E36 Inspection Questions

[stimpe36]

I want to start off by saying that I did resarch this topic, Im just trying to clarify the steps I need to take to get my car inspected. I bought a 96 328is a few months ago, and I just got back from school and need to get it inspected. It was used as a daily/track car before I bought it, so it has no cats and a secondary air pump delete. These are the typical steps I found to pass:

1. Go to Auto Zone and have them clear the codes.
2. Complete a drive cycle.
3. Go to get an inspection and pray I pass..

My questions are, how long will it take to complete a drive cycle, and what if my cel comes back?
Also, my software wont be affected by doing any of this right?

Lastly, if this doesn't work does anyone know of any "special" shops around Allentown PA that won't have a problem inspecting my car?

Thanks a lot guys.

[strad]

You will never, ever legally pass inspection without cats. That's because they actually look under the car to see if it has cats. It is unlikely that you will pass without a secondary air pump.

So if you insist on doing it without meeting the letter of the law, you're going to have to find someone who will do it with a wink and a smile.

[stimpe36]

Ive heard that most places are too lazy to actually lift the car and check to see if it has been tampered with. It also helps that I think my car may be too low to get on a lift. Anyone else have input?

[TCarlisle]

It's going to throw codes without the cats and the secondary air pump unless someone really knew what they were doing with these deletes and went the extra mile to foll the emmissions system into thinking they are present. It was a track car, so I doubt that it was a design priority for teh person doing the mods to get it to pass inspection.

To get it to pass inspection, you will have to either:

1) Put these components back on, reset codes, and then drive several days to complete all the emmissions self tests

2) Figure out how to foll the emmissions system into thinking these are still present.O2 sims can be found and I am sure it isn't terribly hard to simulate a secondary air pump.

3) Find a shop that is willing to face fines of about $50k to pass your car? This is getting harder and harder to do these days as people have been getting nabbed for this.

4) Figure out a way to forge the inspection sticker or get one from another vehicle. This will prevent you from getting stopped because the cop sees clearly you are out of inspection.... but if you are stopped for any other reason they run a VIN check and they will see out of inspection and then you also get nailed for a forged inspection sticker -- which is a big deal.

Look, I am no environmentalist and quite frankly it pisses me off that my car is scrutinized for emmissions when there are trucks pouring black smoke into the air. But you just have to bite the bullet and get some cats and a SAS pump. You can get cats for $350 from partsgeek.com and you can get a used SAS pump for probably $30. If you need rear O2 sensors add another $200, but you might not need them.

It will cost you $400 - $600 to get this car legal and through inspection and you don't have to worry about it after that.

If you really want to run a straight pipe, then put on your cats and go for inspection and then put your straight pipe back on and put your cats in storage. Hey, they will last your natural lifetime if the only time you use them is for inspection every couple years.

Lastly, don't go to autozone and have them clear the codes. Just buy a code reader. I can't see owning an OBD-II vehicle and not having this tool. It will pay for itself in short time by preventing you from replacing parts blindly. With an OBD-II scan tool you can clear codes and then see if all your emissions systems show "ready". If you go for inspection with some systems showing incomplete, they wojn't pass you and will tell you to come back in several days. They have to see all systems "ready" and no MIL light. It can take a couple days to a week to get all systems "ready" depending on your driving circumstances. Owning the tool you know when you go in your are going to pass, and you have the tool for future troubleshooting and diagnostics.

Personally, I no longer recommend the peake tool. It only works on our cars, and it lets you read codes and clear them but that is it. A generic OBD-II scan tool shows you the systems ready or incomplete, etc. And you can reset yoru oil service or inspection interval lights without a peake tool.

[stimpe36]

This is the thing... I cant see spending a whole bunch of money to decrease my cars performance. I know it sounds bad, but I would be much more willing to slip someone some cash to pass my car, then spend hundreds to make it slower.. I do like your tip about the buying my own scanner though, I think Im going to do that. Anyone have suggestions? I saw one at harbor freight for $70 that had good reviews.

[flyfishvt]

You'll never notice any performance difference in regular driving. How fast do you think these cars actually are? My daughters new Hyundai is almost as fast as my 325. BMW isn't about speed and horsepower. They are about handling. I can beat faster cars on a twisty road because it corners so well.

[stimpe36]

I feel you, I have owned both faster and slower cars. Its just the principal of me spending a lot of money to decrease power. In my mind I would rather try and get around the problem, than spending time and money to make my car "legal".

[stimpe36]

Anyone else have input? I think Im going to clear the codes tomorrow and see how long it takes for the cel to come back.

[slocar]

^ I imagine the first time it comes out of open loop ... aka as soon as you start it up basically.

[rubbinmydub]

stimpeeepee i might got something for you