Emissions Question

[TruBluScreamer]

So I have been told that Emissions Testing has changed completely. Ive been told that they no longer hook up the pipes to the exhaust but that they just hook into your OBD port and if everything is Kosher then they send you on your way. Now im curious I dont have cats on my car and i would imagine that without those my car would not pass emissions. Now my question is if they only hook into your OBD port and there is no trouble code for the cats not being there am i in the clear?? I have never thrown a check engine light so i would imagine that it was taken care of with the tune or the programmer

[AZSonicSnake]

yup. your free and clear holmes. you and i have discussed this one before. lol....

[IMSHAKN]

Glad you brought this up as I'm kind of worried about taking mine in this month for it's first emissions test... I'm worried they may smell that it's running a tad rich or raise some red flags because of how loud it is. Almost tempted to put the stock pipe on just for emissions.

[AZSonicSnake]

they will check your gas cap, and plug into the obd port, and check for CEL's. no sniffer or anything like that. not sure how many stations do a visual, but if your cats are missing, you could fail a visual. otherwise, there should not be any problems.

[TruBluScreamer]

they will check your gas cap, and plug into the obd port, and check for CEL's. no sniffer or anything like that. not sure how many stations do a visual, but if your cats are missing, you could fail a visual. otherwise, there should not be any problems.

Yeah thats what im worried about is a visual but its not until august so maybe i can buy or borrow some cats for the test

[FalconGTHO]

I thought they run a mirror on a stick underneath to check for cats?

[AZSonicSnake]

they can, but i have had two cars go through and they did not. but then again, neither were anything that would likely warrant it.

[YellowGT5.0]

Had any one been emission tested by the williams field air base? Because i do have the the stock pipe with cats but i'd rather just not install them and try to pass !! I just wanted to know if anyone had gone there, and do they check under your car?

[99WhiteGT]

no i havnt been there but there is one on...greenfield and brown (or just pass brown) that i went to and they dont check underneath

[DesertMach]

I just got the Mach tested last week, all they did was put the tester in the OBD port and then start the car for about 20 seconds, and said I was done, then I had to pull forward where they check the gas cap, when the guy went to check the gas cap he found it still had the strap on it (original gas cap) so he just screwed the cap back on and never tested it.
They never did a visual check for cats or under the hood, the complete test took about 4 minutes.

[TruBluScreamer]

I just got the Mach tested last week, all they did was put the tester in the OBD port and then start the car for about 20 seconds, and said I was done, then I had to pull forward where they check the gas cap, when the guy went to check the gas cap he found it still had the strap on it (original gas cap) so he just screwed the cap back on and never tested it.
They never did a visual check for cats or under the hood, the complete test took about 4 minutes.


Where did you go??

[YellowGT5.0]

but what if i have the obd 1? the cars from 96-now have the obd II set up.

[DesertMach]

Where did you go??

I went to the one on 23rd or 21st AVE between peoria and dunlap.

[ASUSMC]

Actually its 1995 that Ford switched to the OBDII and they hook you up to the sniffer.

[vicious781]

Try to go when its busy, less likely to do a visual but then again, you might get a picky tester. Don't forget, if you fail you get one more free shot.

[gjmack3]

More than likely, they are going to do the visual inspection on your car. They would have to be absolutely slammed not to perform a state mandatory check. Hope you can get it through.

[TruBluScreamer]

Ok so now my question would be if i end up havin to buy cats how would i go about putting them on so i can take them off after and still maintain my setup i have now

[IMSHAKN]

Ok so now my question would be if i end up havin to buy cats how would i go about putting them on so i can take them off after and still maintain my setup i have now

swap someone's midpipe on and then take it back off and replace your stuff. It's simple.

[ASUSMC]

not quite. He has longtubes...

[IMSHAKN]

not quite. He has longtubes...

ouch....didn't read that part.

[TruBluScreamer]

Gotta hate it when your long tubes get in your way!!! :biglaugh::biglaugh::biglaugh:

[saleenfiend17]

just find some cat covers and tack them up in place. It will look good for the mirror and then just rip em off.

I am a certified inspector in Louisiana, we do the exact same test as AZ. The only time i used the mirror to inspect for cats was the first LEGAL inspection I did at the inspection station. OBDII test are on 96&up in Louisiana.