Just got back from the EPA inspection!!!! Update

[silva33]

As the title says, i just had my car EPA inspected and i also asked a few questions while i was there..

The EPA inspectors are fantastic to talk to about what is right and wrong. They were extreamly helpful and basically told me the following:

I know the info has all been around but i though id just let u all know what was told to me in the inspection.

1. Adj fuel reg - illegal

2. Injectors - illegal

3. Fuel pump - they "usually" pass a larger fuel pump

4. pod or front mount but not both

3. no engine management system modification at all

4. boost controller - illegal

5. welding silencer in place - legal

6. 'sealed' oil catch cans - legal

7. aftermarket BOV as long as it is a plumb back.

I asked about larger turbos and he said it doesnt have to be the same brand as long as it is the same size.

I was talking to him for quite a long time and found them nothing but helpful...

Another interesting point is that before i went there i had my car noise tested at an EPA noise tester ( i wont name the exhaust place) for piece of mind befoe the EPA inspection.

My exhaust noise passed so they welded in the silencer and gave me a notice to say it complied. When the EPA tested the car it failed by over 2.5 db which i am very pissed off about...

What d u think i should do?? i am going to go back there and confront them and demand my money back for now and i will have to retest my car and put some sort of resinator on!!

i wont go into the inspection much more as this post is long enough!! but they we not supprised to see another skyline there and as i was leaving another pulled up for an inspection behind me... they shared my frustration with all these cops wasting their time calling in totally legal cars for emissions tests...

there is so much more to say!! but ill leave it at that!

Just edited your post to remove some sensitive info... Shan

[Robo's]

Good stuff, thats a bit tough that injectors are illegal.

[silva33]

p.s.. they know all about SAU and things we discuss on the forums etc etc... they are very switched on so if u recieve and EPA notice the best thing u can do is take it seriously..

[adznight]

What do you mean by that? Who is "they"?

[Roy]

Did you happen to ask about what if you are in another state, ie Melbourne with work, surely my car being registered in Sydney, me residing in Sydney, and only in Melbourne and Adelaide (hell im in Theberton SA as i type) for work, that i dont fall under the same guidelines etc etc. I say guidelines as are they state laws, EPA guidelines/laws, etc etc.

Does anyone know where they get their powers from? State/Federal govts?!?!?!?!

[silva33]

by 'they' i meant the EPA inspectors, he mentioned the skyline forums and said he had an SAU member with a high mount trust turbo yesterday infact which did not comply.. after my inspection today i have a lot of respect for them as they treated me the way any driver should be treated.. they know we 'generally' get screwed by police regardless of modifications...

Roy: sorry mate but i didnt ask about interstate....

the EPA inspector suggested we get a goup together and actually have a full emissions and compliance test done on a car for a particular turbo.. E.g. A HKS 2535... split the $2500 - $3000 bill and sell the certificate in the future to recover the costs..

that way if u are ever pulled over or have an EPA inspection then they will sign you off and send you on your way...

Also he mentioned basically any APS gear they allow... I dont know how 'off the shelf the exhausts are for the Skylines are but he mentioned WRX's 200sx's, if they have APS gear on them, they pretty much just pass it all... (within reason)

[32vspecII]

Did you happen to ask about what if you are in another state, ie Melbourne with work, surely my car being registered in Sydney, me residing in Sydney, and only in Melbourne and Adelaide (hell im in Theberton SA as i type) for work, that i dont fall under the same guidelines etc etc.  I say guidelines as are they state laws, EPA guidelines/laws, etc etc.  

Does anyone know where they get their powers from? State/Federal govts?!?!?!?!

This has been covered in another similar thread if you want to search

The vitorian EPA has statewide powers and enforces state regulations . They have no power over your NSW registered car . If a police offficer in Vic was to give you a defect or an epa review or whatever they are called there it will never be issued and enforced . Nor will demerit points or mandatory license suspensions if there is no equivilant in your state *theoretically* but in practise there is no comunication between states at all and no demerits or suspensions will ever be carried over to your existing interstate license .

[Nismo32R]

hi all

I never get a EPA b4, but unfortunitely i got a EPA today for having a AVCR on my car.....just wondering has any1 got done for this???? do you just need to get a RWC or have to actually bring the car into the EPA inspection centre or something like that

thanks

[Guest RedLineGTR]

the internals of mufflers, cats etc age over time..which usally make them louder over time.

[R33Hesh]

wats the leagal db rate for the xhaust?

[silva33]

R33 Hesh: 90 db is the legal limit for exhaust..

Nismo32R: from what i understand there are two types for EPA notices:

1. Noise test where all you do it have your exhaust noise tested at and authorised tester and fax the certificate to the EPA

2. A full EPA inspection where the EPA send your a letter stating a day and time to take your car to Mcleod for an emissions and noise test.

Just take off the AVCR and return the car to as standard as possible and youi will be fine, the inspectors are easy going and undersatnd the amount of crap the cops are putting us through. The will be check for just about everything as mentioned in my first post...

