Failed emissions... + bad day seeking input + Warning to JLTII owners.

[walter]

Just as the title says I went to get my car inspected today and I was failed because apparently the Catalyst, O2 sens, and O2 Sens HTR, values read not ready. I have a JLT II intake from Bamachips with his tunes installed. Could Doug have tuned off my cats and that be causing the inspection to fail?

Also I got my 15 day repair slip so I can figure out how to fix this in the meantime free of charge and try again. IF all else failed could I revert to stock intake and tune and fix the issue that way (and swap everything out when I'm done) ?

FINALLY to the last ugly problem. For a while I had been observing that the billet MAF housing had been coming apart from the intake tube on my JLT II intake part. After I took off from the inspection place (already ticked off) my car starts running VERY ROUGH and died on me. I pushed it to a gas station (in 98+ degree weather might I add) and after switching out between the tunes and having no luck it died completely (after a healthy dose of pinging along the way).
The aluminum MAF housing came completely apart and the MAF was off the chart causing my car to go on the fritz. I took the thing off beat it back into submission and the car started up and drove fine.

If you have a JLT II make sure your MAF housing isn't coming apart or bad things can happen.

 

[SpartaPerformance]

Did the CEL come on prior to your inspection? If so it takes a few miles driven in 3 different speed ranges for more then 50miles to reset the system. If the CEL did not come on then it's a tune issue and would contact tuner right away.

 

[Satin07Stang]

I didn't think it would pass a visual inspection with a cold air intake. I know they told me before with my 89 about a cold air intake I had. I planned on removing my CAI before the inspection. Just my 2 cents.

 

[walter]

Did the CEL come on prior to your inspection? If so it takes a few miles driven in 3 different speed ranges for more then 50miles to reset the system. If the CEL did not come on then it's a tune issue and would contact tuner right away.

I don't have a CEL on my car. This information only showed up in the readout screen.

I didn't think it would pass a visual inspection with a cold air intake. I know they told me before with my 89 about a cold air intake I had. I planned on removing my CAI before the inspection. Just my 2 cents.

That's odd, I had cars with CAI's before and they never failed me because of having one plus they didn't say anything about it I would think if they thought it be illegal they would have told me.

 

[wveil3v]

I don't have a CEL on my car. This information only showed up in the readout screen.




That's odd, I had cars with CAI's before and they never failed me because of having one plus they didn't say anything about it I would think if they thought it be illegal they would have told me.

Probably the easiest way to inspection now would be to put stock intake and tune back in and take through a drive cycle and then to the inspection place before cooldown, that's what I do, and I follow the written description of a drive cycle that's in our owners manual and it's worked for me. Then I just put my C&L intake back in with my custom tune and I am good togo

 

[racerraj]

Probably the easiest way to inspection now would be to put stock intake and tune back in and take through a drive cycle and then to the inspection place before cooldown, that's what I do, and I follow the written description of a drive cycle that's in our owners manual and it's worked for me. Then I just put my C&L intake back in with my custom tune and I am good togo

Agreed! That's what I would plan on doing... But lucky me, I don't have to deal with it yet. I'm sure it's coming though.

 

[darien87]

I don't have a CEL on my car. This information only showed up in the readout screen.




That's odd, I had cars with CAI's before and they never failed me because of having one plus they didn't say anything about it I would think if they thought it be illegal they would have told me.

It depends on who you go to. I took my 95 to a Shell station a few years back and he failed me because of the CAI and adjustable fuel pressure regulator I had. So not only did I fail, but he put my car in their database, which made it so that I had to go to a referee to get my car inspected before I could get it smogged. The referee went over my car with a fine toothed comb and made me get CARB numbers for my Cobra intake, CAI, catalytic convertors, MSD ignition and he made me remove the fuel pressure regulator, since it didn't have a CARB number. It was the biggest pain in the ass I've ever dealt with.

Now I go to a guy that my mechanic recommended who is cool as long as the car passes smog. Be careful who you go to dude. You don't want to have to go through what I did. I'd definitely say take the CAI off, unless you know the guy you're talking it to is cool.

