PA inspection and insurance (Beaver county)

[sutyak]

I'll be getting my PA license etc. soon and have some questions.
I'd like to know what I'm in for as far as an inspection goes, and where I can go (can send me PM if necessary).
My car does have a cat but it's aftermarket. It does not have a PCV system, and it has a turbo.
Looks like Beaver county does not have any kind of sniffer test but requires an Onboard diagnostics test and a gas cap check.

Is there anything about my car that I should be particularly concerned about failing my car?
Any particular stations I should go to or not go to?

This could be another thread, but I will also need auto insurance and would like some recommendations.

Thanks everyone. Slowly becoming a resident.
So far the Cranberry area is great, the people are nice, but the stink bugs suck.

[Slow01GT]

As long as your car can pass that OBD2 diagnostic test and has some sort of cat on it you should be good, aside from the obvious saftey things like tires and brakes.
Not sure where in Cranberry you are but I have used the State Farm on Rt 228 now for years and they have always taken care of me.

[sutyak]

I'm actually in Rochester and work in Cranberry.
I wasn't sure what all the ODB2 checked for, as my car has 3 02 sensors stock and all are turned off. (tuned in open loop)

[John4cam]

As long as your car can pass that OBD2 diagnostic test and has some sort of cat on it you should be good, aside from the obvious saftey things like tires and brakes.
Not sure where in Cranberry you are but I have used the State Farm on Rt 228 now for years and they have always taken care of me.

I agree with this. If you have no CEL, and you have a converter you should be just fine.

[sutyak]

Thanks guys

[SAC81]

That is incorrect. The OBDII readiness check actually checks the "readiness" state of various emissions sensors/PCM checks, ie O2 sensor, catalyst efficiency (via downstream O2 sensor), EVAP, etc. The days of just checking for DTCs for pass/fail are gone.

If you have 3 disabled O2 sensors and are running in open loop, you will fail. I just went through this a few months ago with my Monte Carlo.

I would re-enable the sensors (if the downstream sensor throws a CEL, use non-foulers or something), reset the PCM, and give yourself a few hundred miles of driving before taking in for inspection as the OBDII tests take a few drive cycles to run.

[speedracer]

That is incorrect. The OBDII readiness check actually checks the "readiness" state of various emissions sensors/PCM checks, ie O2 sensor, catalyst efficiency (via downstream O2 sensor), EVAP, etc. The days of just checking for DTCs for pass/fail are gone.

If you have 3 disabled O2 sensors and are running in open loop, you will fail. I just went through this a few months ago with my Monte Carlo.

I would re-enable the sensors (if the downstream sensor throws a CEL, use non-foulers or something), reset the PCM, and give yourself a few hundred miles of driving before taking in for inspection as the OBDII tests take a few drive cycles to run.

None of that sillyness here... must suck

[SAC81]

You have no idea. Took me a month to get my damn car to pass. LOL

[Slow01GT]

Where do you live again? I have to make sure I don't move there

[Silverhatch]

Washington county the same. No CEL, guaranteed pass.

[sutyak]

That is incorrect. The OBDII readiness check actually checks the "readiness" state of various emissions sensors/PCM checks, ie O2 sensor, catalyst efficiency (via downstream O2 sensor), EVAP, etc. The days of just checking for DTCs for pass/fail are gone.

If you have 3 disabled O2 sensors and are running in open loop, you will fail. I just went through this a few months ago with my Monte Carlo.

I would re-enable the sensors (if the downstream sensor throws a CEL, use non-foulers or something), reset the PCM, and give yourself a few hundred miles of driving before taking in for inspection as the OBDII tests take a few drive cycles to run.

Well that would suck. I have no rear O2 sensors other than my wideband. Is this Beaver county? What inspection station?

[John4cam]

Well that would suck. I have no rear O2 sensors other than my wideband. Is this Beaver county? What inspection station?

You'll be ok. If not I'll pm you a place to go. Don't sweat it!

[SAC81]

Where do you live again? I have to make sure I don't move there

Inspection requirements are based on defined "regions" that the state designates. The requirements I stated above are for the Pittsburgh region, which is Allegheny, Beaver, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. More information:
http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/info_sw.htm

Washington county the same. No CEL, guaranteed pass.

This used to be the case. It's not anymore.

Read this .PDF:
http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/docs/readiness.pdf

A vehicle’s OBD system has up to 12 monitors within the OBD computer. These monitors are
designed to check the running condition of all key emissions components of the engine. Three
monitors run all the time when the engine is running, the remaining monitors run intermittently
during normal driving. These monitors report to the OBD computer if the engine’s emission
performance is, or is not, in compliance with federal EPA regulations. These monitors also report
to the On-board computer as being “ready” or “not ready”. If they are “not ready,” they are not yet
in a condition to determine if the associated emissions systems are working correctly. When a
vehicle is taken to an emissions inspection station to receive the OBD I/M Check, the first thing the
testing equipment does is check these monitors. For model year vehicles 1996-2000, a vehicle with
two monitors that are “not ready” will be accepted for the OBD test and the test can continue; for
model year vehicles 2001 and newer, only one “not ready” monitor will be accepted for testing and
the test can continue. Any vehicle that has more than the allowable number of “not ready”
monitors will be rejected from testing until the monitors have been set to “ready” which may be
accomplished by performing a drive cycle specific to the vehicle.

[spectre]

Looks like the lack of in depth inspections are about the only good thing you left behind in WV!

[sutyak]

Looks like the lack of in depth inspections are about the only good thing you left behind in WV!

Haha. Left some good friends and a house with an awesome garage for zero friends and a stink bug infested rental.
I suppose you're in that list of friends.

[SlowSix]

So what are my chances of passing with an O/R H pipe in the pittsburgh area if I get rid of my CEL ? lol

[John4cam]

So what are my chances of passing with an O/R H pipe in the pittsburgh area if I get rid of my CEL ? lol

You could very easily pass if the visual inspection is a quick one. If it doesn't, say I bought it this way and I'll get it fixed. Not like they're going to burn you at the stake.

[SlowSix]

Yeah...the place that did my last inspection a month ago put the car up on the rack...but didn't really seem to pay any attention to the exhaust. Idk. haha.

[u1arunit]

Yeah...the place that did my last inspection a month ago put the car up on the rack...but didn't really seem to pay any attention to the exhaust. Idk. haha.

You must mean for the State Inspection as there is no need to lift the car for the Emissions portion as most shops have a mirror to look under the car for the presence of cats.

[SAC81]

So what are my chances of passing with an O/R H pipe in the pittsburgh area if I get rid of my CEL ? lol

Depends on how you get rid of the CEL...if you use non-foulers or electronic O2 "spoofs" on the downstream sensors, there's a really good chance you can pass (as long as they aren't thorough on the visual inspection, which most stations aren't nowadays since they rely on the OBDII tests) since the rear O2 sensors will still be reporting. I *ahem* have heard that this works pretty good. ;)

If you simply shut off the rear sensors with a tuner, you'll fail, as they won't show "Ready" in the OBDII readiness check.