Exhaust problem!!!

[hink01wag]

so i have a 2001 l wag that wont pass emissions. i just ordered a new header and want to do a fully new exhaust. the problem i am running into is my car is a California car so the cats have to be a higher pack and less flow. Is there any thing i can do so my CE light doesn't come on? i want a higher flowing exhaust but still need to pass emissions... can anyone help???

[decke48]

cats arent really to retrictive. even a track pipe will only show little gains. you need supporting mods to actully get power out of it. as for cats in california. aftermarket cats are illegal for OBDII cars.. though you could get a stromung or random tech cat. and install the o2 spacer for no CEL. but can offer no way that its guarntee to pass expectally if they look under car

[Sarra]

cats arent really to retrictive. even a track pipe will only show little gains. you need supporting mods to actully get power out of it. as for cats in california. aftermarket cats are illegal for OBDII cars.. though you could get a stromung or random tech cat. and install the o2 spacer for no CEL. but can offer no way that its guarntee to pass expectally if they look under car

If it has a CARB ID number, then it's california legal, and they can't fail you for having it if it's passing the sniffer test. If they do fail you, you can theoreitcally sue the station or state. Or something. Sue someone. Fuck, sue all of California's government, currently elected, past elected, and those who ran and failed to be elected. They all suck.

[hink01wag]

does anyone know what the voltage is suppose to read on the front o2?

[decke48]

.100-900 mil volts signal. they vary depending of rich/lean conditions. .499> is lean .500< is rich
heater runs at 8v to 12v

[hink01wag]

see mine is showing 2.0-3.0 volts... wtf?

[Huffer]

Do you have the multi-meter set for the right scale?

[decke48]

some scan tools read them different. with those specs they run 1.5 to 3.5 volts 2.75< lean 2.76> rich

[hink01wag]

im using a code reader that plugs into the dash at Midas
okay that makes scene than... thanks for your help

[blackstar]

I've been dealing with the same issue. i installed a borla uel header, and a month later my cel light came on for an cat converter efficiency #P0420. i checked my o2 - okay, but was showing 2.0 - 3.0 volts....... huh? contacted a tech at the dealer, and he told me the front / pre o2 is going to read between 2-3 volts - normal, and the rear should be .300 - .900 or so...... cleared the light, found a leak between the header and cat converter @ gasket. installed the thickest gasket possible, light has stayed off for a few months. light did come back on many months later, but found my gaskets were deterorating, causing the exhaust leak again. replaced gasket and the light has been off since. looks like i need to re-do the flange between the header / converter to resolve, they're not perfectly flat when mounted together. ** but i've never been questioned about my header, most smog techs think it is stock / oe , and i live in Nor Cal. :smt023

[Sarra]

Wire wheel the surfaces. If that doesn't fix it, then um... I dunno. I had that problem with my TWE EL manifold.

And, the voltage of the O2 will go up and down, it's the average voltage that's used to determine the afr. Newer cars, like 2010 +, use AFR sensors, instead of O2 sensors, which read a constant voltage. Eh. Stupid.

If you keep getting a CEL with aftermarket manifolds for ineffeciency, you can try exhaust header wrap. If you've got leaks, you would want to fix those first.

[hink01wag]

fixed the problem... built an o2 teaser or a riser to get the o2 out of the cat. put 1k miles on it and cel is still off :smt026

thanks

[blackstar]

with over a thousand miles, you should be okay, but on the 3rd gen legacies, it will take a total of two complete drive cycles for the catalytic converter before it will cycle the cel on. *** your pre O2 is considered an a/f (air/fuel) sensor on these years. **** a drive cycle consists of quite a bit, you wouldn't be able to safely perform a complete drive cycle in one drive (more than likely) the term 'trip' describes the portion of a complete drive cycle that satisfies a particular monitors (a monitor consists of different sensors, ex: o2,maf,map) enabling criteria. the complete drive cycle contains the enabling criteria for all the monitors to be run. *** operating conditions, called enabling criteria must exist before a monitor can perform its test. the enabling criteria are not the same for all of a vehicles monitors and the criteria is specific for each monitor. *** i've seen some monitors take only 200 or 300 miles to clear, but some will need 2 full drive cycle passes before it allows that specific monitor to be specified as good - could take over 1000 miles. but if you have 1k on it since the o2 riser than your probably okay :smt023 , i know with mine the cel would come on within about 500-700 miles.

[hink01wag]

i passed emotions yesterday so all is good thanks for the info.
now i can punch the cats for the new exhaust and install my new supercharger f@$% yeah... ill post install details when i get it all in.

[blackstar]

what kind of supercharger are you going with ? does it have a CARB # ? if so, shoot me some info on what your using, im in nor cal too, and its a joke to get anything modified in cal.

[hink01wag]

i found a Rimmer SC on craigs list last week so i have no info on it other than what i have found on all the forms. Rimmer went out of business and i all the people that ordered from them got screwed out of ahole lot of cash. i have another post going right now on it... but im getting the same answers that i have found everywhere else.

yah and i live in idaho i just have a car with California emission requirements. i get most all of my stuff done at Mides i have a friend that works there... everyone needs a mechanic as a really good friend. a case of beer for labor and cheep parts!!!

[Sarra]

Cali emissions vehicles for BD/BK/BG have the second O2 sensor in a different place than the other 49 state cars do, IIRC. The cats were the same. All that's different is the O2 is behind the second cat, so the ODBII ECU can monitor both cats, unlike Federal emissions vehicles which just monitor one cat. Not sure what the point of the second cat IS, if it isn't even freaking monitored.