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Failed NJ State inspection with Berk High Flow cats
Hello,
Kind of aggravated... so I failed state inspection this time around, with Berk High Flow cats and Borla TD catback. I failed VISUAL, because they said I need to have 4 cats on my car, not two. The car passed actual emissions. Berk HFC is supposed to be legal.
I passed with no problems 2 years ago at the same facility with the same exact exhaust setup.
They're being rediculous. Don't most cars have 1 cat per bank, 2 O2's per cat? They failed you for tampering.
I would speak with the owner of the station, esp if your light isn't on.
The manager there was saying that the car has 2 pre-cats and 2 cats, stock, according to their schematics they have in their system.
He also said, the o2 sensors are supposed to connect right into the cat, not after it. I said to him, what are you talking about?
Seriously I think they are just busting my ***** because the exhaust is altered. I saw the 2 knuckleheads reversing and going forward trying to see the cats with their little cameras they have under the car. The emissions are fine, why you gotta give me crap.
Stock vs Berk. I guess they are considering the stock to be 2 cats per?
Just a heads up to anyone in NJ, don't go to State inspection, even if its legal. Just pay the few bucks and have a private guy do it, at least they aren't robots and you can talk to them.
He is mostly right, as is the diagram. The catalytic converters have two sections with the O2 sensor in between the two catalytic honeycombs. Still a single unit though.
unless there is 2 sections of honeycomb and then a break where it bends. so glad we dont have to deal with visuals here. as long as we dont have a service engine light, we are good
They're clearly busting on you for modification to the emissions system.
HOWEVER, technically speaking, they are correct in saying the car has "4" catalysts AND that the downstream O2 sensors plug directly into the catalyst. (While the two upstream units are pre-cat in the "dirty exhaust".)
Where they're WRONG is that while the OEM catalyst is a two chamber affair (as your pic shows but with heat shields in place and below sans shields), they are misreading the diagram because it looks like four units but it's actually two, two-chamber units.
But regardless of the semantics, visual is visual as ANY tampering/replacement of emissions components is grounds for failure (at least in California and NY) unfortunately.
Not really sure what your options are other than putting stock cats back in for test. Other thing I'm wondering about is if you can take it to another shop for testing or does it go on record that you're in violation and any other shop accessing your VIN at the DMV will show that?? Thass how it works here in California.
Hey, look at the bright side..... you aren't here or in NY (uses CA emissions regs). You cannot use anything other than OEM or "certified replacement units" which cost nearly as much as OEM and I'm surprised that Berk (or their dealers) are even allowed to ship 48-state convertors here.
The whole process isn't properly regulated. Shouldn't it ONLY measure the emissions coming out of the exhaust?, and maybe the sound dbs if your state has those laws. Isn't that the point of an "emissions" test? If the emissions coming out of the car are correct, what does it matter how it's happening?
The whole process isn't properly regulated. Shouldn't it ONLY measure the emissions coming out of the exhaust?, and maybe the sound dbs if your state has those laws. Isn't that the point of an "emissions" test? If the emissions coming out of the car are correct, what does it matter how it's happening?
Well, that's the logical way of thinking about it and the most frequent argument about test failures.
But that opens up the air resources board and the whole testing process in general to a lot of criticism about questionable legalities regarding "which standards do we use?" and how to go about enforcing the smog laws when there are ambiguities in the written laws.
So, CARB long ago said, "No modifications to emissions. Period. /story."
And I'm sure there's a lot of politics behind it as well.
hmmmmmm, what if you took the shields off some factory ones and welded them onto the berks somehow
I actually thought about this today, but that's what I mean, to have to do that, how stupid the FAIL was if emissions are correct.
The workers are like: ohhhh I hear an exhaust, lets inspect every inch of piping. They went under my hood with flashlights and everything all while their computer says "looks good to me, pass him".
I'm going to take it to a private inspector (you can do this in NJ even after a fail), and talk to him about it like a human.
I actually thought about this today, but that's what I mean, to have to do that, how stupid the FAIL was if emissions are correct.
The workers are like: ohhhh I hear an exhaust, lets inspect every inch of piping. They went under my hood with flashlights and everything all while their computer says "looks good to me, pass him".
I'm going to take it to a private inspector (you can do this in NJ even after a fail), and talk to him about it like a human.
Sounds like a plan. Installed my Berks a few months ago. Makes me rethink posting a FS on og cats.
Good luck!
I hope this isnt happening statewide - I passed the last 3 times with UR HFCs, ARK Grip True Dual exhaust, and Cobb stage 2 tune.
Unfortunately for you they log you into the system so you will have to find a "mod friendly" shop to pass you.
Next time try Secaucus DMV, as soon as they see my car they move me into a different line so I am not on the rack (I guess they do it for all lower cars), no mirrors, cameras, visual inspections at all. Just the sniffer up the tailpipe and the OBDll cable and that is all.
If you recall fatboy Christie changed the DMV laws, they are only supposed to test emissions at the DMV, any other violations are up to local law enforcement (headlights, tail lights, sound levels, unsafe vehicle, visual inspections, etc.)
That is unfair! I live in NJ, and also passed NJ state inspection at their facility. I have the exact same Berk Technology HFC that you have, with Injen SES exhaust. They looked at my set-up, then past me with flying colors.
Before you do any alterations, You should definitely go to the NJ inspection site that I went to. If you want I'll give you the address.
Failed NJ State inspection with Berk High Flow cats
