Passing inspection with Catless downpipe

[JustcallmeToby]

Does anybody know if it is possible to pass inspection in NY with catless downpipe. im on the stage 2 mhd map with aftermarket downpipe selected. i know the check engine light has nothing to do with the ready monitors . i keep hearing that mhd tune will say 3 monitors not ready but ny state only allows for one monitor not ready. Does anybody have a method or anybody can point me in the right direction.

[mjj]

If its like TX, just go to the bad part of town with a roll of cash and it will pass every time…or so I am told.

[JustcallmeToby]

Originally Posted by mjj

If its like TX, just go to the bad part of town with a roll of cash and it will pass every time…or so I am told.

you honestly not wrong. im just not in the mood for inspectors to act weird for the downpipe. if anybody in NY see's this put me on. Aint no way all these boys in NY got all these 340s n M's n not passing

[RockCrusher]

Originally Posted by JustcallmeToby

Does anybody know if it is possible to pass inspection in NY with catless downpipe. im on the stage 2 mhd map with aftermarket downpipe selected. i know the check engine light has nothing to do with the ready monitors . i keep hearing that mhd tune will say 3 monitors not ready but ny state only allows for one monitor not ready. Does anybody have a method or anybody can point me in the right direction.

The CEL can be on if the ECU exhausted its attempts to try to get a readiness monitor test to complete.

If you clear the CEL you also reset all the readiness monitors to incomplete. A suitable drive cycle is thus required to give the ECU time to complete all the readiness monitor tests.

Get a suitable OBD2 code reader/scan tool that lets you check CEL status and readiness monitor statuses. Check these before you take the car in for an inspection. But if the CEL is on or there are too many readiness monitors still incomplete or even just one but a critical one you need to deal with the CEL and incomplete readiness monitors.

Also, even if the CEL is dark and the readiness monitors are all set to complete there is the chance the car may *not* pass a visual inspection.

For details on what is involved here's a link for you:

https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/new-york...ection-program

About 5 screens down is the section on emissions inspection.

[pbonsalb]

It does not specify the number of readiness minutes that can be not ready. I would be surprised if the MHD tune does not allow simulation of the post cat O2. If you have no CEL, you should be fine. If you have a CEL, an inspection station cannot legally pass you.

There is no inspection station trick to fake an OBD2 plug in. They can say the machine did not auto read the VIN and type it in manually and plug into a stock car instead but I know someone who was caught doing that, albeit in another state. The data is uploaded to the state and they have ways of spotting anomalies. Looking the other way on the visual inspection part (presence of cat) is where there is flexibility a shop can get away with.

[JustcallmeToby]

Originally Posted by RockCrusher

The CEL can be on if the ECU exhausted its attempts to try to get a readiness monitor test to complete.

If you clear the CEL you also reset all the readiness monitors to incomplete. A suitable drive cycle is thus required to give the ECU time to complete all the readiness monitor tests.

Get a suitable OBD2 code reader/scan tool that lets you check CEL status and readiness monitor statuses. Check these before you take the car in for an inspection. But if the CEL is on or there are too many readiness monitors still incomplete or even just one but a critical one you need to deal with the CEL and incomplete readiness monitors.

Also, even if the CEL is dark and the readiness monitors are all set to complete there is the chance the car may *not* pass a visual inspection.

For details on what is involved here's a link for you:

https://dmv.ny.gov/brochure/new-york...ection-program

About 5 screens down is the section on emissions inspection.

Thanks man . so just making this clear . right now i dont have a check engine light. i havent reset any of the monitors. so if i currently have a catless downpie with no check engine light then i should be good to go to a shop my boy owns n when he hooks up the obd device even though emission will read not ready since i dont have the cat i should still pass right ?

[JustcallmeToby]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

It does not specify the number of readiness minutes that can be not ready. I would be surprised if the MHD tune does not allow simulation of the post cat O2. If you have no CEL, you should be fine. If you have a CEL, an inspection station cannot legally pass you.

