Avoid OBD 2 ?
 

How many people here are running 96-97 cars with turbochargers in areas with OBD2 testing? I live in pennsylvania and I have no choice but to run my car through emissions testing every year. I want to build a turbo miata but would I be better off avoiding head aches just by selling the 96' and replacing it with a 94-95 car? This isn't my daily driver so I can afford to wait until I find a 94-95 if its worth the trouble. My DD is a 91' but its developing some rust and I'd rather find a later car to modify that already has the better rear and brakes, etc.

It's worth swapping to a 94, IMO. I didn't consider any other year when I was buying mine.

I do it just fine, but I guess it would be nicer not to have to worry about the possibility of not passing.

When I was looking for my project car, 94-95 were the only options.

If you're not attached to the '96, sell it and skip the hassle.

All you have to do is tune well enough to keep from getting a check engine light, it's really not that hard. I've passed once with bandaids and once with the EMB, and I have to get tested again sometime in the next month. The only thing I have to worry about is if they make me pop the hood, since any modification to the intake system is illegal in the Milwaukee area, including "50-state" cold air intakes. If they catch you here, you have to put it back to stock and get re-tested. It happened to my dad with his Impreza we turbo'd and since he didn't want to bother putting everything back in, he gave me all the turbo parts.

Anyways, '94s have a real oil pressure gauge so that's cool.

wats the big deal? run megasquirt in parallel... i have my 96 with megasquirt running fuel and spark and no CEL's. the stock ecu does emissions controll, idle, ac, ect.

granted im not boosted yet.... (1 more month) but it shouldnt matter.

if you don't have a hook-up, its not worth the drama.