Passing emissions with catless dp

[mcummings182]

It's finally been 5 years since I got my Fiesta, and unfortunately I'm required to do an echeck where I am located. My car is stage 3 with a custom tune and I have a catless dp. People told me I can go through the self echeck and should be able to pass. Well my car just keeps showing "not ready" and I have driven it tons of miles, so there's no reason that should be the issue. I've gotten pulled over twice and gotten 2 tickets for expired plates. I can't get another temp tag because Ohio only allows you to have 2. Other than putting the stock dp back on, is there any way I can pass the echeck? I read something on other forums about using a defouler? I don't know a whole lot about cars, I have a friend do all the work on my car. If anyone could give me any advice that would be great because I don't want to lose my job because I can't drive me car.

 

[rcnut14]

yup put a defouler on. it should only take 5 minutes.

you literally unscrew the downstream O2 sensor, screw in the defouler, (where the o2 sensor would go) and the o2 sensor then screws into the defouler. all it does is restrict the airflow to the sensor to fool the sensor into reading lower.

keep in mind this will get rid of your check engine light and such, but it won't help if your state still uses a "sniffer" at the end of the exhaust.

 

[dhminer]

If it’s only an OBD scan just do as rc said and you’re golden. Sniffer or visual inspection will still fail you though. If they’re really out to get you they’ll recognize the smell of a catless exhaust.

 

[Gone in 60]

I'm running defoulers on my work van, which is running a straight pipe instead of a cat. They made the check engine light go out and it's not throwing codes. Should help you, other than the aforementioned smell.

Full disclosure: I park my van in a bad neighborhood, and the cat has been stolen once. I'm not putting another free $500 bill under it until my next smog check...

 

[dhminer]

I'm running defoulers on my work van, which is running a straight pipe instead of a cat. They made the check engine light go out and it's not throwing codes. Should help you, other than the aforementioned smell.

Full disclosure: I park my van in a bad neighborhood, and the cat has been stolen once. I'm not putting another free $500 bill under it until my next smog check...

Damn people will really steal anything these days

 

[mcummings182]

If it’s only an OBD scan just do as rc said and you’re golden. Sniffer or visual inspection will still fail you though. If they’re really out to get you they’ll recognize the smell of a catless exhaust.

We have self test kiosks that we can go to, which just requires you to plug the OBD into the car and let it run for a minute. Don't you have to take the DP off in order to put the defouler on?

 

[dhminer]

We have self test kiosks that we can go to, which just requires you to plug the OBD into the car and let it run for a minute. Don't you have to take the DP off in order to put the defouler on?

Nope just need to raise up the front end and you can get to the downstream O2 sensor. 22mm wrench if memory serves me is all you’ll need.

 

[briandee]

Has your tuner deactivated the rear O2? If so, you will not pass. Remove that part of the tune, and put a defouler on the rear O2. Should pass an OBD2 plug in test.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Gone in 60]

Damn people will really steal anything these days

One of the things I like about the FIST is that the cat isn't accessible from under the car. Can't get to it with a jack and a sawzall, which gives a little peace of mind when I'm parked.

 

[Gone in 60]

Speaking of running catless, I dodged a bullet yesterday. Coming back to the shop in my "rollin' dirty" van, they had a portable roller dyno/smog station set up on my street and were pulling cars out of traffic to do emissions testing. They had a poor old Ford Aerostar on the rollers getting tested, but I didn't get pulled in to be tested.

Now, I have heard that this is done just for sampling in different areas, and you can refuse to be tested and go on your way. And, since it's not for enforcement purposes, they can't penalize you during these pop-up tests. But, I was ready with a "Look, my cat will just get stolen again in this neighborhood, what would you do?" speech if it went in that direction.

 

[dhminer]

Speaking of running catless, I dodged a bullet yesterday. Coming back to the shop in my "rollin' dirty" van, they had a portable roller dyno/smog station set up on my street and were pulling cars out of traffic to do emissions testing. They had a poor old Ford Aerostar on the rollers getting tested, but I didn't get pulled in to be tested.

Now, I have heard that this is done just for sampling in different areas, and you can refuse to be tested and go on your way. And, since it's not for enforcement purposes, they can't penalize you during these pop-up tests. But, I was ready with a "Look, my cat will just get stolen again in this neighborhood, what would you do?" speech if it went in that direction.

