Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches Eastern Canada Headers & Emissions Testing

I've been considering the MSDS headers as my next and possibly final engine performance mod for my 98.5 SVT so I decided to do some research on what Drive Clean would think about it. First of all I phoned Drive Clean and asked if there's a visual inspection. The answer there was yes. Damn! Then I said "What about if the pre-cats are removed/headers installed and the main cat is kept AND the car STILL passes within the pollution limits specified by the gov't for my car?" They said it don't matter. If you fail the visual they won't even hook you up to the machine to get your readings. I argued the point with them that it don't matter as long as the end result is satisfactory. No luck. "Those are the procedures written in the legislation and if you want it changed complain to your MPP." So I then decided to drive 10 min. to Freeway Ford on Markham & Sheppard where I got my emissions done a couple of months back and see what they'd say. They told me the same thing but did mention a "Hot Rod Rule" but didn't know too much about it. So I phoned Drive Clean again and mentioned that. Well, it turns out a "hot rod" to them is a car that doesn't have the original engine in it. You can hop-up your own engine all you want, but it won't fall under this category (real dumb eh?). That killed that idea and I didn't even bother going further into the rule's specifics. SOOO, it looks like the only way us guys with OBDII cars can get away with headers is find a somewhat shady shop that won't get under the engine to look for the pre-cats. Get a lazy tech, I suppose, who'll only get down on his knees and look for the main cat - " Yep, thars a cat thar Bubba - hook her up to the machine". Anyone know where I can find Bubba? Check my profile for my e-mail.

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Black 98.5 SVT w/ KKM intake,73mm MAF, ASP pulley, SHO Shop Y-Pipe w/ no main cat

Good info to have Lou,

My question though is this, how many people/test centres know that our beloved contours should have precats where the new headers are? I mean, if we go to the dealerships they should know, but what about smaller shops or the speedys and midas's of the world or the small corner shops?

In any event, I know people high up at one specific dealership...hmmmmm..

Ya, that's what you hope for, that they won't even look - unless they have a book of some sort that lists what to look for on each model - can anyone answer this? Those MSDS headers are ceramic coated in white so you gotta hope that doesn't attract attention too.

The good part is that you can't be charged for the visual inspection, so you can go to 100 drive clean's if you have too until somebody doesn't notice. Chain shops like canadian tire probably won't be your best bet since they love to suck blood, as my sister learned when she was told her car would not pass unless she had the coolant flushed.