A word of advice; they are very switched on at the EPA, they asked me questions that they already knew the answers to, and they had a history of previous defects even the location of where cops have pulled me over..

I went to an much spoken about exhaust tester on these forums, my car passed and when i had the EPA test the car it failed by 2.5 db!!! I have since rung the Exhaust place up and hopefully they will be looking after me!!!

[GroundRun]

Nismo32R: When they EPA'ed you did they take pics of the AVCR? If they did then those photos will be sent to the EPA department. What they are doing now (or at least what they did to me) is taking photos on the spot of what they defect you for. So in future if your caught with the same mod you'll get a fine.

You better off taking the AVCR outta the car when u go in for the inspection. And dont make the mistake of giving them too much info about ur car, it'll backfire. Hope everything works out for yeah.

Nick

[silva33]

When i went in for the inspection the EPA took photos of my car as well... i went in there with frount mount and full exhaust and that was it.

They took pictures of the rear of my car and my exhaust....

I agree with GroundRun, dont say anymore than you have to. The inspectors i had really were helpful and great to talk to but they wont do you any favours. If something shouldnt be there then they will defect you.

[R31Nismoid]

Good stuff, thats a bit tough that injectors are illegal.

Not really as you need an aftermarket ECU to control em

the EPA inspector suggested we get a goup together and actually have a full emissions and compliance test done on a car for a particular turbo.. E.g. A HKS 2535... split the $2500 - $3000 bill and sell the certificate in the future to recover the costs..

It doesnt work like that.

Say someone has a different intercooler or something... then the test isnt the same as the parts are not 100% identical.

If a few of you guys wanna sit down and talk about it i'd be keen as i've done a bit of homework on this and a mate is an engineer who knows a lot about all this stuff as he too drives a nice fast car

Nismo32R: When they EPA'ed you did they take pics of the AVCR? If they did then those photos will be sent to the EPA department. What they are doing now (or at least what they did to me) is taking photos on the spot of what they defect you for. So in future if your caught with the same mod you'll get a fine.

You better off taking the AVCR outta the car when u go in for the inspection. And dont make the mistake of giving them too much info about ur car, it'll backfire. Hope everything works out for yeah.  

Nick

Just dont pop your bonnet. Say your latch is broken

Better to take a defect $150 than an EPA if you ask me.

This has been covered in another similar thread if you want to search

The vitorian EPA has statewide powers and enforces state regulations . They have no power over your NSW registered car . If a police offficer in Vic was to give you a defect or an epa review or whatever they are called there it will never be issued and enforced . Nor will demerit points or mandatory license suspensions if there is no equivilant in your state *theoretically* but in practise there is no comunication between states at all and no demerits or suspensions will ever be carried over to your existing interstate license .

are you sure dude? Wouldnt mind seeing offical info say that!

I was under the impression if you are in a state you are bound by thier laws no matter where your rego comes from

[Nismo32R]

I ask some people in QLD...they said "the only illegal Boost controller is an In-cabin Bleed type controller such as the Turbosmart Dual stage controller. In QLD electronic Boost controllers are Legal"

[nismo818]

What time is the next bus to qld? :wassup:

I ask some people in QLD...they said "the only illegal Boost controller is an In-cabin Bleed type controller such as the Turbosmart Dual stage controller. In QLD electronic Boost controllers are Legal"

[R31Nismoid]

I ask some people in QLD...they said "the only illegal Boost controller is an In-cabin Bleed type controller such as the Turbosmart Dual stage controller. In QLD electronic Boost controllers are Legal"

Yes, Different states have thier own laws and regulations.

Silly indeed. There should be one set of rules. But some Gov'ts need more money than others

[KamikazeR33]

Ash, say since im on my nsw p's i can legally drive my car no matter where i go, because my licence allows that. just because im in vic doesnt mean my licence changes to a vic one. same goes with rego, if ur car is reg in nsw/vic then it has to obey to those laws as u answer to that state

but defects have to be cleared by that state that they are given in

oh and make sure if ur done in another state that ur state knows its cleared.

remember how i got defected at heathcote back in 03 for bald tyres? well i got it cleared at vic roads and 3 months later RTA NSW sends me a letter asking y i havent had the defect cleared yet. damn gov depts

[slow_r31]

according to an email i have from the NSW RTA, at least as far as car modifcation rules are concerned, if a mod is deemed legal in the state that the vehicle is registered then the car cannot be defected. (although the email states, "assuming you weren't doing anything stupid at the time" so who really knows)

[doridori32]

Just dont pop your bonnet. Say your latch is broken

Better to take a defect $150 than an EPA if you ask me.

Would this work? The race car is driven allot on the street and i wouldnt want an EPA on it or else the car would never be registerd again.

I might remove my bonnet puller and just have a electronic button under the steering column to pop the bonnet.

What can do they if you dont plan to pop your bonnet?