[ButtDyno]

The August Fastrack is trying to make our cars illegal after the fact...

http://forums.nasioc.com/forums/show....php?t=1309156

Street Touring: Per the STAC, Street Touring competitors are reminded that ST requires all vehicle modifications to be emissions compliant as stated in 14.10.C, 14.10.D, and 14.10.E. All emissions system hardware and software must be operationally functional as originally intended by the manufacturer. Tampering with emissions system software and/or hardware to create or cloak non-compliance is not permitted. Some examples of emissions system tampering are O2 foolers, disabling or deactivating Check Engine Light (CEL) code indication, backdating ECU internals from OBD2 to OBD1, etc.

Check NASIOC or SCCAForums for the details... and don't forget to write seb@scca.com with a clearly thought out rational argument as to what you think about things

thanks,
john

[KarlSTI]

Welllll, i would say this sucks but then I still have my stock DP and cats...sooooooo, I'm the only legal STU competitor in the country!! Yay! I win!!!!

Of course I was about to replace the DP and yank a cat but looks like I can save a few bucks for now....

Actually, it appears to me the SCCA rules conflict....one rule says you can remove 1 cat but this "clarification" says you cannot change emissions. Well, it's one or the other SCCA. I was looking forward to a little catless DP love....

[Dark_Helmet]

And yet another bickering thread that gives me no desire to take my autoxing to nationals. I just want to have fun with my car on the street and be somewhat competitive at the autox. I want to have some minor mods that don't put me in BSP or SM with cars that are not good for daily driving but are good for autox. Every once in a while I get the urge to take my car to nationals but then I see something like this and it reminds me that if I did good and didn't take the mudflaps off my car then someone would protest me.

[Alex]

I doubt they'll care locally

Hell, if my car passed emissions thats good enough

[ButtDyno]

Yeah, locally I don't see anyone snarky enough to enforce it. There are specific allowances that allow the things that the clarification says are illegal so I think you'd have a good leg to stand on in a protest.

john

[thunderbird]

buy wheels and r-comps and join the ranks of BSP ;-) Actually I think the SCCA is killing itself with mindless rule making.

[ButtDyno]

I'd be in ESP, with the Camaros/Mustangs. It would be at LEAST $10K on top of my existing $$ to be competitive

john

[S1MPSONS]

I am going to write a letter to SEB very soon. What a mess they have caused.

[S1MPSONS]

Dear SEB:

Your most recent clarification in August 2007 Fastrack regarding emissions compliance for ST-Class competitors is paradoxical. In the STU class rules, SCCA provides for specific allowance for the replacement of multiple OE catalytic converters for a single high flow replacement. Such an modification would immediately lead to federal emissions non-compliance according to the EPA standards and requirements for replacing catalytic converters. Perhaps you should retract your clarification because it seems to disallow most of the cars that were built to compete in ST-classes per the SCCA SOLO rule book. Or, perhaps you should simply clarify that you must retain (at minimum) one functional catalytic converter no further downstream than 6" along the piping flow path from the original exit of the final OE converter.

Thanks for your consideration.

Sincere Regards,
Jake

EPA EMISSIONS REQUIREMENT REFERENCE: http://www.epa.gov/OMS/cert/factshts/catcvrts.pdf
"Aftermarket converters... cannot be used for replacement if the existing converter is present and functioning properly"
Furthermore the EPA requires replacement catalytic converters to be "in the same location as the original...(and) the same type of converter as the original".

SCCA SOLO RULE REFERENCE:
14.12.6 "High flow catalytic converters are allowed, but must attach within six inches of the original unit. Multiple catalytic converters may be replaced by a single unit. The inlet of the single replacement converter may be located no further downstream than 6" along the piping flow path from the original exit of the final OE converter."

AUGUST 2007 FASTRACK REFERENCE
"Street Touring: Per the STAC, Street Touring competitors are reminded that ST requires all vehicle modifications to be emissions compliant as stated in 14.10.C, 14.10.D, and 14.10.E. All emissions system hardware and software must be operationally functional as originally intended by the manufacturer. Tampering with emissions system software and/or hardware to create or cloak non-compliance is not permitted. Some examples of emissions system tampering are O2 foolers, disabling or deactivating Check Engine Light (CEL) code indication, backdating ECU internals from OBD2 to OBD1, etc."

