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Advice on Upcoming Smog

bradSVT

CEG'er
Joined
Jan 24, 2005
Messages
151
Location
California, San Jose, San Diego(School)
I need to take my SVT in to get smogged this week and need some advice. My SVT has a 3L in it and Headers, one of those 49 state legal hi flow cats, exhaust, etc. Should I drive around for 30 minutes to heat up the cat before I go in for the test? Should I turn off my tune? I think it might be a good idea to put my weather guard back on as well to limit what you can see under the car. This is the first time I have had to get my car smogged since my 3L this is why I am worried.

Thanks for any help.
Brad
 
It is a good idea to get your cats nice and hot before you take it in to get it smogged. 30 minutes should be sufficient. Also, when you take it in, leave the car running so they stay hot.

I recently (2 or 3 weeks ago) got my car smogged and I passed emissions with no problem. However, I failed the test because I flashed back to stock and reset the computer. When I did this, I got the P1000 code and the smog computer picked this up. This means that the computer has not finished the ODB2 driving cycle. My tune had the 02 sensors off so it probably never completed the driving cycle. I had to ask Tom/Joey for another tune with them turned on so it can finish that cycle and get rid of that code. Before I take it back to get it smogged, I will scan it to see if that code is gone.

So I suggest before you go smog it that you use your XCAL2 to check for DTC's to see if you have that code. If not, you should be able to pass no problem. Let us know.
 
I need to take my SVT in to get smogged this week and need some advice. My SVT has a 3L in it and Headers, one of those 49 state legal hi flow cats, exhaust, etc. Should I drive around for 30 minutes to heat up the cat before I go in for the test? Should I turn off my tune? I think it might be a good idea to put my weather guard back on as well to limit what you can see under the car. This is the first time I have had to get my car smogged since my 3L this is why I am worried.

Thanks for any help.
Brad

You are going to fail. With the pre-cats gone, you need an exceptional main cat. I think you will find that the hi-flow cat isn't going to cut it.

Yes, it may help to have it as hot as you can get it.
 
My Hi Flow cat is Magnaflow and its maybe a year old now. I will check for those codes, but last time I got smogged I had to come back after I drove around for a couple hours since I reset the computer by taking my battery off to put back the old intake. So maybe if I just drive around for awhile after my battery has been taken off the codes will not be there? I have those MIL emliminators on my headers so I hope that doesnt become a problem.

I have seen a couple guys now in CA pass smog with a 3L, headers, high flow cat, and this was missing the pre-cats. Not sure if they are around do you have pre-cats allstyle12?
 
My Hi Flow cat is Magnaflow and its maybe a year old now. I will check for those codes, but last time I got smogged I had to come back after I drove around for a couple hours since I reset the computer by taking my battery off to put back the old intake. So maybe if I just drive around for awhile after my battery has been taken off the codes will not be there? I have those MIL emliminators on my headers so I hope that doesnt become a problem.

I have seen a couple guys now in CA pass smog with a 3L, headers, high flow cat, and this was missing the pre-cats. Not sure if they are around do you have pre-cats allstyle12?

I do have pre-cats. However, they have been gutted.

My High Flow cat is a Magnaflow as well (ODB2 LEV).

I strongly suggest you scan for that code before you take it in to get smogged. Because if you have that code you will most likely fail depending on the equipment the smog station is using. The cheap scanners at Kragen or AutoZone will not find that code, nor clear it. You need a higher quality ODB2 scanner or the XCAL2. If you don't have the code and you drive it around for a while you should be ok.
 
The visual should be your main concern currently. Unless the station you take it to just doesn't care. I also have a HiFlo Magnaflow main cat and have past my last 2 smogs with flying colors. However I still have my pre-cats. I attached a copy of the ford drive cycle. I pulled it from the Cougar service manual. It may work. You can try it out.
 

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Thanks for the drive cycle. I figured I would drive for about 30 minutes to heat up the cat. I hope I can pass the visual, I just swapped over to the old stock intake. I just am now wondering about the headers that you can still kinda see from the top of the engine. Any ideas? I am taking it tomorrow morning for the test, so I guess we will see. Also anyone have any ideas on excusses for the different cat? I bought it like that? or maybe, Ford installed it? Just trying to talk my way out if I have to.
 
I have a modded 3L with a tune (very similar setup to you minus the headers) and I passed smog with no problems. I would suggest running the car to get the cats hot - I did not and still passed, but every little bit helps.

I would be surprised if there were any issues with your visual inspection. I am running with no air filter box, a straight pipe in place of the resonator (its loud), my battery is in the trunk to accomodate my oil accumulator (that seemed to confuse the hell out of the guy) and most questions about the car are "Is that really a Contour?" and "What kind of horsepower does it have?". Once I tell them it has 200whp, they only seem to ask me to take them for a spirited drive around the block once the test is done, then they get out of the car shaking their head because they can't comprehend that a Contour can be that quick.

Good luck.
 
I PASSED! YAY! Thanks for all the help.

I checked for the code and didnt have it. I drove for 30 minutes on the freeway, then took my car to AAA Smog or something on Saratoga and Moorpark in San Jose. I left my car on and just behind the car that was being checked out. The guy didnt even do a visual inspection. I passed with no problems at all.

My car has Weapon-R Headers, Magnaflow Hi-Flow Cat, Magnaflow Exhaust, 3L, Dyno Tuned with SCT, incase anyone else is wondering about passing. I have everything you can do to our cars without a SC, Turbo, or NOS. So thanks again I passed with flying colors.
 
I PASSED! YAY! Thanks for all the help.

I checked for the code and didnt have it. I drove for 30 minutes on the freeway, then took my car to AAA Smog or something on Saratoga and Moorpark in San Jose. I left my car on and just behind the car that was being checked out. The guy didnt even do a visual inspection. I passed with no problems at all.

My car has Weapon-R Headers, Magnaflow Hi-Flow Cat, Magnaflow Exhaust, 3L, Dyno Tuned with SCT, incase anyone else is wondering about passing. I have everything you can do to our cars without a SC, Turbo, or NOS. So thanks again I passed with flying colors.

To benefit others, can you post the readings?
 
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