Help get me emissions legal

[adova]

Hi All -

I took delivery of my 04 CO coupe last Friday night - super excited! Unfortunately, I now realize that I am going to be running into some emissions issues, primarily because the exhaust has no cats.

Currently, the car is running BBK long tubes with a Bassani exhaust. It is my guess that if I replace with cat-less mid-pipes with BBK H-Pipes or X-Pipes with cats I will *probably* be ok.

These are the two options:

http://www.lethalperformance.com/bbk-99-01-cobra-short-h-pipe-w-cats-for-use-w-bbk-longtubes.html

http://www.lethalperformance.com/bbk-96-04-mustang-2-5-short-x-pipe-w-cats-use-w-bbk-longtubes.html

Does this sounds like a reasonable plan? Any recommendations for X vs H? Are there any considerations for the install? Should I be looking at a whole different direction?

Thanks in advance!

Shawn

 

[Black Gold 380R]

I'm not sure how your cars computer is set up, but I heard a tuner can go in and turn the cats signal off. When you go to get your emissions test the part that lists cats will come up N/A. and then the overall test will state pass.

Here in Texas they just hook your car up to the OBDII port and read your computer and then do a visual to make sure your lights and all that work. So, long as your check engine light is not on and the specific tests list PASS or N/A you're good to go.

So, depending on how they inspect in Colorado all you might need to do is have a tuner set up your computer and you might not need to run cats.

Now if you want to remain legal then any of the options you provide links for should work for you.

 

[adova]

Here, they do a visual inspection for the cats (mirrors under the car) and then they run the car and measure the emissions via a probe inserted into the exhaust.

Besides getting legal, I really wanted to quiet the car down a little anyways. Right now, I would feel uncomfortable leaving for work in the morning and annoying all of my neighbors in what can best be equated to as a "Mister Rogers Neighborhood" .

 

[adova]

Also - when I switch to the catted mids will I *have* to have a re-tune?

 

[badcobra]

If you need tuning help and want to work with people that are experts on passing CO emissions laws, I highly suggest you give my brother's shop a call. They are right in Denver and also a Lethal dealer. Best of luck.

Finish Line Performance
www.denverhorsepower.com
720-201-1834

 

[adova]

If you need tuning help and want to work with people that are experts on passing CO emissions laws, I highly suggest you give my brother's shop a call. They are right in Denver and also a Lethal dealer. Best of luck.

Finish Line Performance
www.denverhorsepower.com
720-201-1834

Heh - yeah - they have my '68 Mustang for the Winter now. I would love to use them, but I need to conserve the $$ so I can pay for the work on the '68!

Do you think that adding the cats back on will require a re-tune?

 

[badcobra]

Give Greg a call there. I don't know the laws in CO on what monitors need to be on when you are tested. It's possible he may need to update your tune.

 

[adova]

k - thanks!

 

[Black Gold 380R]

Here, they do a visual inspection for the cats (mirrors under the car) and then they run the car and measure the emissions via a probe inserted into the exhaust.

Wow, you guys still have the sniffer test? Hard core up there. I'm sure California and a few other states are the same. Good luck to you sir.

 

[ShaneCobra74]

Congratulations on your Cobra! I love the color.

I run Bassani mid length headers with a Bassani 5 piece catless X and Borla Stingers. When its time to do emissions, I just remove the two short pipes between the headers and the X and slide in my cats. After the test, the cats come back off until emissions comes around again two years later. I'm tuned so that when my cats are installed, all of my emissions stuff 'checks in' and, when removed- I don't get any CELs.

My neighbors can kiss my ass. On their parcel, they're living their version of the American dream. I'm doing the same on mine. At 42, I stopped giving a shit what other people think. I guess I'm just a salty bastard. I'm paying a mortgage and taxes.. so what of it? Musclecars are 'Merican like guns, big trucks, Harleys, and baseball. They can get over it- IMO. HA!

