be wrong), that the stock exhaust is like a 2.5" or something. And my aftermarket one is a 3".

It might create some sealing problem. But as long as it would pass emissions, I wouldn't care that it leaked for the 20 miles it took to limp it to the test station. Note: There's emissions locations much closer, but I like this guy at this particular station. He and Ben Frank may let me pass the test with much less elbow grease.

 

The fella who bought my car ended up going single, but they worked great for me. I never had creep issues after installing them, and played around with the plates a lot. I have no idea where my car is anymore

A good working relationship with your smog tech is probably the cornerstone in all of this.

 

Do you have an FD at all?

 

Not anymore. Or, not yet. Some where in between.

 

I ran my recent Colorado emissions test with a Pettit 3" DP and stock cat, then Blitz catback. I had no problem installing my OEM cat pipe inbetween the 2 aftermarket pieces. Most of these are designed to bolt on to stock setup so they can be interchangeable.

I also ran the stock ECU and removed the pills from my wastegate and pre-control actuators to limit boost to avoid spiking on the stock ECU. Air pump was hooked up and functional. Went for a 30 minute drive to fully warm the cat up.

The wires you cut for the PFC IIRC are the EGR, AWS which can effect emissions. If it's possible to reconnect those in your situation, I would. Because if not, you could fail not only due to the systems the wires control not functioning, but also because the stock ECU could throw a code. If the check engine light is on, no pass.

I passed by a comfortable margin with this setup.

 

Thanks for the info Turbo8!

 

Guys - Progress to date. I of course failed the test.

I have the car at my house now with the mid pipe removed and working on fitting the cat back in. It has a broken stud so I'm having it removed and will just use a bolt from the 'test pipe.'

The question is, should I reconnect the air line to the cat? Or just cap that off? I'm guessing that's from the air pump (that is still installed on the engine) to the cat.

Either way, connect or cap, I'd like to hear your suggestions. I don't think I have the plumbing from pump to cat. There is about a 1 foot hardline off the cat coming toward the engine, it's flanged with 2 small bolt holes, and the opening to pass air.

I ask based on which way would be more likely to pass the emissions test. I assume that connected would be more likely to pass, but it may serve the purpose of lighting the cat only, and I'll have plenty of heat to have it lit by the time I get to the shop. Let me know. Needing advice here!


JyRO

 

If you want to pass emissions, you'll need the airpump connected.

 

How can I plum the airpump back to the cat? I'm going to try to find out how to do this by locating my service manual that I have downloaded. But I just moved houses and everything is a mess.

So if anybody has any helpful suggestions, I'm all ears. And your info would be greatly appreciated. Shoot, you guys have been spectacular so far. Thanks for the help.


- JyRO

 

I guess it's too late to buy a house in a county that doesn't require emissions testing. What were the readings from the test?

 

You may be able to find some flex hose with the right flanges. It should be a bolt up affair. If that's not happening I guarantee you can find someone in the FS section to help you out.

 

Yeah, too late. But basically if I wanted to live within 30 miles of work, I would still be in a county with testing. So I bought a house 3.5 miles from work (2.5 miles via golf cart). The commute is outstanding, compared to what I'm used to. The schools for my sons are top notch, so I'll figure this out.

 

I don't mind going to Home Depot and plumbing this thing in with some pvc and duct tape if it gets the job done temporarily. My concern right now is attaching at the flange of the pipe on the cat. I think that's where the challenge is. After the test, this crap gets ripped back off, and preserved for next year's test.

 

The aftermarket cats don't have a flange. Just a section of tube. So if you can figure how to plumb to the engine side, you can just cut the flange off on the cat side, slide a hose over it and clamp it tight.

 

I know how easy it is to make typos.
loose != lose
there != their != they're

No big deal, everyone knows the intended meaning.

But this one for some reason just bugs me.

I will 'bear' with you, but I will certainly not 'bare' with you.

 

She's alive ... she's alive ... SHE'S ALIVE mwahahahaha.

Status update.

The stock cat is in. The flange of the secondary air tube was dremeled off, and I hose clamped a 5/8ths inch hose over it ... as one of you creative guys suggested. I'm a fairly smart guy, but some of you folks are seriously creative / talented / smart. The plumbing from the air pump down very close to the cat tube was already there. All I needed was about a foot of hose.

