Ripper415

Hi guys. I'm from NY and recently got a job in Texas, about 20 miles east of Austin. My car is a 2002 Camaro SS and I've got LT headers and no cats. After the mod, I took the car to a shop where they tuned out the code for the cats so I could pass the OBD II test here in NY. The first go round, a shop just hooked up the computer, saw there were no codes and passed me. A year later, I took it to the same shop and a different guy was doing the test, hooked up the computer, then decided to go above and beyond the call of duty and did a visual inspection. He saw I had no cats and failed me.

I did some checking on the Texas DMV website and saw that only select counties perform emissions inspections, but they all require a "safety inspection". I though "ok great, then I'll just drive to one of the counties that doesn't do an emissions inspection and it'l pass". However, upon further research I saw that as part of the safety inspection, every place is required to do a visual inspection for cats, meaning I'd fail regardless of where I took it.

So if anyone out there has any suggestions or advice for me I'd really appreciate it!

AdioSS

as a moderator I am not suggesting this, however I have heard of people having the shell of catalytic converters welded onto their exhaust to pass the visual part...

ulakovic22

I've never had anyone do a visual on my car before. If you take your car to a Firestone or something they will check, but around D/FW there are a ton of local shops that do it and will just honk the horn, do a brake check and hook you up to the computer. I wouldn't worry too much.

Z28SORR

You can't do this. You must have the car inspected in the county you live in.
As far as the visual goes it varies a lot, depends on the shop.

1994BmtZ28

I was born/raised in Houston and I got away without the visual part of the test most times but not the gauge in the tailpipe test. Harris County and any county that borders it is required to test emissions. I now live in Jefferson County, 2 counties to the east, where it isn't required as of today. I know people that are cat-less here that plan to do the hollow cat as suggested previously. Only problem is the gauge that hooks inside the tailpipe doesn't lie. If a vehicle fails for any reason, the test facility still takes your $$$, and puts a 30 day hold on giving the car a sticker. If you don't go back to thatstation inside 30 days you lose your $$$ and start over. I have been successful at finding a "good ole boy" facility and passing with flying colors in the big city when "times were tough". You just have to find one in the county in which the car is registered. Good luck.

1994BmtZ28

In my previous post I stated to find a''good ole boy" inspection station in the county one's car is registered for an inspection. I must correct myself. One's car is registered with the state of Texas and the determining factor as to where the inspection is expectedto be performed is the address on one's Texas Driver License. Also, in Texas a liability insurance policy is required by law and is to be presented @ inspection as well as registration of the vehicle @ any county courthouse. Texas has set up a database that communicates with insurance companies as to which vehicles are insured. A law enforcement officer can determine the status of one's insurance when the license tag is verified. Some agencies in the state have scanners in patrol cars that scan plates when a car drives by them or as the patrol car is traveling down the road in traffic. I really don't believe an inspection station in a neighboring non-emissions county per the EPA will turn down the $$$ if you're on an extended visit @ Aunt Bea's house while she recuperates from hip surgery.

Z28SORR

Again this is very dependent on the station. I have been turned down by quite a few, just because of the way the car looks. It was completely legal.

ulakovic22

The OP owns a 2002, so there will be no emissions testing in the tailpipe or runs on the dyno, he can simply drive in, hook up and get it done. I'm not familiar with the Austin area, but a lot of friends refer to it as little Cali, simply because of the culture and attitude down there. I'm from D/FW so I'm not sure how by the book they are. You might try a couple local boards to Austin or even LS1Tech. Their TX section might get a little bit more traffic.

AdioSS

I don't think I have had any of my vehicles inspected in the county in which I live since I moved back in 2007.

Z28SORR

I wasn't very clear, so I think I mislead y'all. If you live in or around the large metropex areas like Houston or Dallas/FortWorth they have higher emission standards and you have to have your car inspected in the county it's reg. in. If you live outside these areas the stanard is all the same so you can get it inspected anywhere.
In other words. I live in Galevston County, which has the higher standard, so I have to have my car inspected in that county. I can't go to Brazoria County, which has the lower standard. If I lived in Brazoria County I could take my car anywhere and get it inspected.

skipjobe

You have obd2 so as long as you don't have them looking under the car you are good to go. It sounds like you need to find a good ole boy or have some gutted cats welded in. You will again need a good ole boy. Good luck, I have never had them crawling under the car but mine is obd1 so it it is not so easy

teh gringo

OP: install a "test pipe". just get yourself a cheap cat, install it with some flanges and put it in every year when you need to get an inspection.

thats the best solution i have for you. a cheap cat and flanges is what, 100$? well worth it to just get the test done and over.


oh yeah, there IS a $3,000 minimum fine for running straight pipes in an emission county IIRC

kd5icr

Just put cats on it. In this day and age there are cats that will run on all HP motors. Now as for going out to a different county. That will not work unless the car is registered in that county. And they can tell by the window sticker and the address on the insurance card.

loudstereoguy

Try another station; try the same station and hope for another guy; get some hollowed cats put on for looks; put on some high flow street legal cats.

A car can be inspected in any county in Texas as long as it is not registered in a county requiring emissions testing, if so, then it must be inspected in a that county or any surrounding county that follows the same emissions testing rules.

I inspect cars non stop every day in an emissions county and they watch my shop closely so I do my job thoroughly, includung the visual. I will glance under the car for power steering leaks and for cats, if nothing stands out as illegal then I will not investigate further; however, if I smell that non cat exhaust (which is easy to tell) or hear that hollow sound that non cat cars have, I will look closer, BUT.....I cannot technically fail it as long as it "appears" to have a cat and the computer says it works. Yes I know all the tricks about hollowing them out, putting O2 generators, spark plug non fouler extenders, etc....Just as long as it appears to have cats and the inspection machine thinks they work.

armedtrigger

I live in dfw and have never had a visual done on mine but I know it is required. Any car can be inspected in any county however if the car is registered in an emission county they must have the equipment to perform the emission inspection. If you present your car in an emission county it will be emission tested regardless of where it is registered and even the safety inspection requires a visual inspection to insure that all OEM smog equipment is there and hooked up. The way texas can get you to is if you live in a non-emission county but spend more then I believe 30 days driving into an emission county it must be inspected as an emission county does. So no living outside the county and working in it. It is not enforced to much right now but if the epa starts going after county governments over the smog they will start pressuring the pd to start looking for it and writing citations for it.