Hey guys I was just wondering what kind of emissions inspection PA has. I live in abington area. Do they have visual test or not? Any place where I can pass with LT headers and ORY? Thanks for the help in advance.

 

In my county (bucks) they hook it up to the computer and as long as there are no codes (check engine light on) it should pass no problem. They also check the gas cap. They don't have to do a visual emissions inspection. My local shop charges $50 to do just the emissions and put the sticker on, no safety inspection.

 

This is not true-they changed the law in 2003. Some shops may not actually do the visual check, but by law they are supposed to do it. Now, all counties in PA have to pass the visual inspection, and counties near the cities also have to pass the sniffer and OBD test.

Here is the actual PA law for the emissions check; You can pass with LT headers in the city as long as you have both cats, all of the emissions equipment that originally came with the vehicle, and can pass the sniffer / OBD test. Passing the sniffer may only be possible by getting a good tune first, as our cars can run a bit rich with LT's.

“Beginning December 1, 2003, passenger cars and light duty trucks registered in all PA counties subject to the safety inspection, will include a visual inspection of the components listed below as part of the safety inspection procedure.
• Fuel Inlet Restrictor
• Catalytic Converter
• Positive Crankcase Ventilation (PCV) Valve
• Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) Valve
• Air Injection Reaction System
• Evaporative Control System
Vehicles being inspected shall be checked visually for the presence of the above emission control components. These components may be original vehicle equipment or an equivalent aftermarket replacement component meeting the same standards.
The visual inspection shall be performed through direct observation or through indirect observation, using a mirror as a visual aid.
Provided that the make and model year of the vehicle would have originally been equipped with the device, you will fail a vehicle for inspection if one or more of the following apply:
• The catalytic converter has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
• Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
• Positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) valve has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
• Fuel inlet restrictor has been removed, disconnected or is the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
• Air pump has been removed, disconnected or the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
• Evaporative control system components have been removed, disconnected or are the wrong type for the certified vehicle configuration.
Inspectors may use the Vehicle Emission Control Information (VECI) label in the engine compartment or an appropriate reference manual to determine which emission components were originally placed on a vehicle at the time of manufacture. Only those components (listed above) that were part of the original certified vehicle configuration are subject to this portion of the inspection. If a component was not originally on a vehicle at the time of manufacture, it will pass inspection without it.”
Vehicles in select counties must also pass an exhaust test and OBD check to determine if the vehicle’s emissions equipment and computer are working properly.

 

thanks for the thelp guys

 

THIS IS NOT TRUE FOR AN LS1 AND TAKEN COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTEXT! This refers to pre-1996 cars only. You do not need cats to pass the emissions test with an LS1!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are many links showing there is no visual emissions inspections in PA to OBDii cars. Here are some links

http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/drivecleanpa/archive/DOT_press_release_120103.pdf#search='pa%20dot%20em issions'

http://www.drivecleanpa.state.pa.us/...pa/default.htm

http://www.dot10.state.pa.us/pdotfor.../section_e.pdf

Emissions costs about $30 around here.

 

 

My cousin does my inspections. And as long as there are no codes the car will pass emissions. There is no need for a visual inspection on ls1 cars.

 

I don't think that this is entirely true: It is my understanding that if you live in a rural county that does not require an emissions sticker then you still must pass the visual check, which would require cats. 1996 or newer cars in counties that require an emissions sticker have to pass the gas cap check and the OBD, but would not require a visual check. Doesn't make much sense to me how a car in the city can get away without having cats, but a car in the rural counties still requires them. I guess they think that the cats in the rural counties will make up for the fact that the car never gets the OBD check. The laws here can be confusing, and I have heard different things from mechanics that aren't always true.

Information for "Other Counties"
Vehicles registered in the 42 counties listed below are NOT required to pass an emissions inspection. However, most passenger vehicles and light trucks weighing 11,000 pounds and less are required to pass a visual anti-tampering check as part of an enhanced safety inspection. Vehicles registered as classic or collectible are exempt from the anti-tampering portion of the safety inspection. The visual anti-tampering check is a visual inspection for the presence of emission control components that were installed on a vehicle by the manufacturer.

Vehicle safety inspections are performed at official PENNDOT Inspection Stations (usually a repair garage or a service station with a repair shop). Inspection fees are posted at official inspection stations. These fees do not include repairs to correct vehicle defects.

List of "Other Counties" Emission Inspection Stations and Current Prices
Note: These stations perform emissions inspections for the convenience of customers with vehicles registered in emissions inspection counties.

Counties:
Adams, Armstrong, Bedford, Bradford, Butler, Cameron, Carbon, Clarion, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Crawford, Elk, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Indiana, Jefferson, Juniata, Lawrence, McKean, Mifflin, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Wayne, Wyoming

 

Good catch Johnny. I stand corrected. I wonder if you could find a mechanic that would even look at a newer car in those counties though.