Need Help: Emission Nazi's are killing me

[mattman215]

I need some help guys.

I bought my car this time last year. The sale included a 30 day warranty and the dealer was on the hook for a passing inspection. It passed a MA state inspection without issue.

I brought it back this year to get a new sticker and found out that the Car has been flagged in MA because of the initial inspection results.

Everything passes except for the On-Board Diagnostic Monitor Results. The monitor results all read "Not Supported". My car has all of the proper equipment (cats, O2 sensors, evap system, egr components, but it does have a custom tune.

I'm super apprehensive about messing with the tune because the car, as tuned, runs awesome. I don't even know if the car will run on a stock tune. Looking to find out if anyone else in MA or CA have run into this and what you did to get a legit sticker.

All advise is appreciated.

[tbar]

Do you know if the O2s are turned on in the tune?

[mattman215]

I dont know. The car was tuned when I bought it and did not come with a handheld unit.

[tbar]

I would bet that the rear O2s are turned off in the tune. Did they say why they would have passed it the last time and then flagged it?

[mattman215]

He did not. My inspection guy and I were both caught off guard. Apparently the car was flagged by the state after last years inspection, with no notification to the registered owner... So when I went to get it inspected today, I find out there is a state run (MAC center) group that has to inspect my car prior to it being able to be reinspected at the local station.

[RedFire281]

Unfortunately, I believe you are experiencing a common problem with emissions testing in MA and NJ. Both states have implemented regulations that randomly flag PCMs that may have been modified from the OEM. Dodge SRTs with "staged" PCMs are especially vulnerable to MA and NJ emissions and the owners are relegated to installing their stock PCM for emissions test and re-installing their staged PCM afterwards. If your PCM was modified by Saleen and your car has been flagged, you have three options - all of which may be costly. 1. Buy a new PCM and have the dealership install the OEM program based on the sticker code of your current PCM. Be sure you have the stock airbox. Drive the car to get "ready" status on all emissions readouts (the car should be driveable as long as you stay out of boost); then go and get tested. Re-install your Saleen modified PCM. 2. Recommended: Go to a dealership and have the Saleen PCM modifications overwritten with your OEM program. Buy an SCT or Diablo tuner and have the car dyno tuned. Be sure you have "ready" status; then go and get tested. 3. This is the most expensive alternative - move out of MA.

[RedFire281]

Edit my last post: I have read elsewhere that some staged PCM owners were granted waivers since the flagged PCM was simply that -- flagged for additional information. I think the MAC Center may be open to the discussion that the Saleen PCM modification is emissions compliant and your car should be granted a sticker renewal.

[tbar]

Could you not buy a SCT tuner and download the current tune onto it then have a stock tune loaded onto the PCM, reinstall current tune after testing? You might be able to buy the tuner from say Brenspeed with a stock GT tune loaded onto it.