 

[Casey4s]

I just had the same thing happen to me last thursday. My 05 GT would not pass emissions because some of the sensors read "not ready". The guy told me to drive it about 200 miles then bring it back. But I just realized the this is the first time I've done this since I got a custom SCT tune put on my car about 2 years ago. I was thinking of putting the stock tune back in if the 200 miles doesn't help. It has passed emissions with my K&N CAI installed last time though.

 

[ski]

I just had the same thing happen to me last thursday. My 05 GT would not pass emissions because some of the sensors read "not ready". The guy told me to drive it about 200 miles then bring it back. But I just realized the this is the first time I've done this since I got a custom SCT tune put on my car about 2 years ago. I was thinking of putting the stock tune back in if the 200 miles doesn't help. It has passed emissions with my K&N CAI installed last time though.

Reinstall the stock tune and stock intake before doing any driving to clear the "not ready" readouts. The custom tune eliminates some of the readiness tests, which speeds up the PCM for improved engine performance, and driving will not clear them with the custom tune installed.

 

[Lakesnake]

Walter,

I had the same issue last year with Doug's tune. He turns those components off in the tune.

I had read on one of the forums that Doug wrote some people a tune just for inspection that would turn these back on - so you could flash the inspection tune - go get sticker - then flash back to what ever tune you were running.

I sent him an email about a month ago and finally got a response last night indicting he would not write a tune just for inspection. Don't know what happen but I guess we are stuck retuning to stock and driving around for a while before getting a sticker.

 

[travelers]

Your not the first one to have that come apart. Just call them up and they will replace it.

 

[walter]

Walter,

I had the same issue last year with Doug's tune. He turns those components off in the tune.

I had read on one of the forums that Doug wrote some people a tune just for inspection that would turn these back on - so you could flash the inspection tune - go get sticker - then flash back to what ever tune you were running.

I sent him an email about a month ago and finally got a response last night indicting he would not write a tune just for inspection. Don't know what happen but I guess we are stuck retuning to stock and driving around for a while before getting a sticker.

That sucks.

Your not the first one to have that come apart. Just call them up and they will replace it.

Thanks for the info. Who did you call JLT or the retailer that sold you the thing?

Also is there anyone else that tunes our cars that will leave the sensors off or will everyone have them switched off to speed up PCM processing?

Thanks!

 

[walter]

UPDATE (at least on the intake): I called JLT this morning and they were very nice. They asked me what color my intake tube was and told me they would have a replacement in the mail free of charge. When I got home I already had a tracking # in my inbox!

Now that's GREAT customer service!

 

[NastyStang113]

Doug turned the rear 02 sensors off so you could add a o/r mid pipe.

 

[walter]

Doug turned the rear 02 sensors off so you could add a o/r mid pipe.

That's what I thought but IIRC I specified I wasn't going to run without cats. I think latesnake's explanation probably covers it.

 

[SP_51-F1]

Bama told me that he turns off the rear o2's as a standard setup on all his tunes.

I ended up getting an "emissions tune" from VMP that left the rear o2's on. I can pass inspection with this tune, once a driving cycle is complete, without removing my JLT or swapping back to the stock CMCV plates. I'm in Williamson county, which I believe has the same emissions tests as Harris.

VMP was great to deal with, but I'm sure you can find several tuners to set you up with a tune that leaves all the sensors on.

 

[retfr8flyr]

Just call Doug and he will send you a tune that will pass the test.


Earl

 

[walter]

Well I called the big 3 today (no not those) and here's the results:

Bamachips = No emissions tunes. They just told me to revert to stock, drive, pass and switch over to the JLT. I understand that that may be part of their tuning but I think it would benefit them to offer at least one tune level that can work with the emissions equipment.

Brenspeed = They can write an emissions tune. They were very nice and suggested I'd call Doug first and try to get it from him before seeking help from them or elsewhere.

VMP Tuning = Also said they could work an emissions tune and were a bit cheaper with a single file.

That's my findings so far. Today I reverted the car back to stock. I guess that buys me some time until my new JLT II comes in the mail. I'll probably get an emissions tune later on down the line.

 

[Steel Horse]

A little off topic but does the Bamachips sct tuner allow you to calibrate tire sizes or is that locked in by Doug before he sends it out?

 

[walter]

I think it's locked.