Shutoburner Posted December 15, 2017 Share Posted December 15, 2017 It was a truly WTF moment here...never failed before even in California but I recently moved here to PA and my first inspection, I failed due to couple things. First they said they didn’t see a cat. I then showed them the cat on my grimmspeed catted DP. They said then the bung is in the wrong location. My grimmspeed DP happens to have the bung before the high flow cat which I thought was odd since their website has the bung after the cat. He says he needs the O2 sensor after the cat to pass me. Then they also said my JDM headlights don’t have the DOT/SAE label on them. Talk about being super anal here. I think I saw a thread on here about another member with the bung welded before the cat. Anyone else with grimmspeed DP with this location? Sucks big time and super annoying. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BarManBean Posted December 16, 2017 Moderators Share Posted December 16, 2017 The problem is that you are in fact missing an entire catalytic converter. In the normal system, you have a cat immediately following the turbo in the "shorty" section of the downpipe, then you find the rear O2 sensor directly in front of the second cat converter. Your bung is in the correct / stock location, right in front of that rear cat. The issue is you no longer have the front cat converter. Good luck. Might need to track down a stock downpipe and stock headlights to borrow. I've not heard of PA being such an issue before, maybe you just found a rough shop. Can you go somewhere else? "Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>> Not currently in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shutoburner Posted December 16, 2017 Author Share Posted December 16, 2017 The problem is that you are in fact missing an entire catalytic converter. In the normal system, you have a cat immediately following the turbo in the "shorty" section of the downpipe, then you find the rear O2 sensor directly in front of the second cat converter. Your bung is in the correct / stock location, right in front of that rear cat. The issue is you no longer have the front cat converter. Good luck. Might need to track down a stock downpipe and stock headlights to borrow. I've not heard of PA being such an issue before, maybe you just found a rough shop. Can you go somewhere else? Yeah, this shop just seems extremely anal. They even noted my dimmer left vs right rear plate light. He kept repeating this is gray area etc. and his sidekick even saying how my car likely has ECU modified to make it seem legal. I mean, they dissected the damn car. I don't know if they are supposed to go for a drive, but he mentioned how my legacy is nothing like ones he drove before. Haha. But the guy promised to pass me if I get the bung location changed to post cat location. I probably should've gone else where from the beginning. I love my JDM headlights, and hate taking my bumper off to change the lights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 Well, since Japan has left hand traffic you shouldn't have those headlights because they give the wrong cut-off of the low beams. Get some Euro headlights with the right cut-off and then have it inspected elsewhere. As for DOT marking - just look at how to "bake" the headlights and you can move the headlight face with the DOT markings from some US headlights to the headlights you want. Not legal, but it would at least pass those that are anal about markings without checking the reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shutoburner Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 Well, since Japan has left hand traffic you shouldn't have those headlights because they give the wrong cut-off of the low beams. Get some Euro headlights with the right cut-off and then have it inspected elsewhere. As for DOT marking - just look at how to "bake" the headlights and you can move the headlight face with the DOT markings from some US headlights to the headlights you want. Not legal, but it would at least pass those that are anal about markings without checking the reality. I actually flipped the cut off shield and even have the leveler etc working to make sure it's aiming correctly. That's why I was surprised... I actually spent good part of yesterday baking my USDM lights to see if the lens would fit...shape is very similar but they are just different enough to not really work. I had a spare JDM ones and ended up just retrofitting the ballast and HID lights into USDM housing instead, as well as using USDM cut off shields. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infosecdad Posted December 17, 2017 Share Posted December 17, 2017 I live in the only county in TN that does emissions testing. Bungs don't matter to them, they have to "see" the cat in their mirror. I have to save my stock DP so that once a year, I can have the privilege of replacing the downpipe and driving to the emissions place for "inspection". I can't imagine going through a full inspection like you are that includes a drive and looking for "DOT" on your headlights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shutoburner Posted December 17, 2017 Author Share Posted December 17, 2017 I would think it shouldn’t matter, and I even had them take a look directly because at first they were saying it’s a resonator. Then the whole bung BS. I think they were basically hell bent on failing me. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators BarManBean Posted December 18, 2017 Moderators Share Posted December 18, 2017 It's a PITA, but honestly you deserve to be failed. No matter how you shape it, you have removed an entire catalytic converter from your exhaust system. Now granted, nearly all of us have done the same damn thing, but it's certainly grounds for failure. It does sound like they probably have an axe to grind against modified imports, and I agree that they are probably looking to fail you. Go somewhere else if at all possible. Try to find someone that respects the fact that you have modified your car responsibly, keeping a cat converter in the system, flipping light shields, etc. and see if they will pass your car. "Bullet-proof" your OEM TMIC! <<Buy your kit here>> Not currently in stock Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 This is just ridiculous. Commenting on license plate lights, measuring beam angles. Sounds like the UK not the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 This is just ridiculous. Commenting on license plate lights, measuring beam angles. Sounds like the UK not the US. Even the UK is pretty relaxed compared to Germany. In the UK you can even have a private tank road legal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
05GT Guru Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 That's amazing since you can't own firearms in the UK. In WI there is no inspection other than emissions in 6 counties. The other counties you don't even have to pass emissions. And they do not put a mirror under your car, they just plug it into the machine and if you pass you pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Infosecdad Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 According to the official documentation in my county in TN, they are only supposed to plug into the ODBII and check. The visual inspection is supposed to be 95 and older, but they check them all. I've fussed about it and they tell me "that's nice that the documentation says that, but we mirror all vehicles." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shutoburner Posted December 18, 2017 Author Share Posted December 18, 2017 On my failed inspection report, it says I passed the OBD2 check and emissions etc. The report says that I passed everything except the visual inspection. They didn’t comment on my JDM tail lights which was a surprise. I have a reinspection appt in couple weeks. See if really keep their promise to pass me if I do the things they asked. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluesuby Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 Jersey used to be the worst for inspections. I recall a friend who used muffler repair patches to secure the leaks, and the inspection guy (state employee back then) stuffed a rag into the tailpipe and blew out all the patchwork. Now we're at the other extreme. You can have no working lights, worn out brakes etc and all they check is a plug-in OBD port. Absent that port on older cars, they still have a sniffer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ehsnils Posted December 18, 2017 Share Posted December 18, 2017 In my opinion they should use the sniffer all the time, not just for old cars. The OBD system can be crap for all what we know, especially if you buy a used car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shutoburner Posted December 29, 2017 Author Share Posted December 29, 2017 Passed inspection with bung location change and USDM lights! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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