I just sent a professional letter to SEB describing there paradoxical clarification regarding emissions requirements.

[S1MPSONS]

TECH BULLETINS
1) Street Touring: In the second sentence of 14.10.E, replace “US DOT” with “EPA tailpipe” and in 14.10.E.6, replace “STS” with “ST” and replace “the Federal 49-state safety and tailpipe emissions” with “EPA tailpipe emissions”. Note: This corrects the reference to the responsible agency within the federal government.
2) Street Touring: The Tech Bulletin published in the August 2007 Fastrack in regards to the “emissions system” was intended to refer to the “emissions monitoring system” in all cases. Since the inception of the ST category, the goal has been to reflect common, street-legal modifications, as stated in the opening paragraph of section 14. An integral part of street legality is emissions legality. The SEB interprets the phrases “meet emissions standards” and “emissions legal” as the ability to meet the tailpipe emissions standards of an Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) test. I/M testing is commonly required by the EPA in socalled “non-attainment zones” and is a subset of the original vehicle emissions certification (Federal Test Procedure).

On vehicles equipped with OBD-II monitoring, the I/M test relies on the OBD-II system to determine whether or not the vehicle meets the tailpipe emissions standards. Non-compliance is indicated by the malfunction indicator lamp (MIL, commonly called a check engine light). As such, modifications that invalidate the monitoring and/or reporting of the OBD-II system are not considered emissions legal.

On pre-OBD-II vehicles, the I/M test utilizes a dynamometer test to determine whether or not the vehicle meets the tailpipe emissions standards. The three common tailpipe dynamometer tests are IM240, ASM2525 and ASM5015.

To me, this sounds to me like it would be legal to have an STi with at least one high-flow cat and the following ECU tuning:
1. COBB Married Stock Base Map and COBB STU GT100 Real Time Map
or
2. COBB Protuned Map that; a) does not ignore O2 related CEL's, and b) does not modify boost
or.
3. COBB Married Stock Base Map

This setup must also be run without a CEL and there must be no mechanical CEL fix.

While still quite contradictory, it seems I have a reasonable strategy to remain STU legal. Any opinions or suggestions with regard to my strategy would be hopeful.

NOTE: I guess it's time to test my high-flow cat for its functionality

[IlliniSTi]

Originally Posted by S1MPSONS

This setup must also be run without a CEL and there must be no mechanical CEL fix.

Actually a mechanical cel fix is perfectly legal. Look at it this way, the SCCA says you must run the car with its emissions monitoring equipment as the manufacturer intended. So, since it's nearly impossible to determine the manufacturer's intent, we can only go off of how the emissions monitoring system is configured from the factory.

As configured from the factory, the rear O2 sensor is out of the direct exhaust flow stream. However, on most aftermarket down pipes, the O2 sensor is in the direct exhaust flow stream. So, in order to operate the rear O2 sensor as the manufacturer intended, you have to pull the O2 sensor out of the exhaust flow stream. Which is where the mechanical cel fix comes in and is justified. Make some measurements and install an anti-fouler that will put the O2 sensor in relatively the same place. If you want some more clarification, check out this thread:
http://www.sccabb.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=5670&PN=1

On a side note, I ran my Cobb TBE without an anti-fouler for 3 or 4 months with no cels. Then all of a sudden one day it comes on. I reset the ECU, put in an anti-fouler, and off we've gone since then. Was there any appreciable change in my exhaust emissions as a result? No. There in lies the real stupidity of the rule. My car can be perfectly legal one day, and then illegal the next. And it's not like I'm gaining an unfair advantage as a result.

[S1MPSONS]

editted................im retarded

[ButtDyno]

The STS/2 cat rule doesn't apply to STX/U - our cats don't have to be certified or anything. The stuff about not throwing CELs applies though.

[S1MPSONS]

Originally Posted by ButtDyno

The STS/2 cat rule doesn't apply to STX/U - our cats don't have to be certified or anything. The stuff about not throwing CELs applies though.

OMG, I am retarded. You are right. This changes for STX+. I was stressing this soooo much last night for nothing.