PA State inspection: WTF!?!

[AgentH]

I've done absolutely no investigation into why our wonderful state does it the way they do, so really all I'm doing is venting some rage. And wasting a couple kb of clubwrx space.

So I took my JDM engine and JDM ecu equipped wagon over to my trusty family mechanic for my yearly inspection.

THE MECHANIC FAILED ME because his reader can't read my ECU.

Where is the sense in that? If it passes emissions, passes the regular mechanical inspection BS, and has no CEL's, then why not pass me?!?

For my beater 93 honda civic, my trusty mechanic has to take it to a place that has a Dynomometer for the car to drive on while they check emissions at 50 mph or something like that. It's pre ODBII so there's no way of scanning its ECU. How is my Suby any different? I'd be somewhat pissed if he stuck me with an extra charge for getting it set up on the Dyno like he did w/my Civic, but so be it...

Maybe I'm missing something!

[EJ257]

If it's anything like here, your DMV may not be able to communicate with the JDM ECU. The DMV requires the car to "check in" and ensure there aren't any DTCs and that your readiness monitors are online. If that's the case, there's nothing the "trusty family mechanic" can do that wouldn't risk him losing his inspection license and/or paying a hefty fine.

[Mikie13]

Same reason Nissan Skylines are "illegal" in the US...while it may physically pass emissions, not being able to connect to the ECU may mean there are "problems" that you are hiding. that it's the world we live in. They'd rather crush rare and and awesome cars than let it slide.

[Shake&Bake]

Same reason Nissan Skylines are "illegal" in the US...while it may physically pass emissions, not being able to connect to the ECU may mean there are "problems" that you are hiding. that it's the world we live in. They'd rather crush rare and and awesome cars than let it slide.

Yup, blame the hippie tree huggers for this.

[Mikie13]

Yup, blame the hippie tree huggers for this.

Seriously...otherwise I'd have a Skyline.

Which the whole thing is retarded...I thought Japan had pretty hefty emissions requirements themselves simply cause they have such a high population density.

[RogerSteadman]

i found the requirements in japan:
New Engines and Vehicles

On-Road Engines and Vehicles

Japan introduced fist new engine emissions standards for on-road vehicles in the late 1980’s. The Japanese standards, however, remained relaxed through the 1990’s. In 2003 the MOE finalized very stringent 2005 emission standards for both light and heavy vehicles. At the time they came to power, the 2005 heavy-duty emission standards (NOx = 2 g/kWh, PM = 0.027 g/kWh) were the most stringent diesel emission regulation in the world. Effective 2009, these limits are further tightened (NOx = 0.7 g/kWh, PM = 0.01 g/kWh) to a level in-between the US 2010 and Euro V requirements.

Most categories of onroad vehicles, including passenger cars and heavy-duty trucks and buses, are also subject to mandatory fuel efficiency targets. The Japanese fuel efficiency requirements for heavy trucks and buses were the world’s first fuel economy regulation for heavy vehicles.

Off-Road Engines

First emission regulations for new off-road engines and vehicles, known as MOT/MOC standards, were adopted by the former Ministry of Transport (MOT) and Ministry of Construction (MOC).

After the reorganization of Japanese government in 2001, off-road engine emissions fell under the jurisdiction of MOE and MLIT, the same ministries that are responsible for regulating emissions from highway engines. First MOE/MLIT standards for off-road engines were promulgated in 2005.

Marine Engines

In 2003, the MLIT proposed emission regulations for new and existing ocean-going ships. The regulations, aligned with the 1997 MARPOL 73/78 Annex VI limits (by International Maritime Organization), require cutting NOx emissions by about 10% from previous non-regulated levels.



Passenger Cars

Two types of standards can be established in Japan, denoted as “mean” and “max” (the “max” standards are shown in brackets in the following tables). The “mean” standards are to be met as a type approval limit and as a production average. The “max” standards are to be met generally as an individual limit in series production and as type approval limit if sales are less than 2000 per vehicle model per year.

Implementation dates in the tables refer to new vehicle models. Current production models are often allowed a delay of up to one year.

Emission standards for new diesel powered cars are listed in Table 1. The test method is the 10-15 mode cycle (which superseded the older 10-mode cycle effective 1991.11 for domestic cars and 1993.04 for imports). The 2005 regulation introduced a new JC08 mode cycle which will be fully phased-in by 2011. Vehicles are tested using 50 ppm S fuel for the 2005 standards.