There is no inspection station trick to fake an OBD2 plug in. They can say the machine did not auto read the VIN and type it in manually and plug into a stock car instead but I know someone who was caught doing that, albeit in another state. The data is uploaded to the state and they have ways of spotting anomalies. Looking the other way on the visual inspection part (presence of cat) is where there is flexibility a shop can get away with.

Bet thanks for the input bro. i. read somewhere online that anything past 1 non ready will fail in NY . but like you said i dont have a CEL and its my boys shop so as long as it works in the computer visually ill be fine. hopefully it works or looks like im going to the BX.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by JustcallmeToby

Bet thanks for the input bro. i. read somewhere online that anything past 1 non ready will fail in NY . but like you said i dont have a CEL and its my boys shop so as long as it works in the computer visually ill be fine. hopefully it works or looks like im going to the BX.

You can still have no CEL but readiness monitors incomplete. A scan tool that lists the readiness monitors is ideal so you can check it yourself before you get plugged in. You can be failed for readiness incomplete if it is a critical monitor. Again, the MHD tune should be taking care of this. Buy or borrow a scan tool to check readiness.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

It does not specify the number of readiness minutes that can be not ready. I would be surprised if the MHD tune does not allow simulation of the post cat O2. If you have no CEL, you should be fine. If you have a CEL, an inspection station cannot legally pass you.

There is no inspection station trick to fake an OBD2 plug in. They can say the machine did not auto read the VIN and type it in manually and plug into a stock car instead but I know someone who was caught doing that, albeit in another state. The data is uploaded to the state and they have ways of spotting anomalies. Looking the other way on the visual inspection part (presence of cat) is where there is flexibility a shop can get away with.

What does the bold part mean? Is it that MHD is simulating, or showing/forcing, the post-O2 sensor to show its reading are in spec/set without primary cats installed? If they are and it is listed on an open forum then they’re in serious trouble if caught. Reputable companies won’t even sell you a catless exhaust without actual proof that it’s being installed on an unregistered race car or a car that has no active state registration. Stage 2 tunes typically suppress the CEL from showing up on your dash. No CEL light doesn’t mean you’ll pass.

Also, each year more states are starting to check for stock engine software during an emissions test. If you’re running an aftermarket ecu tune you will not pass. On BM3, you have to reload the stock ecu tune AND relock your ecu. An unlocked ecu won’t pass. Is NY a state that’s checking ecu’s? I don’t know. The state I live in starting checking ecu’s between 2019 and 2021.

Check out this link:
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...98&postcount=1

[DanG]

You know you are out of compliance. Why not just get a catted down pipe?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by DanG

You know you are out of compliance. Why not just get a catted down pipe?

Easy - doesn’t want to pay to have it installed, uninstalled and catless downpipe reinstalled.

BM3 and others (Kies got 1000 whp WITH stock cats) have said stage 2 tunes do not require catless setups.

[pbonsalb]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

What does the bold part mean? Is it that MHD is simulating, or showing/forcing, the post-O2 sensor to show its reading are in spec/set without primary cats installed? If they are and it is listed on an open forum then they’re in serious trouble if caught. Reputable companies won’t even sell you a catless exhaust without actual proof that it’s being installed on an unregistered race car or a car that has no active state registration. Stage 2 tunes typically suppress the CEL from showing up on your dash. No CEL light doesn’t mean you’ll pass.

Also, each year more states are starting to check for stock engine software during an emissions test. If you’re running an aftermarket ecu tune you will not pass. On BM3, you have to reload the stock ecu tune AND relock your ecu. An unlocked ecu won’t pass. Is NY a state that’s checking ecu’s? I don’t know. The state I live in starting checking ecu’s between 2019 and 2021.

Check out this link:
https://f80.bimmerpost.com/forums/sh...98&postcount=1

Most tunes sold by non-US companies offer simulation so you pass OBD2 plug in with catless down pipe. It is illegal so US based tuners don’t do it unless they know and trust you, due to EPA threats of big fines. I have not yet read of states checking for tunes. If they are able to detect tunes, then that is a bigger problem. Might have to swap a stock DP back in and flash back to stock. That would be a pain but doable.

