Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums Branches New England How do you aftermarket exhaust guys pass emissions

Technically, anything modified from stock won't pass. I think in reality it prevents only things like straight pipes and REALLY loud rice fart cans. I have never seen a shop do a sound test or emissions metering unless it was boderline. They can loose thier license if they pass something that shouldn't.

last year I passed with my Borla and a black tap over the CEL light...and this was a dealership too btw

In CT stations are supposed to look for a cat, no obvious holes in the piping, and make sure that the CEL isn't illuminated in their preiliminary. There is nothing in the procedure that says to look for something less than obvious obscuring the CEL.

So are you saying i could maybe get away without getting a cat? i was planning on getting a trubenz system and a cat seperate from somewhere. i will probably still plan on gettin the cat too, maybe a high-flow cat..unless i find out it makes no difference.

1 more question..the aluminized steel is a good $150 cheaper than the stainless system i was looking at. Does stainless really make that much of a difference? if stainless is just mostly for looks, and aluminized will last me nearly as long, i might as well go for the cheaper option.

thanks for all the input guys

.Snipey

Go with the stainless steel. I made the mistake of buying ceramic coated steel headers and as soon as the car started the ceramic fell off and the began rusting immediately. I will never get anything exhaust related that isn't at least stainless steel.

stainless, stainless, stainless. you will save $150 but you will replace the cheaper system within 2yrs or sooner. stainless is cheaper in the end. The high flow cat makes a difference go for it.

You live in MA, where they use more salt on the roads there than anywhere else. Salt is the most corrosive thing in the world to steel.

If you buy aluminized in the first winter the aluminization will degrade away and rust spots will start to appear, by the second winter the rust will have covered a good portion of the parts. After the end of the second winter you might see the steel exfoliating (rust peices that flake off) and probably after the third winter you'll spring the first leak due to a rust hole. If you go with stainless it will last longer than you own the car.

as for the check engine light during mass tessing...
they check for the light when they turn the keyon to make sure the bulb isnt blown out.
if you have a CEL during the test you are supposed to fail instantly.
unless...
it is an insignificant code.
that is determined by the machine.
when i tested my svt last year the computer pulled 2 codes during the test (CEL did not iluminate) and the car still passed.
they were codes for stuff like catalyst not warmed up.
the test machine knows that that means the car wasnt warm enough.
but if yo uhave an existign code like a 420 you will fail.