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Thread: xcal2 tune and emission problems

  1. #1
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    Default xcal2 tune and emission problems

    friend of mine over on NECO got this letter about 6 months after he passed emissions testing. Anyone have any input on this? I thought the xcal2 was 50 state legal. could it be the specific tune that caused the problem. I have concerns for my tune in the future and passing emissions.

    Alright, all has been fine and dandy with emissions and all over the course of the past four years. Have passed evey one no problem even with a check engine light on. I deleted it with the sct xcal2 tuner. However, i get home today to my dad laughing/chuckling right when i walk through the door. He hands me the following piece of paper.


    http://members.cox.net/brapple205/21...2NAZOOL_fs.jpg




    However, this was with the old setup and the xcal tune. With the new engine i believe that i am running a stock svt ecu so it has no xcal tune on it yet. Thus meaning that i should pass by emissions. If you have an xcal, BEWARE OF CT.
    - 95 Mystique LS
    - 99 Contour SeVT <- 3L/NPG Turbo
    - 2k Contour SVT - #2137

    Aircougar Performance

  2. #2

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    wow glad im in kansas...
    Tom Ellison
    99 se 5-speed
    3L hybrid swap 11/20/07
    Quote Originally Posted by 99RedCSVT View Post
    Cost:
    Slide hammer kit = $130 refundable deposit
    Drill bit = Free if you you have one laying around
    Drill= same as above
    Feeling of getting that piece of crap out of there = priceless.

  3. #3

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    Do you know how the DMV figured out "the vehicle's OBDII system has been altered ..."
    1999 Silver CSVT
    3L SVT heads

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    Quote Originally Posted by svt_fomoco View Post
    Do you know how the DMV figured out "the vehicle's OBDII system has been altered ..."

    no clue
    - 95 Mystique LS
    - 99 Contour SeVT <- 3L/NPG Turbo
    - 2k Contour SVT - #2137

    Aircougar Performance

  5. #5
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    I figured it was a matter of time before they caught on. All they'd have to do is check the status of the secondary o2 sensors. If they're not reporting (disabled), they should still be able to see that... although maybe not currently. I'm just hoping they don't start implementing that crap here, or else I'll have to make some MIL eliminators again to run with the OEM tune on my xcal2
    morbid
    2000 Contour SVT (black)
    #61 (Sept 17, 1999)

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    so basically you are saying as long as nothing is messed with, ie turning things off it should be fine?

    I asked the same thing on SVT performance for CT guys but haven't gotten much of an answer yet ...
    - 95 Mystique LS
    - 99 Contour SeVT <- 3L/NPG Turbo
    - 2k Contour SVT - #2137

    Aircougar Performance

  7. #7
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    Tom would probably be a better person to chime in. I just don't see how they could tell that there was a tune. My assumption is that they are checking to ensure the emissions components aren't disabled. I suppose it's *possible* for the OEM tune to have a checksum that they're looking for... but that would probably be a pretty large database to retain that info (for all the makes/models of ecu's and tunes), and I just don't see any state funding a project like that.
    morbid
    2000 Contour SVT (black)
    #61 (Sept 17, 1999)

  8. #8
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    And people thought I was being paranoid about smog testing in CA!!! To what degree could it become (if it hasn't already)? How about detail pics on what the emmisions equipment is supposed to look like on that specific vehicle (already displays where the OBD connector is, might display other things as well). Could mean state referee time if the fuel return system is now returnless!

    Anyway, the safest thing is to not alter anything dealing with emissions sensors and restoring the stock tune prior to the smog test.

    It would be interesting to find out what exactly was configured in the 'failing tune', i.e disabled sensors?
    '99 CSVT #755, 3L, SVT LIM/UIM/ cams
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    Zyoxx 18x7.5 ZX14's w/ 225/40zr18 Nitto Neogen's

  9. #9
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    If he was running a stock PCM with an xcal tune on it that should be fine. All the xcal does is overwrite the stock tune and then it stores the stock tune on the xcal.

    If he removed the xcal-flashed pcm for a stock SVT pcm the car will still run and operate fine, but if they hook it up to the state computers, they will know that the PCM is different. I'm not 100% sure on this but I think the PCM knows the VIN of the car or has something that is different for every car encoded in it. This is what I believe the state checks.

    In NY, we have to plug in to the "state's computer" and they check for a CEL. I hope they don't get too strict around here. I had a chip in the Mystique and it passed NYS inspections perfectly fine.

    I'll have to double check with my Tuner to make sure this is correct, but I think it is...
    00 SVT 0150 - 3.0/HMS/Torsen/Koni The Dark Knight
    99 Cougar - Powered by SVT The White Knight

  10. #10
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    at the time emissions was done he was running a stock pcm with a tune loaded via a xcal2.


    since the atx->mtx swap and 3L he is running the SVT PCM.
    - 95 Mystique LS
    - 99 Contour SeVT <- 3L/NPG Turbo
    - 2k Contour SVT - #2137

    Aircougar Performance

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