[JustcallmeToby]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

You can still have no CEL but readiness monitors incomplete. A scan tool that lists the readiness monitors is ideal so you can check it yourself before you get plugged in. You can be failed for readiness incomplete if it is a critical monitor. Again, the MHD tune should be taking care of this. Buy or borrow a scan tool to check readiness.

so the only thing that is showing up on a scan tool is that my emission is not ready because im catless but besides that everything else is ready . i dont think that would stop me right ?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by JustcallmeToby

so the only thing that is showing up on a scan tool is that my emission is not ready because im catless but besides that everything else is ready . i dont think that would stop me right ?

If your hand-held obd scan tool can tell you don’t have cats, do you think the official NY emissions testing equipment can’t tell?

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Most tunes sold by non-US companies offer simulation so you pass OBD2 plug in with catless down pipe. It is illegal so US based tuners don’t do it unless they know and trust you, due to EPA threats of big fines. I have not yet read of states checking for tunes. If they are able to detect tunes, then that is a bigger problem. Might have to swap a stock DP back in and flash back to stock. That would be a pain but doable.

I’m aware of 10+ states that check for non-oem ecu software. They do not make this information public. In 2020, I tried two different versions of tuned software including the one that passed in 2018 and failed both times. I asked my tuner and he said it was due to more states adopting this ecu check during emissions testing. So I reloaded stock tune to the ecu and I passed. My state still doesn’t list this as a requirement/check in its emissions test requirements. A couple of states up north have added this check since 2021-2022. So not only do you need cats, you also have to have stock ecu software.

[pbonsalb]

Has not happened in my state yet, but I have the ability to flash back to stock and swap in stock primaries if needed. Must be that CA standard that some other states have adopted including some on the East coast. Like others have said, the stock BMW cars at least on the F90 M5 are high flowing. There are also expensive aftermarket HJS cats that flow even better and will pass emissions.

[WayneM3]

Most tunes will keep the CEL off but also do not allow enough monitors to go ready. In NY, you can only have 1 monitor not ready and I am pretty sure that you will have more than 1 not ready if you are tuned with a catless downpipe even if you have no CEL. If you want to stop by the UWS, I would be happy to check it for you - it takes about a minute. I do not think they have any way of checking if you have a tune or not and most places would never notice the lack of cats because you can't see anything back there anyway. They have to connect the inspection machine to your car to read the data so I am not even sure a garage in the Bronx has a way around this. You can't connect it to another car to trick it like the old days. I have BM3 and I leave the tune in for my inspection and it passes fine but I still have primary cats.

[M3SQRD]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Has not happened in my state yet, but I have the ability to flash back to stock and swap in stock primaries if needed. Must be that CA standard that some other states have adopted including some on the East coast. Like others have said, the stock BMW cars at least on the F90 M5 are high flowing. There are also expensive aftermarket HJS cats that flow even better and will pass emissions.

Mid-West states, too. It’s a decent scattering of states, not just WC and EC.

[M-technik-3]

Originally Posted by pbonsalb

Most tunes sold by non-US companies offer simulation so you pass OBD2 plug in with catless down pipe. It is illegal so US based tuners don’t do it unless they know and trust you, due to EPA threats of big fines. I have not yet read of states checking for tunes. If they are able to detect tunes, then that is a bigger problem. Might have to swap a stock DP back in and flash back to stock. That would be a pain but doable.

Believe Mass and Cali have started this type of nonsense.

[DanG]

Love Washington state. No inspections.

[ctcarbonari]

Originally Posted by DanG

Love Washington state. No inspections.

Me too!!!

[JustcallmeToby]

Originally Posted by M3SQRD

If your hand-held obd scan tool can tell you don’t have cats, do you think the official NY emissions testing equipment can’t tell?

well i thought in NY you can have 1 non ready still pass