Why wouldn’t you just politely decline to participate and keep going if they stopped you? There are of course a few exceptions; but as a rule or thumb you should never consent to a search, inspection, or even a conversation with a police officer.

 

[Gone in 60]

That's what I'm saying... as I understand, you aren't compelled to participate if you're stopped. But, I haven't had the pleasure of being selected for one of these roadside tests. They have put them up near my house, this is the first time I've seen one near my office. You never know, while one official is talking to you, another might be taking a glance under the van.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Speaking of running catless, I dodged a bullet yesterday. Coming back to the shop in my "rollin' dirty" van, they had a portable roller dyno/smog station set up on my street and were pulling cars out of traffic to do emissions testing. They had a poor old Ford Aerostar on the rollers getting tested, but I didn't get pulled in to be tested.

Now, I have heard that this is done just for sampling in different areas, and you can refuse to be tested and go on your way. And, since it's not for enforcement purposes, they can't penalize you during these pop-up tests. But, I was ready with a "Look, my cat will just get stolen again in this neighborhood, what would you do?" speech if it went in that direction.

I have gotten one quite expensive court visit resulting from one of those portable smog roller things, it was in my Grand National many years ago. I am not a fan. It's not worth it to run catless. The FiST should be so low that it's cat is pretty safe, shouldn't it? Just park around taller easier to get under vehicles

 

[Clint Beastwood]

That's what I'm saying... as I understand, you aren't compelled to participate if you're stopped. But, I haven't had the pleasure of being selected for one of these roadside tests. They have put them up near my house, this is the first time I've seen one near my office. You never know, while one official is talking to you, another might be taking a glance under the van.

Some of them you can decline to participate, but when it hit me they cited probably cause as I launched a plume of flame and you could smell the exhaust. With modern cats I don't bother going catless, there's no performance benefit and it just stinks and other people have to deal with the smell. While you can technically decline to participate, they can really screw up your day if you do. Yes, you'll be in the right, but you'll be massively inconvenienced for it.

 

[Gone in 60]

I have gotten one quite expensive court visit resulting from one of those portable smog roller things, it was in my Grand National many years ago. I am not a fan. It's not worth it to run catless. The FiST should be so low that it's cat is pretty safe, shouldn't it? Just park around taller easier to get under vehicles

Not worried about my Fist - can’t get to the cat on that car. But try parking a shop van in Santa Ana overnight.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

Not worried about my Fist - can’t get to the cat on that car. But try parking a shop van in Santa Ana overnight.

I get you - but the money you may wind up having to invest in fighting the catless citation and violations/fines will easily eclipse the cost of a cat.

 

[rallytaff]

I'm going back to my stock downpipe. Want to pass smog without any problems as I intend keeping the car. Have already got 2 potential customers that want it if I want to sell!

 

[Gone in 60]

I get you - but the money you may wind up having to invest in fighting the catless citation and violations/fines will easily eclipse the cost of a cat.

If I'm lucky, the state will crush the van to make an example out of smog law evasion. My cat was stolen right after I passed smog earlier this year. So, I'm waiting to see if the old thing will die before I have to spend money on a new one to pass again in two years. A new cat would be worth more than the entire vehicle.

 

[Clint Beastwood]

If I'm lucky, the state will crush the van to make an example out of smog law evasion. My cat was stolen right after I passed smog earlier this year. So, I'm waiting to see if the old thing will die before I have to spend money on a new one to pass again in two years. A new cat would be worth more than the entire vehicle.

I wonder if they give you any wiggle room if you file a police report about the stolen cat. They've gotta be doing something since the cats are backlogged so hard and you can't use cheaper aftermarket ones.

 

[ronmcdon]

I'm going back to my stock downpipe. Want to pass smog without any problems as I intend keeping the car. Have already got 2 potential customers that want it if I want to sell!

maybe this is just me being overprotective, but if you are taking your car to the track, I would say hold on to the cobb cat. I used my stock cat for about 10 tracks days or so in arguably irresponsible temperatures of up to 105. eventually, parts of the stock cat got damaged and had to replace it. now running the same cat as you, I think the Cobb catted downpipe and purchased an extra factory cat as well as a moutune cat, just in case as who know when they will make these things anymore.

btw if you do decide to sell, lmk as I am more local to you and can pick up. hope to collect and hoard at least half a dozen quality catted downpipes this year.