PA inspection and insurance (Beaver county)

**SlowSix** · 04-12-2011, 06:46 PM

Originally Posted by u1arunit

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.

Yeah... I had emissions and the state inspection done at the same time.
And I planned on getting MILs rather than shutting the 02s off with a tune.
I wish MAC didn't put the rear 02 bungs so far back in my pipe though. They're wayyyyy farther back than the stock location.

**mustang50lx** · 04-12-2011, 09:01 PM

Cars that get OBD II tests do not get a visual inpection.

**John4cam** · 04-12-2011, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by mustang50lx

Cars that get OBD II tests do not get a visual inpection.

SFT, just talked to my mechanic friend. That makes it that much simpler to pass

**wick** · 04-13-2011, 02:29 AM

Originally Posted by 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.

Sounds like you got screwed. I know somebody that has the down stream o2 shut off on a GM product and a hollowed out cat. All disabled in the tune. No CEL...passed.

**SAC81** · 04-13-2011, 03:11 AM

When? I also passed with the downstream O2 (and EVAP and EGR) shut off last year. They never performed the "readiness" check in the past- I've been assuming it's new for this year.

Another consideration is that the number of readiness checks that show "Not Ready" is dependent on year- the older the car is, the more readiness checks are allowed to fail. If your buddy's car was older, it may have passed due to only one or two checks not being complete.

It's all described in the links I posted earlier.

**wick** · 04-13-2011, 09:14 AM

Gotcha. Its a 99 gm product.

**Black Vert** · 04-13-2011, 10:01 AM

Originally Posted by SAC81

They never performed the "readiness" check in the past- I've been assuming it's new for this year.

Its not new , its been like that for as long as I've been inspecting vehicles. Like you said if it has 1 or 2 incompletes (depending on the year) it will pass as long as there is no CEL.

**Martin0660** · 04-13-2011, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by sporadic

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

Not sure on that side of the city, But myself, and alot of people I know have good luck with Eire over here. Not sure if it's agnt driven or the company, but I'm as happy with them as you can be paying for insurance :D (good compromise between price and service).

**Witt** · 04-13-2011, 12:37 PM

Originally Posted by SAC81

When? I also passed with the downstream O2 (and EVAP and EGR) shut off last year. They never performed the "readiness" check in the past- I've been assuming it's new for this year.

Another consideration is that the number of readiness checks that show "Not Ready" is dependent on year- the older the car is, the more readiness checks are allowed to fail. If your buddy's car was older, it may have passed due to only one or two checks not being complete.

It's all described in the links I posted earlier.

It all depends on the tune and the vehicle. Certain vehicles will report ready on a cat and o2 I/M monitor with disabled rear o2s. Others you have to simply leave them enabled in the tune, unplug/remove them and set the DTC to not report an error under any circumstances.

I've had no problem setting a ready I/M for cats and o2s on my HPTuned 09 catless Mustang or any cars I've owned in the past. If a tuner is saying he can't force the vehicle to pass I/M monitors he probably doesn't know what he's doing.

**SlowSix** · 04-13-2011, 01:42 PM

So in good news...I don't need to swap pipes basically lol.

And far as whoever recommended Erie, thats who I have. I've never had any tickets or accidents or anything so I can't really say anything about their service though.

**Witt** · 04-13-2011, 02:00 PM

Originally Posted by SlowSix

So in good news...I don't need to swap pipes basically lol.

And far as whoever recommended Erie, thats who I have. I've never had any tickets or accidents or anything so I can't really say anything about their service though.

They will do a visual to make sure you have cats if they do what they are supposed to do. As far as the I/M monitor readiness check, if tuned correctly, that can be passed with nothing showing as a failure.

**SlowSix** · 04-13-2011, 02:40 PM

Yeah...I'm not too worried about the visual. I might even just get some test pipes lol

**Quik83Z** · 04-13-2011, 04:15 PM

Antique/Classic plates FTW...

**sutyak** · 04-13-2011, 08:51 PM

Thanks for the input everyone.
I'm definitely going to look into Erie. They're in WV too and usually well recommended.

**mustang50lx** · 04-13-2011, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by Quik83Z

Antique/Classic plates FTW...

X2 Classic plates on the Fox = No emissions for me.

**sutyak** · 04-14-2011, 08:37 PM

I wonder if they'd believe my Focus is from 1980.

Insurance is a couple hundred dollars less per year here in PA vs. WV.
Erie and State Farm are looking decent. Nationwide I don't know how in the world they are in business charging so much!

**u1arunit** · 04-14-2011, 10:52 PM

I have had Erie since I have been driving, they are great!

**Black Magic** · 04-14-2011, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by sporadic

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.

You can also get an exempt sticker if you drive less than 2,500 miles in a year . dave