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Failed inspection, Stage 2 – NC

Fizor

Fizor

Ready to race!
Long story short, went to my local inspection station and failed, twice. I don’t have the form in front of me, but I believe it says “catalyst – not ready” for two separate things that were testing. Called the tuner that flashed me to Stage 2, and they said that my only option is to flash the car back to stock, hope that it doesn’t throw a CEL with the downpipe, get the car inspected, and then flash it back to stage II.

They are going to charge me 55$ for each transaction, for a total before taxes of $110. + the price of the inspection, and I am suddenly regretting getting my car upgraded to stage two.

Arg. Don’t know how I missed this. Do I have any options around this? Any help or insight would be greatly appreciated.
 
Retro1

Retro1

Ready to race!
Yikes.

Guessing you have Unitronic? Since you have to go to your dealer to get flashed back to stock? Sucks man. Even then, I'm not sure if that's going to work but if your dealer is confident that a stock map will help you pass... go for it, it's on him lol.
 
Fizor

Fizor

Ready to race!
Retro said:
Yikes.

Guessing you have Unitronic? Since you have to go to your dealer to get flashed back to stock? Sucks man. Even then, I'm not sure if that's going to work but if your dealer is confident that a stock map will help you pass... go for it, it's on him lol.
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it's actually APR. Was hoping the tuner would throw me a bone since I bought the tune from them, but it's not looking like that is going to be the case :(
 
Fizor

Fizor

Ready to race!
Retro said:
he's charging for a flash/reflash?
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Yeap. Charged for upgrade from stage 1 to stage 2, which I was prepared for, but it did sting when he said he would charge for taking the flash off/on for inspection.
 
grambles423

grambles423

Automotive Engineer
What are NC's emissions criteria?
 
McFuzz

McFuzz

Go Kart Champion
Dang that's an un-sympathetic tuner... wait for the next APR sale and get the fully loaded ECU where you can swap back to stock in a matter of seconds :)
 
Modshack1

Modshack1

Go Kart Champion
Do you have a CAT? There has been plenty written on the various combinations of spacers that will get you CEL free (provided you have the Non-Testpipe file and the rear O2's aren't written out).

As I understand it, here in NC you can have 1 failed readiness code and still pass. If you recently did the flash, and/or disconnected the battery, your other readiness codes may not be set. You can do this with VCDS, or drive around for enough miles and cycles to set the readiness. If you get flashed back to stock and immediately go in for inspection you'll still fail due to the readiness codes
 
Gunkata

Gunkata

Drag Race Newbie
grambles423 said:
What are NC's emissions criteria?
Click to expand...

sounds like OBDII only testing.



OP, you will need to try either try what the tuner is saying - after you drive it for probably 20miles before going for the test, otherwise it could still fail even without a CEL, or you can put the stock dp back on and go back with it in stock mode/stage 1 mode, OR you can try to work with some spacers and the non-test pipe file through your tuner. Do you have any other options for tuner shops in your area that may be a little more reasonable/helpful for your cause?
 
Fizor

Fizor

Ready to race!
McFuzz said:
Dang that's an un-sympathetic tuner... wait for the next APR sale and get the fully loaded ECU where you can swap back to stock in a matter of seconds :)
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i have the fully loaded ECU, but switching to stock doesnt allow it to clear apparently; i tried that on the second inspection try.
 
P

plac

Guest
McFuzz said:
Dang that's an un-sympathetic tuner... wait for the next APR sale and get the fully loaded ECU where you can swap back to stock in a matter of seconds :)
Click to expand...

no.. because you can't have a test pipe file and non test pipe file on the same flash usually. but they are starting to add that from what i hear. if they do, then you could do what you say above.
 
Fizor

Fizor

Ready to race!
Modshack said:
Do you have a CAT? There has been plenty written on the various combinations of spacers that will get you CEL free ( provided you have the Non-Testpipe file and the rear O2's aren't written out).
Since it’s APR stg 2, the second O2 is written out, which appears to be why the flash has to be removed. As I understand it, here in NC you can have 1 failed readiness code and still pass.
My understanding as well, but the tuner mentioned this may have changed? He wasn’t entirely certain, but he thought you couldn’t have one fail on 09-10’s. If you recently did the flash, and/or disconnected the battery, your other readiness codes may not be set. ]
Appears to be one of the “not readys”, which should be good now. You can do this with VCDS, or drive around for enough miles and cycles to set the readiness.
Going to do that. If you get flashed back to stock and immediately go in for inspection you'll still fail due to the readiness codes
Right.
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Great info Modshack; see above for responses. I have a couple of J spacers that came with my RAI motorsports DP, but it was still throwing a CEL so I flashed APR stg 2. RAI believes it was due to the fact that my reducers were the wrong size, so I may need to order those. If that’s the case, and it prevents the CEL, I may be good to go to simply remove the STG2 flash and stick with Stage 1, since it doesn’t provide additional performance (right?), and in the process remove the 2nd O2 being written out.
 
project92raddoslc

project92raddoslc

Go Kart Champion
Fizor said:
Great info Modshack; see above for responses. I have a couple of J spacers that came with my RAI motorsports DP, but it was still throwing a CEL so I flashed APR stg 2. RAI believes it was due to the fact that my reducers were the wrong size, so I may need to order those. If that’s the case, and it prevents the CEL, I may be good to go to simply remove the STG2 flash and stick with Stage 1, since it doesn’t provide additional performance (right?), and in the process remove the 2nd O2 being written out.
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If you can get it to not trigger the CEL on the stock tune/stage 1 tune with the spacers then you can have the tuner flash you with the stage 2 non test pipe file. You should be able to tweek the spacer to be CEL free. I'm using the RAI J spacer with the middle sized jet, threaded a few spins out of the stream and have been cel free for 5k miles or so.
 
Gunkata

Gunkata

Drag Race Newbie
it seems like the RAI and 42DD spacers are working the best currently.
 
G

GTITX1

Ready to race!
McFuzz said:
Dang that's an un-sympathetic tuner... wait for the next APR sale and get the fully loaded ECU where you can swap back to stock in a matter of seconds :)
Click to expand...

What do you expect tuners to do? Just reflash everyone at anytime? They need to make money, using their time and resources costs money. This is all part of the "pay to play" thing people talk about. If my VW dealer flashes me back to stock for some reason, I would never expect my apr dealer to just reflash me for free, and if they were kind enough to do that, I would give them a really nice tip.
 
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