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Is Cobb selling us out?
- Thread starter Old Mike Emerson
- Start date
I think you got lucky with the EO sticker because I looked it up on Cobb’s website and they only support stage 1/2 tunes for the 2014-2016 vehicles. And there was a note that you have to purchase all parts of the Stage 1/2 to get the EO.
Though that could also be a sales tactic on their site to get people to buy the complete package rather than the pieces which fall under the EO number regardless of if they give a sticker .The smog techs do not ask for stickers in fact people I know who have already done smogs and had the stickers The tech neither asked or looked for it, Its merely a proof legality more aimed at cops that might pull you over and want to peek around.
Oh and here is a link to my year 2018 on the COBB site with the AP for sale for it with the EO number. Just like I said . So you should stop looking at the chart and look at punching in the year of the car and see what they have for sale. As if it was not legal they would not even list it.
https://www.cobbtuning.com/products/accessport/ford-focus-st-fiesta-st-accessport-v3
Yesterday, I called a local Cobb tuner, turns out to be just a few miles from my office. I asked him what he thought about my situation. He said that he's seen guys in the area get passed with the EO paperwork and no sticker with no problems, and doubted that I'd have a problem. That was a little reassuing.
Yes, that would make sense that they would not sell a product that was not carb legal. I don’t know why they have not updated their own chart and do things correctly IMO. Every time I click on the D-660-6 EO number I get the earlier models. For example their carbon fiber intake has an EO number for a 2019 Fiesta.
I also assume I can buy a new AP from any vendor and do what you did and call/email for the sticker. I guess it’s more piece of mind than anything when it comes to getting our cars smogged or when the inspectors become the Tune police also.
I also assume I can buy a new AP from any vendor and do what you did and call/email for the sticker. I guess it’s more piece of mind than anything when it comes to getting our cars smogged or when the inspectors become the Tune police also.
My experience this past January.
2014 FiST PASSED 1st CA Smog Check with COBB Stage 3 *Tune* loaded on an otherwise stock car emissions wise. Stock intake, sound symposer, turbo, CAT, and exhaust.
Every emissions related hard part is OE. Test every 2 years from here on out. CARB stickers or documents weren’t needed, nor were they asked for. I just rolled up for a Plain Jane smog check. OBDII port plugged in told them the story needed.
COBB Stage 0 through 3 will all clear the I/M Readiness monitors. Its the hard parts that have to be complaint to not exceed COBB Stage 2.
2014 FiST PASSED 1st CA Smog Check with COBB Stage 3 *Tune* loaded on an otherwise stock car emissions wise. Stock intake, sound symposer, turbo, CAT, and exhaust.
Every emissions related hard part is OE. Test every 2 years from here on out. CARB stickers or documents weren’t needed, nor were they asked for. I just rolled up for a Plain Jane smog check. OBDII port plugged in told them the story needed.
COBB Stage 0 through 3 will all clear the I/M Readiness monitors. Its the hard parts that have to be complaint to not exceed COBB Stage 2.
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If you had stock intake and cat, you'd easily pass the visual. At that point, as long as the OBD didn't trip any red flags, you'd pass.
I'm more concerned about the visual. I don't want to swap back to my stock intake if I don't have to, even though it's not too bad a job.
My smog guy is pretty laid back. Thinking about it, the last modified car I took him was a Vortech blown '02 Mustang. The Vortech had an EO plate riveted to it, but I don't recall him ever stopping to take a look at it. That would have been around 2014 or so, since I sold that car to buy my FIST in '15. The custom Diablo tune didn't raise his eyebrows either, but that was before tunes were more of a concern. He was mainly looking for stock cats, and the car didn't trip any OB2 stuff.
He did fail my work van last year after I replaced the cat and O2 sensors. The parts were new, and the van didn't have enough drive cycles on it, so it was tripping the "not ready" wire.
I'm more concerned about the visual. I don't want to swap back to my stock intake if I don't have to, even though it's not too bad a job.