Last night at 10:15pm I fired it up, and everything seemed to work fine. I put the stock ECU back in (before firing it up), and reattached the 3 wires disconnected for use with the PFC. I actully put plug type connectors on those wires so I can connect / disconnect them easily. I know those wires are connected correctly because the first thing that happened on fire-up was ... AWS. I kicked the throttle quickly and it settled down to a nice idle. I was expecting spiders, crickets, etc to get blown out the tailpipe , but it seemed to work OK.

I didn't leave it running long, maybe 1 or 2 minutes. I wanted to let the cat just get warm before I actually drive it. Sort of a break-in.

So ... someone asked previously what my numbers were at the initial emissions test. Here they are. I'll post the after test numbers later, hopefully it will pass, keeping my fingers crossed.


25/25 Test:

-----------Reading----------Allowed--------Result
HC ppm:----436--------------132------------Fail (3.3 times the limit)
CO %:------2.89--------------0.73-----------Fail (3.9 times the limit)
NOx ppm:--328---------------945-----------Pass (1/3 the limit)
RPM:-------2,866------------3,000 max
CO+CO2 %:16.2-------------6.0 min-------(OK)


50/15 Test:

-----------Reading----------Allowed--------Result
HC ppm:----685--------------136------------Fail (5 times the limit)
CO %:------1.30--------------0.76-----------Fail (1.7 times the limit)
NOx ppm:--1010-------------1045----------Pass (97% of the limit)
RPM:--------1,731------------3,000
CO+CO2 %:14.9-------------6.0 min-------(OK)

Catalytic Converter: Present

I wouldn't have even expected it to pass the NOx, but it did. These results are a "Test Pipe" (catalyst temporarily removed), Petitt Intake, full exhaust, PFC. Emissions re-test, maybe tomorrow (Friday 7/22)


JyRO

 

How about if you jump the relay on the airpump so that it is always on ? just a thought. let me know what you guys think

 

STATUS UPDATE!

Went Thursday night and the guy couldn't not get an RPM reading with his equipment.

Then I left work today at 4:15 pm and went to the original station (different place than last night) where they had a special instrument to read RPM, and a different guy. This guy knew his stuff WAY BETTER, and it took him literally 1/10th the time.

SHE PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS! I mean these numbers look like a Prius's numbers.

25/25 Test:

-----------Reading----------Allowed--------Result
HC ppm:----30--------------132-------------Pass (22% of allowed)
CO %:------0.02---------------0.73----------Pass (2.7% of allowed)
NOx ppm:--325---------------945-----------Pass (1/3 the limit, same as before)
RPM:-------2,927------------3,000 max
CO+CO2 %:14.1-------------6.0 min-------(OK)


50/15 Test:

-----------Reading----------Allowed--------Result
HC ppm:----24 --------------136------------Pass (17% of allowed)
CO %:------0.02--------------0.76-----------Pass (2.6% of allowed)
NOx ppm:--373---------------1045----------Pass (1/3 the limit, better than before, but this guy said it was because he put it in 1st and kept the rpms up)
RPM:--------2,852------------3,000 (he shifted it down to first gear)
CO+CO2 %:14.1-------------6.0 min-------(OK)

Catalytic Converter: Present (and it really was).

This guy said that the NOx is what the cat helps with by far. And that my numbers on the NOx between this test and previous (no cat) didn't change much at all, outside the fact that he downshifted to first and kept the rpms higher.

He said that his opinion was that it passed 95% due to the stock computer, not the cats. He said because of the timing of my renewal (within 3 months) that he was pretty sure I'd have to do the emissions again. Next time I'm going to try it with the stock computer only, and not cat, and see what happens.

So, I passed. Hope this helps others!


- JyRO

 

I wonder how much of a difference running e85 could make.

 

I don't know. But on that note, I was running 100% gas. At one remaining gas station (that I'm aware of) back in AL at my previous residence, they still have NO ETHANOL on the 93 octane pump. All lower grades are E10.

So my emissions test was on NO ethanol, 93 octane from that station..


JyRO

 

we only get 91 around here, and about half the pumps are e10.
granted 105 or 110 is only a few blocks away at the Harley dealership

 

One last thing. The day I went and passed the emissions, I drove it real easy, and it drove just fine. On the way home, I got on it. It was pathetic. It felt like it was down 100 hp easy.

Today is 7/28, and last night the test pipe and the PFC went back it. It's back to full power, and feels good.

I hope this thread helps a few others out in the future.