[AlpineSwift]

Kind of an odd question since I'm not yet in a 335 (should be once my stocks pay out in full by March/April ):

If you run 100% E85 through the system with catless DP's, DP Fix, Tune, DCI, etc. will you pass a sniffer test?

There's the question for those that don't want the background as to why I'm asking. Here's my reasons. The plan as of right now is to find an N54 powered 6MT E90/92 (number of doors makes no difference to me weirdly ) in Xi (Colorado snow sucks for RWD) and my goals for the time being are the 400whp/~400tq range of power. I realize the practical way of achieving this kind of power is with catless DP's, tune, dci, FMIC, CP, and a blend of E85/91. Colorado has a strange new system for checking emissions after the sticker goes kaboom. We have these nifty roadside testing vans that take readings as the cars flyby on an on ramp for the highway. The readings are tagged with your rear license plate number and logged for registration purposes. Every time your emissions comes due during registration, you get a notification in the mail saying you passed and it is not necessary to go to a smog center (if you passed).

Because they aren't doing a visual or OBDII check with these roadside vans, it kind of makes me think they are relying entirely on sniffer data. I don't know if anyone has tried to cheat the system by throwing it in neutral (pressing the clutch in for us stick guys and gals) and coasting by the vans.
I guess I'm just looking for practical advice concerning emissions here since I'm not real fond of switching pipes out every time a test comes due. I would like to think that E85 would be the answer in this case.

Thoughts? Appreciate anything that would help put my concerns to rest.

[Mit_Boost]

Really can't see how a van trying to take an emissions readings is accurate..... Think you need to look more into this

[3000GT MR]

sounds like you took full advantage of the new legalization law. J/K but I do think it's odd. Just shut the car off and coast by these vans, or put stacks on the car, I won't judge.

[stanlalee]

You know how low the standard must be for drive by emissions testing. Sounds like they aren't really interested in real emissions testing and you'd have to be smoking up the road to fail.

[chepy24]

Interesting! I'm in colorado too and thought about posting this question but just too lazy haha. Was wondering if I'd pass the roadside with catless dp and just a mix of e85

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by chepy24

Interesting! I'm in colorado too and thought about posting this question but just too lazy haha. Was wondering if I'd pass the roadside with catless dp and just a mix of e85

I'm glad I asked because no one else around our area ever has.

See? And the rest of you thought I was going crazy.

[chepy24]

Originally Posted by AlpineSwift

I'm glad I asked because no one else around our area ever has.

See? And the rest of you thought I was going crazy.

They sure did! Haha yea in my saab I passed one every single day on my way to work. Now I wanna throw dp on my car but don't wanna deal with emissions. Hope someone around here with dp can chime in and let us know if they passed and got to ok to renew or had to go in and do the test. If we don't get an answer I suppose I'll be the guinea pig lol

[iturbo_bmw]

lol wtf thats weird. looks like legalization of marijuana is ramping up nicely

[stanlalee]

so let me get this shit straight, as cars drive by they sniff the air? You don't have to pull over, no pit crew runs out and shoves a sniffer up yours at a red light they just do this on the go? So what if the wind is blowing forward and the car behind you is a pre OBD 55' Chevy? How bad does your car have to screw up the surrounding air and of what kind of radius? Seems like there would be way too many variables and there can't be much of a standard.

I hope this doesn't catch on lol, it would piss off enthusiast everywhere!

[Dmacc]

Originally Posted by stanlalee

so let me get this shit straight, as cars drive by they sniff the air? You don't have to pull over, no pit crew runs out and shoves a sniffer up yours at a red light they just do this on the go? So what if the wind is blowing forward and the car behind you is a pre OBD 55' Chevy? How bad does your car have to screw up the surrounding air and of what kind of radius? Seems like there would be way too many variables and there can't be much of a standard.

I hope this doesn't catch on lol, it would piss off enthusiast everywhere!

Usually it's a road block over here in California, they will set up a smog check point on some decently sized road and will have all cars pull over. They bring rolling road with them and each car takes their turn.

I'm in some fb groups that usually let me know where to avoid driving that day lol.

[chepy24]

Originally Posted by stanlalee

so let me get this shit straight, as cars drive by they sniff the air? You don't have to pull over, no pit crew runs out and shoves a sniffer up yours at a red light they just do this on the go? So what if the wind is blowing forward and the car behind you is a pre OBD 55' Chevy? How bad does your car have to screw up the surrounding air and of what kind of radius? Seems like there would be way too many variables and there can't be much of a standard.

I hope this doesn't catch on lol, it would piss off enthusiast everywhere!

Yup lol it's usually on the onramp to the highway. They're pretty close I would say the little tube thing (lol) is about a couple feet from the exhaust when you drive by it not sure how it works but I love it lol never had to go do emissions until I bought my bimmer a few months back but the dealer paid for it since it wasent even on sale yet when I bought it haha it's pretty convenient. I'll try and snap a pic next time I see one

[chepy24]

Here we go lol http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite.../1251594448127

I think it's pretty nifty haha

[stanlalee]

Originally Posted by chepy24

Here we go lol http://www.colorado.gov/cs/Satellite.../1251594448127

I think it's pretty nifty haha

lol I'd definitely try shutting it down and coasting past it before I removed or added any parts. if one still have secondary cats (stock cat back) that might be sufficient under part throttle as well.

[firemanjust1]

I have to say this is one of the dumbest thing that I ever heard of & I always thought NY & CA were bad, but this is just a whole new level of dumb. If this is the case you probably should just go with catted dp or no dp at all.

[WedgePerformance]

I went and watched the video and after watching I wish they would put them in Portland OR. It would save me the hassle of making sure my car is in ready state every two years with an OBD port scan. I'm FBO with VRSF DPs, but I have my secondary cats to keep my car from smoking or smelling bad. Also, I can pass visual inspection which I have had a few motorcycle cops question my car due to noise level @ 4k rpm. Low RPM load LOAD AFR is near 15:1.

OP, if you're still running your secondary cats and you're running 100% E85, you won't have any issues passing. At idle INPA is within emissions parameters. Also, if you really want to make sure you pass as long as you have your secondary cats, get them really hot before you detour and drive by nice and steady without hitting the gas...

[AlpineSwift]

Originally Posted by WedgePerformance

I went and watched the video and after watching I wish they would put them in Portland OR. It would save me the hassle of making sure my car is in ready state every two years with an OBD port scan. I'm FBO with VRSF DPs, but I have my secondary cats to keep my car from smoking or smelling bad. Also, I can pass visual inspection which I have had a few motorcycle cops question my car due to noise level @ 4k rpm. Low RPM load LOAD AFR is near 15:1.

OP, if you're still running your secondary cats and you're running 100% E85, you won't have any issues passing. At idle INPA is within emissions parameters. Also, if you really want to make sure you pass as long as you have your secondary cats, get them really hot before you detour and drive by nice and steady without hitting the gas...

Thanks for the input Wedge. You da man .

[DesertDude]

Originally Posted by chepy24

Yup lol it's usually on the onramp to the highway. They're pretty close I would say the little tube thing (lol) is about a couple feet from the exhaust when you drive by it not sure how it works but I love it lol never had to go do emissions until I bought my bimmer a few months back but the dealer paid for it since it wasent even on sale yet when I bought it haha it's pretty convenient. I'll try and snap a pic next time I see one

They aren't "sniffing" the air. They are using a laser spectrometer that they shoot across the road to measure the makeup of the exhaust plume as you drive by.
More information here: http://aircarecolorado.com/rapidscreen/how-i/

Probably pretty accurate under the right conditions.