Table 1
Japanese Emission Standards for Diesel Passenger Cars, g/km



* - equivalent inertia weight (EIW); vehicle weight of 1265 kg
a - 2002.10 for domestic cars, 2004.09 for imports
b - full implementation by the end of 2005
c - full phase-in by 2011
d - non-methane hydrocarbons
e - 2009.10 for new domestic models; 2010.09 for existing models & imports


Commercial Vehicles

Emission standards for new diesel fueled commercial vehicles are summarized in Table 2 for light vehicles (chassis dynamometer test) and in Table 3 for heavy vehicles (engine dynamometer test).

Light-duty trucks and buses are tested on the 10-15 mode cycle, which will be fully replaced by the JC08 mode test by 2011. The test procedure for heavy-duty engines is the JE05 mode cycle (hot start version). Before 2005, heavy-duty engines were tested over the 13-mode cycle and the 6-mode cycle. Vehicles and engines are tested using 50 ppm S fuel for the 2005 standards.

Table 2
Diesel Emission Standards for Light Commercial Vehicles
GVW ≤ 3500 kg (≤ 2500 kg before 2005)





a - 1997: GVW ≤ 3500 kg; 1998: 3500 < GVW ≤ 12000 kg; 1999: GVW > 12000 kg
b - 2003: GVW ≤ 12000 kg; 2004: GVW > 12000 kg
c - full implementation by the end of 2005
d - non-methane hydrocarbons

here you go mike, just to refresh your memory

[RogerSteadman]

Emission Standards: Japan: On-Road Vehicles and Engines

here is the full site.

[Eric05mx]

Thankfully I have someone that will just throw a sticker on whatever vehicle I have as long as it's not a pile a junk that is dangerous to drive.

Also, I've heard something about the Skyline's being illegal is the US but I just seen one last weekend..?

[RogerSteadman]

some people get the dis assembled in japan and shipped in pieces over here and then rebuilt as a "kit Car" i knew a guy back in the day that did that

[Mikie13]

Thankfully I have someone that will just throw a sticker on whatever vehicle I have as long as it's not a pile a junk that is dangerous to drive.

Also, I've heard something about the Skyline's being illegal is the US but I just seen one last weekend..?

I've seen them around as well. Very rare, but some have been legally "converted" to our safety/emissions standards which takes thousands upon thousands of dollars.

Others just as Roger below said, are imported as "kits" and are "off-road" only vehicles and such.

[movinggreen]

i have found the requirements in japan..may you can try..

[Calvinball]

If it passes emissions,

The way PA, and many other states, now test emissions is by interfacing with the ecu. If they can't, then they cannot complete the required tests.

[AgentH]

I had to buy a USDM ECU, find a safe tune for my engine (I had to disable the TGV position circuit 1 and 2 high and low DTC's since I don't have TGV's), drive around for an unknown period of time (100 miles?) for the readiness monitors to be set before I could have it inspected again.

I'm ready for next year, but it's $75 (used ECU) and a bunch of pointless running around.

I should also point out that while driving around with an expired inspection sticker, I got a parking ticket in philadelphia. The meeter maid wacked me for $40 for having a expired inspection sticker.

[Mikie13]

I should also point out that while driving around with an expired inspection sticker, I got a parking ticket in philadelphia. The meeter maid wacked me for $40 for having a expired inspection sticker.

That happened to me too a month + ago...but I moved out of PA back in July, so I didn't want to spend the money to get my inspection done since its annoying and not cheap. But, I've been lazy about getting my license switched back over to NJ which is prolonging getting my registration and inspection done in NJ. Such a pain in the ass with all the paper work and crap.

[drkhead]

Wow that sucks. Good luck.

Same thing happened to me on an engine swap (2002 dodge intrepid 3.5L v8 into a 2001 that used to have a 6 cyl). Of course, this is a little different, whereas I needed wiring harnesses etc. Hell I had the entire f-in dashboard from the donor car, harnesses EVERYTHING, yet couldn't get the PCM to be read... couldn't fixed & traded in (my uncle, who now works for subie was nice enough to take the car lol).