My smog guy is pretty laid back. Thinking about it, the last modified car I took him was a Vortech blown '02 Mustang. The Vortech had an EO plate riveted to it, but I don't recall him ever stopping to take a look at it. That would have been around 2014 or so, since I sold that car to buy my FIST in '15. The custom Diablo tune didn't raise his eyebrows either, but that was before tunes were more of a concern. He was mainly looking for stock cats, and the car didn't trip any OB2 stuff.
He did fail my work van last year after I replaced the cat and O2 sensors. The parts were new, and the van didn't have enough drive cycles on it, so it was tripping the "not ready" wire.
Any aftermarket cat will be a fail in California. However, it's a hard cat to see on this car. If your guy doesn't look for it, and the car blows clean, you may squeak by.
Personally, I wouldn't chance an aftermarket cat.
When I referred to the replacement cat on my work van, it was a 50-state legal factory equivalent replacement on a 250k mile beater van with a plugged cat. A Cobb catted downpipe isn't gonna be 50-state legal, and doesn't look like the factory piece if your inspector pulls the mirror-on-a-stick out and puts it under the car.
Personally, I wouldn't chance an aftermarket cat.
When I referred to the replacement cat on my work van, it was a 50-state legal factory equivalent replacement on a 250k mile beater van with a plugged cat. A Cobb catted downpipe isn't gonna be 50-state legal, and doesn't look like the factory piece if your inspector pulls the mirror-on-a-stick out and puts it under the car.
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Yeah, no go on the cat. That's the reason I stuck with a Stage 2 kit. I never figured that it would be CARB approved, but figured the worst I'd have to do is swap back the stock intake and reflash the ECU to stock. The cat is way too hard to swap back and forth for my taste.
Not like my Mustang days - just put the car on the lift, undo a few O2 sensors and bolts, drop out one, install the other, and go get inspected.
Not sure what plugs would do once the car is warmed up, but at least those are quick to swap out.
Not like my Mustang days - just put the car on the lift, undo a few O2 sensors and bolts, drop out one, install the other, and go get inspected.
Not sure what plugs would do once the car is warmed up, but at least those are quick to swap out.
Pardon the possibly basic question, but is there a difference in ECU readiness state for the canned COBB tunes and professional tunes? Specifically a Dizzy tune? The threads from last year noting that specifically in CA, (I thought any) aftermarket tunes could be detected when plugged into the testers scanner and that would result in failure.
The other thing I wonder about for myself, is will my tester notice the Symposer delete (I have the whoosh capped style, in black) and removed the entire line up to the firewall. Then also a Mishi catchcan, also in black.
These parts certainly don't put me up Schitt's Creek if I have t revert for smog check, but it would still be a pain
The other thing I wonder about for myself, is will my tester notice the Symposer delete (I have the whoosh capped style, in black) and removed the entire line up to the firewall. Then also a Mishi catchcan, also in black.
These parts certainly don't put me up Schitt's Creek if I have t revert for smog check, but it would still be a pain
When I undid my symposer, I unplugged it, stuck a rubber plug in the line, and plugged it back in, thinking it might be construed as some form of emission part. If you still have your kazoo hose, might be something to think about.
As for the catch can, I plan to tie the lines back under the can and snap the OEM hose back in place when my smog comes up. I painted it black and mounted it close to the firewall, so it sorta blends in with the other bits under the hood. If yours is black and tucked out of the way, might also be something to consider. If you don't have your OEM pcv hose, they're not much over $45 or so.
Speaking of mirrors, once I tried to take the lazy way out with my Mustang, and left the x-pipe on to see if I'd pass. I took it to a random smog shop, since I hadn't met the guy I use now. He pulled out the mirror, looked under the car, and gave a very snarky response: "Sir, this is very strange... two of your catalytic converters seem to have fallen off of your car. And the heat shields have fallen off of the remaining two. Any idea how that may have happened?"
As for the catch can, I plan to tie the lines back under the can and snap the OEM hose back in place when my smog comes up. I painted it black and mounted it close to the firewall, so it sorta blends in with the other bits under the hood. If yours is black and tucked out of the way, might also be something to consider. If you don't have your OEM pcv hose, they're not much over $45 or so.