 

[adova]

Wow, you guys still have the sniffer test? Hard core up there. I'm sure California and a few other states are the same. Good luck to you sir.

My original plan was to register the car in Florida (where I have another house) and there are no inspections at all, but they need to do a VIN inspection - e.g. the car has to be there. If the Cats get me to pass, then this is the path of least resistance

 

[hotcobra03]

What mods does car have?

Did car come with hand tuner?

We lived in jersey when we got ours in 03.

I had gotten both catted and off rd for emissions..luckily we moved to South TX where there is no emission testing..

Catted pipe will quiet car a lot

Depending on mods a hand tuner might be enough for you to make changes

 

[AznPrswayzn]

I also live in colorado and have bbk long tubes. I have both an off road and catted x-pipe for emmissions. As long as all your sensors read correctly on the scanner installing cats should help you pass no problem.

 

[choate]

This was for a 2012 but MAAAAN did I have problems with this not too long ago. Long story short even with the cats on my car wouldn't pass with a big CAI with no tube and an after cat 3'' X pipe. My tuner (not gonna mention names but a big box store name) couldn't get it to work. Had to put it 100% back to stock to run the stock tune b/c the car would throw a light with the CAI and stock tune. Even with the stock air box on the sensors wouldn't all read ready until the factory H pipe (smaller diameter) was put back on. I eventually gave it to the shop and said just put it all back stock. He said they would have never believed it mattered have a down stream after cat X pipe affecting anything but now they believe b/c the sensors that weren't ready all started reading (3 of them) after like 40 miles of installing the factory H. In your case, it should be much easier with an 03-04 model year but had to share my story. A good tuner and you should have no problems either at least with the OBD part of it. Won't pass sniffer w/out cats but we don't have that here

 

[c6zhombre]

Is this the car with aftermarket cams and headwork? That is probably going to complicate things as well on a sniffer test even with high flow cats. Best to get a tuner to make damn sure that tune is spot on and in need of passing an emission test

 

[adova]

Yes - aftermarket cams. I found an interesting loophole, though. If you spend more than $715 trying to make it legal you can apply for a waiver. I think I can show that (just bought some ID1000 injectors and the pipes) if it comes to it...

 

[c6zhombre]

If you can't get the waiver......another avenue to ensure you pass the sniffer test is to switch to E85 if you have it up there. It will lower c02 and benzene levels without a shadow of a doubt over pump gas. But it could raise acetaldehyde levels, so you might want to check exactly what your state is checking for.

Bottom line E85 overall burns extremely clean....not to mention all the performance, cooling and safety levels it creates. You can run BIG time boost on it safer than a low boost gas tune

 

[adova]

Yes - the switch over is already in the works - especially since we can only get 91 octane here. E85 is pretty easy for me to get to (assuming the content is fairly constant).

The car already has a return fuel system, although I am not sure what pumps it has. I got a deal on some ID1000's so those will go in and then I think I am set for an E85 tune.

 

[c6zhombre]

Nice!

I've been running it for years now....it should make a flat out amazing difference over a 91 tune. And I bet you pass the sniffer no problem.

I run a 2.3 whipple, factory lower crank pulley, and 2.6" upper for the E85 tune. It makes 22 psi here at sea level. I also have a 93 pump gas tune and run a 3.0" upper making 17~18 psi. The E85 destroys the pump gas setup in every way imaginable...LOL. I mean all the way from idle, to mid range, to top end HP. Your plugs and fuel filter will stay whistle clean. The only negative is reduced range for a tank

 

[adova]

I took her in for a first run at emission yesterday and didn't even get in past the front door (so to speak). It looks like all of the monitors are turned off in the tune. I do not have the tune file (trying to get it), so I am not sure if I can use the SCT to turn the monitors back on or if I just need to get another stock tune from scratch.

I have been looking to get the PRP software from LaSota Racing, but I am not sure if that is going to get me where I need to be in short order or if I am just better off paying to have a new tune put in...