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N.C. New Emissions test

  • Thread starter Thread starter 98blackmagic
  • Start date Start date Jan 4, 2006

98blackmagic

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Well North Carolina just put into law the new emmisions test for all 96 and newer cars, so this brings up some questions. My new motor is getting ready to be droped in my car and I have the 278XE comp cams, and I know from what comp says they are not emissions legal, I have a off road h pipe also but that isint a big deal (I'll just go buy a catted one), but the cams has me worried . Does anybody else live here in NC know any way of getting around the new emissions test? Or am I screwed, and going to need to swap cams before the motor even goes in and go with some smaller cams that are emissions legal? I have already called the shop I normally go to, for my inspections and they said, no way to pass it with bad emissions, because the test goes to Raleigh and its not up to them (the shop) if the car passes or fails. Its all computer and comes from Raleigh for a pass or fail. THIS SUCKS
 

jstreet0204

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Jan 4, 2006
#2
  • Jan 4, 2006
  • #2
98blackmagic said:
Well North Carolina just put into law the new emmisions test for all 96 and newer cars, so this brings up some questions. My new motor is getting ready to be droped in my car and I have the 278XE comp cams, and I know from what comp says they are not emissions legal, I have a off road h pipe also but that isint a big deal (I'll just go buy a catted one), but the cams has me worried . Does anybody else live here in NC know any way of getting around the new emissions test? Or am I screwed, and going to need to swap cams before the motor even goes in and go with some smaller cams that are emissions legal? I have already called the shop I normally go to, for my inspections and they said, no way to pass it with bad emissions, because the test goes to Raleigh and its not up to them (the shop) if the car passes or fails. Its all computer and comes from Raleigh for a pass or fail. THIS SUCKS
Click to expand...

Don't worry about it. If it doesn't throw any codes it will pass. Forsyth County changed over last year, and I had no problems with a the mods in my sig. It is simply an odbii test. The sniffer was harder to pass.
 

98blackmagic

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You dont have any cams do you? That is what im worried about because Im pretty sure its going to turn on my check eng light. The exhaust can be made legal with the catted pipe but I would think the cams would cause problems with the exhaust gas too. Right or wrong, I am really concerned with this because it's kind of holding up my engine install, since I dont know what to do about these dam cams.
 

jstreet0204

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#4
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Cams shouldn't throw a code unless they are really aggressive and even then it can be corrected with a tune. They don't check the exhuast with a sniffer anymore. At least not here. They simply hook up to the obdii port. As long as they don't do a visual inspection, and you have mil eliminators, or the rear o2's have been turned off on you chip, you don't even have to swap the midpipe.
 

98blackmagic

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jstreet0204 said:
Cams shouldn't throw a code unless they are really aggressive and even then it can be corrected with a tune. They don't check the exhuast with a sniffer anymore. At least not here. They simply hook up to the obdii port. As long as they don't do a visual inspection, and you have mil eliminators, or the rear o2's have been turned off on you chip, you don't even have to swap the midpipe.
Click to expand...

Ok my cams are agressive, they are the BIGGEST comp makes, I wasnt aware that with a tune it could keep the check eng light off. I believe the only thing they do is plug into the obd port with the computer, I dont think they do a visual inspection, if the tune can fix the cam problem I may be ok , anybody else have any info on this?
 

98blackmagic

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by the way my cam profile is


.550
.550
Duration 242/246 at .050"
Lobe seperation 113"

My car isint a daily driver, I only drive it a few times a week, mainly just for fum. I got the cams with a set of ported heads, they came off a wrecked car and I got the entire engine from my speed-shop owner, it was pulled apart and inspected to see what parts it was built with and thats how I got the cams, but like I said my car isint a daily driver so the large cams wont be a problem for me. A big plus is that these cams are listed as blower-cams and a Procharger is in my future come summer. I just hope I can keep them and not have to go to smaller ones.
 

03ghoststang

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Jul 16, 2005
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Los Angeles, California
Jan 4, 2006
#7
  • Jan 4, 2006
  • #7
go with VT stg 1 cams with a real good tune and the stock H-pipe they you will pass emissions if its a sniffer test i have seen it outhere in Cali and everyone knows the reputation we have for emissions testing
 
D

Dragstr05

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#8
  • Jan 4, 2006
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98blackmagic said:
by the way my cam profile is


.550
.550
Duration 242/246 at .050"
Lobe seperation 113"

My car isint a daily driver, I only drive it a few times a week, mainly just for fum. I got the cams with a set of ported heads, they came off a wrecked car and I got the entire engine from my speed-shop owner, it was pulled apart and inspected to see what parts it was built with and thats how I got the cams, but like I said my car isint a daily driver so the large cams wont be a problem for me. A big plus is that these cams are listed as blower-cams and a Procharger is in my future come summer. I just hope I can keep them and not have to go to smaller ones.
Click to expand...

