PA Owners, emmission question

[WRXDrummer]

Hey guys, I've been looking at downpipes to go stage 2 on my 04 wrx. I was wondering how you guys pass the emission inspections with a modified exhaust. My area uses a visual check and the gas cap test.

Is it going to be difficult/impossible for me to pass emissions/inspection with a catted downpipe? If not, how hard (ie how much time) does it take to change the downpipe out for the factory one? If I do have to change back to stock to pass emissions, would it be a better idea to just buy a catless downpipe?

Thanks guys. I live in state college, pa in centre county. Any recommendations of nearby shops that are lenient would be great.

[The Black Pearl]

Maybe you just mixed them up or its a typo, but if you want to pass emissions you would want a catted downpipe. I am in SC a lot of weekends but I do not know the area well enough to tell you of any shops that would let a catless exhaust go. I would go with high flow catted downpipe if you have the extra $$. Saves you the hassle and smell. I think catless DP's have very minimal difference in HP anyway from what I have learned on these forums. I am planning to go Stage 2 on my STi whenever I get the money. I plan on getting a Helix catted DP. They run around $330 shipped!!

[Sasquatch]

State College ... fun town! I miss the Ye Olde Stickies.

Go catted. As long as your ECU was not reset a day or so prior to the ODBII test you should be fine.

[rexbro]

I have a 04 stg 2 wrx with Cobb AP & catted dp - no problem passing obd2 test in PA.

[WRXDrummer]

State College ... fun town! I miss the Ye Olde Stickies.

Go catted. As long as your ECU was not reset a day or so prior to the ODBII test you should be fine.

Yeah, state college is fun. It's like they say, when you come to state college there are 25 things you have to do. Go to all 23 bars, visit the lion shrine, and visit joepa's statue. I made it to 5 last weekend for my 21st, but after 3 nights of drinking this was me saturday night

I was just wondering if with only 1 cat in the system, if I would fail the visual inspection part. And do all aftermarket DP's require cutting the heatshield? Thanks for the help guys!

[Sasquatch]

I was just wondering if with only 1 cat in the system, if I would fail the visual inspection part. And do all aftermarket DP's require cutting the heatshield? Thanks for the help guys!

The visual can vary, but I have never had a real problem. I have always told the tech when I first arrive I have a single aftermarket cat. If they then take the car in they will pass it.

The heat shield will require trimming.

[EJ257]

The visual can vary, but I have never had a real problem. I have always told the tech when I first arrive I have a single aftermarket cat. If they then take the car in they will pass it.

+1

You should be fine with a cat, but make sure you mention this before your car goes in. They will take off the sticker as soon as they bring it in the shop, and if you don't pass, you can't drive your car away. It would be pretty sleezy if a shop knowingly took your car in that wouldn't pass.

If you can get StageII done before you leave, go to Capitaland. Fred told me that as long as there is a cat (either aftermarket or stock), they will pass you. This will give you a year to find a shop down there

[WRXDrummer]

You should be fine with a cat, but make sure you mention this before your car goes in. They will take off the sticker as soon as they bring it in the shop, and if you don't pass, you can't drive your car away.

Yeah, good point. I will make sure I mention it to the shop before they do any work on it. That would be pretty sleezy to take my car in and fail it.

Fred told me that as long as there is a cat (either aftermarket or stock), they will pass you.

I wish I could do that. But I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) that since my car is registered in PA, I have to have the PA inspection sticker and the PA emission sticker. O well, I think it's time to discover the subaru scene in central PA and see if any locals can offer advice.

Thanks Matt

[Vez]

Even though I lived in State College for 14 years, I never had my STI while I was there and never was into modding. However, from what I had heard, you might want to try a little garage right on West College Ave heading towards the golf course. Heading there from town, it's on your left and just past the Suzuki dealearship. I "heard" they're cool there, but you might want to ask around since I never went ther myself.

[neptun]

Hey I know that shop!
I think it's on the corner of W. College & Middle St.
A purple low rider truck is always parked outside.

There used to be another shop on W. College, around the 500 block on the right side as you're leaving town.
Lots of Porsche's, Audi's etc. I had them work on my RX7 back in the high school days. They were always very cool, but I'm not sure if they're still around. I left town 7 years ago for Boulder, CO.

[WRXDrummer]

Good first post. I think I like this guy.

Welcome!

[neptun]

Thanks man.
I used to hang out on awdpirates.net when I lived in CO.
Check nasioc & tst daily for parts, and met this guy Bill in a silver wrx at the last autocross event who told me about this site.
Good 2 b here, and just got a bunch of PA drive ideas from the Fun Drives section.

[2.0Rs]

Just keep your stock dp and swap it out before you take it in. For me I know people who won't even look. As long as I don't have a check engine light they don't care.