Speaking of mirrors, once I tried to take the lazy way out with my Mustang, and left the x-pipe on to see if I'd pass. I took it to a random smog shop, since I hadn't met the guy I use now. He pulled out the mirror, looked under the car, and gave a very snarky response: "Sir, this is very strange... two of your catalytic converters seem to have fallen off of your car. And the heat shields have fallen off of the remaining two. Any idea how that may have happened?"
The Symposer has zero to do with emissions and same with OCC. But in CA any change from stock is illegal as I understand it. My MP215 car passes every year with zero comments as it should. CA has weird laws, I don't know of any other state that has issues with noise makers or a passive OCC. All the TN computers looked for was a check engine light or if it is disabled, both automatic fail. I would be surprised if the software TN used is not the same in other states doing OBD testing. Our testers knew zero about cars or what they would be looking for under the hood, don't even open it here. Unlike in states like California. They do mirror check cat's and manually test gas caps while OBD test was running. Whole thing took 2-3 minutes to do. I say was as this year Hamilton county in TN (Chattanooga) has dropped the testing requirements.
That is why the new Cobb AP will not allow disabling the check engine light or altering EPA approved tuning parameters set by the factory. In other words, no custom illegal tunes with the new AP. Your old AP will still work unless you update it. Cobb wants CARB to give them EO's on tunes without testing data usually provided by EPA certification testing. Then they want the EPA to accept the EO and give them EPA certification with zero testing. I think their lawyer is one of those inmate/lawyers I knew in the prison system in CA.
That is why the new Cobb AP will not allow disabling the check engine light or altering EPA approved tuning parameters set by the factory. In other words, no custom illegal tunes with the new AP. Your old AP will still work unless you update it. Cobb wants CARB to give them EO's on tunes without testing data usually provided by EPA certification testing. Then they want the EPA to accept the EO and give them EPA certification with zero testing. I think their lawyer is one of those inmate/lawyers I knew in the prison system in CA.
Here in California, 2000 and newer cars get the OBD test and gas cap, plus a visual inspection. For anything older, there's a few more things like a sniffer up the tailpipe.
However, depending on the smog inspector, the level of visual inspection sort of varies. For example, if I take my wife's bone-stock Honda CRV in, the guy doesn't bother to open the hood or look under the car. Very unlikely that a CRV would be modified. But, if I take a car in that visually looks like it could be modified, like a Mustang that sounds louder than stock and looks like it's had stuff done to it, he'll take note and poke around under the hood a bit and may check for cats.
Honestly, there are so few Fiesta STs running around that my guy might look at it and not blink an eye, since it doesn't look all that different from the rest of the cars that roll through his shop every day. My car is visually stock other than wheels, which are Ford 15-spokes. Probably won't open the hood on it. But, you never know. If I'm the guy he decides to scrutinize for some reason, and maybe if he knows what to look for on a FIST, I don't want to raise his eyebrows.
Unlikely - his business model is that if he has to take more than five minutes with anyone, he's wasting time. He doesn't touch anything older than 2000, turns away anything he thinks will be a problem before it rolls into his shop.
I never went back to the guy who pulled out the mirrors and poked around my "Where did your cats go" Mustang!
However, depending on the smog inspector, the level of visual inspection sort of varies. For example, if I take my wife's bone-stock Honda CRV in, the guy doesn't bother to open the hood or look under the car. Very unlikely that a CRV would be modified. But, if I take a car in that visually looks like it could be modified, like a Mustang that sounds louder than stock and looks like it's had stuff done to it, he'll take note and poke around under the hood a bit and may check for cats.
Honestly, there are so few Fiesta STs running around that my guy might look at it and not blink an eye, since it doesn't look all that different from the rest of the cars that roll through his shop every day. My car is visually stock other than wheels, which are Ford 15-spokes. Probably won't open the hood on it. But, you never know. If I'm the guy he decides to scrutinize for some reason, and maybe if he knows what to look for on a FIST, I don't want to raise his eyebrows.
Unlikely - his business model is that if he has to take more than five minutes with anyone, he's wasting time. He doesn't touch anything older than 2000, turns away anything he thinks will be a problem before it rolls into his shop.
I never went back to the guy who pulled out the mirrors and poked around my "Where did your cats go" Mustang!