If they just do the OBDII test you'll probably be ok. Now, I'm not sure about NC (or my homestate VA for that matter), but one of my managers at my PT job here in PA has a 91/92 5.0 that is registered/insured for less than 5k miles a year, and he is emissions exempt. Most likely it wont apply to you, but its worth checking into if you only drive your car occassionally.
 

98blackmagic

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Just talked to a friend at Cape Fear Ford, he said there is no sniffer test just a obd test that hooks under your dash, and checks for tolerances in the codes for 02 sensors, tps sensors ect........... so what do you guys think will the cams cause the check eng light to come on, cause I have no idea.
 
D

Dragstr05

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#10
  • Jan 4, 2006
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I dont know the difference is specs between your cams and the VT stage II's, but people swap those in quite often and I never hear of any CEL complaints. If it does, I dont see why a tune shouldnt fix it. I really dont think it should set a code, but if it does its probably nothing a tune wont fix which you will need anyway.
 

98blackmagic

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Dragstr05 said:
I dont know the difference is specs between your cams and the VT stage II's, but people swap those in quite often and I never hear of any CEL complaints. If it does, I dont see why a tune shouldnt fix it. I really dont think it should set a code, but if it does its probably nothing a tune wont fix which you will need anyway.
Click to expand...


OK I just got off the phone with wayne at the dyno shop in Jacksonville, he said the cams SHOULD NOT set off any codes to turn on the check eng light . The only problem I would have is the h pipe and that is no big deal, Ill just have to get a legal one to put on before I go for inspection . He didnt say he could turn off the light if it does come on, he kind of pushed the point that the light should not come on at all, so Im hopeing he is right (or at least he will be able to cut it off if it does go on). One final note yes I am getting a re-tune after the new motor install, theres no way I would drive it around with the chip burnt for the NON PI motor that's in the car now, who knows how much power I would be leaveing in the computer.
 
R

rpburnette

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May 22, 2003
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Jan 5, 2006
#12
  • Jan 5, 2006
  • #12
I don't have cams in my car yet, but I live in Raleigh and I have a Bassani X-pipe w/cats and a Bassani catback. I also have a tune that turns off my rear O2 sensors. When I got inspected (at a local Jiffy Lube, don't worry that is the only time they touch my car) the guy came in and asked who's Mustang it was, and of course I said mine (proudly of course) and he asked if those were hi-flow cats and I said yes. He said he just couldn't fail a car that sounded that good, so find a car friendly inspection station.

Basically, the law in NC (in the affected counties) states that all 1996 and newer cars are subject to the OBD test and a visual test. Since my car had a different exhaust it was suppose to be tested via the sniffer, i.e. failed visual. The guy just put down that my car had OEM parts and didn't hook it up to the sniffer. If I were you, get a tune to take care of any codes to satisfy the OBD test, and make sure you take it to a "friendly" inspection place so that they don't hook it up to the sniffer. You are right, they can't fake the sniffer test, but if they don't perform one, than it doesn't matter.

Good luck and keep us posted to how it goes.
 

StangLou

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Jul 9, 2003
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Jan 5, 2006
#13
  • Jan 5, 2006
  • #13
Yep, the new law will make life a lot easier for the fox bodies, but it will be basically the same as it was previously for 96+ cars from what I was told. Last year for my '03 they did obd II and the sniffer. This year he only did the OBD II. He never even looked under the car. Same guy did it both years. He went over my 5.0 with a fine tooth comb, but it still squeaked through. Cant wait till next year when all I need is a quick visual for the Fox and thats it!!!

Most of the stuff that would cause a MIL to come on, a good tuner can take care of. Thankfully there is an awesome Diablo tuner 30 mins down the hw for me
 
S

Sonicpony

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Jan 5, 2006
#14
  • Jan 5, 2006
  • #14
when i went the guy didnt even look under the car at all, he was more worried about the tint. i thought the slp would get me
 
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