Megasquirt OBDII Question
 

I am wondering....again.

With OBD II cars with the megasquirt replacing the stock ECU can you still pass state emissions inspections in Texas?

I live in Williamson Country, Austin, TX and have some interest in making sure I can still pass emissions testing. We use ODB II in cars newer than 1995. If you run a Megasquirt in parallel can you pass? If you run the Megasquirt as standalone can you pass?

I have searched in some different forum areas using the search string OBDII Megasquirt and found very little information regarding this important issue. In Austin, TX you have to utilize the ODBII during the test they won't allow you to do a tailpipe emissions test in substitution.

So does anybody know?
HUSTLER?? You're in Texas with me....let me know what you know.

I have a 1.8l engine going in to the car and have yet to buy the physical car. However, if I have a 1.8l in a 1996 or newer car it has to be ODBII compliant. If I get a pre 1996 body I can simply do the tailpipe emissions test. But before I decide to get the older body style I would like to know the answer to this question.

THANKS

Not sure in your particular area. If they use an OBDII interface and run a system check then you'll probably fail, but if you are in a county that either doesn't do emissions or uses a tailpipe sniffer you might be able to pass. You should start by finding out exactly what they test in your area.

Do you have another car that is OBD2? Do they plug it in when you got to inspections? If the answer is yes, then you cant run a standalone.

I run parallel and pass OBD2 in NY, all the do is plug me in and 5 min later I leave.

In Austin, TX they tap into the ODBII port. They only use tailpipe emissions for pre 1996 autos. So, I guess I will have to either get a pre 1996 miata and put my 1.8l into that....or run parallel.

Saml01- Which megasquirt are you running? Is it a PNP or did you build it yourself?

parallel FTW.

I have a fully functional OBDII port :)

Exactly why I got a 95. OBD1 and still a 1.8. That was before I knew anything about MS though. If others have functional OBD ports running parallel, that would be a nice way to go too.

I only do it myself.

I am in Austin TX
 

I am in Austin and running a MSPNP. My 1st 96 had a bad ODBII port so they just did a tail pipe test on it. My new 96 will be boosted and I talked ot the guys in Round Rock that will do my emissions test and once again it will be a sniffer test and they have no porblem with working on the tune with me to pass then test.

If you have any questions on whoi I use just PM me.

Just waiting to get home and pick up the rest of my BEGi S4 kit!

I talked to a local test facility....in Austin, TX and they said they no longer are allowed to use a tailpipe sniffer if your ride has an ODBII port.
If the ODBII port is "bad" they are required to fail you and then you have to have the ECU replaced and the OBDII port repaired.

I am guessing that running parallel megasquirt pnp is likely the only way to get emissions testing to pass on an ODBII port.

Eraser-X: I may need your contact depending on if I get a post '96 body to go with my 1.8l '94 block.

They dont replace your ECU and they dont fix your OBD2 port.

You scan the ECU for codes,fix whatever it reports, and re test. Simple.

I think its retarded that they cant do the sniff test on newer cars, seriously who cares how they determine it doesnt pollute. If it doesnt pollute then it doesnt pollute.

The ECU in the vette can be reprogrammed to return no codes, even after you remove all its sensors. Yea, so wtf are they gonna do about that.

You have a point...but for some reason the politicians in charge of emission compliance have written the inspection manual stating specifically that an OBDII port reading cannot be supplanted by a tailpipe sniffer.

It is stupid since I know that there are many cars that don't throw OBDII codes (read: late 90's early 2000 mustangs) even when they are smoking visibly from the tail. I know of many turbo driven Honda's that pass sniffers but not ODBII....just sucks.

I think if you can pass no visible emissions, tailpipe sniffer, and safety inspection you should be allowed to roll on.

Hey any of you guys running the MS in parallel- what, if any MS features do you lose over running the MS as a stanealone?

just get an obd1 car. Both of mine are obd1 for a reason, and its not solely due to my remarkably large lust-rod.

That is what I am going to do. I just need to find a good quality pre-1996 Miata in or near Austin, TX. It seems much simpler to do that than to try to get the OBDII port to work in conjunction with the megasquirt.

Huslter: have you had your car inspected since it was finished? If so, did it pass the tailpipe emissions test? Does your lust-rod have a linkage problem?

jesus fuck you're a retard. Is your mother a smoker?

You don't fuck with the obd shit, just wire in the MS shit to control fuel and spark.

My car probably won't pass but it doesn't matter, lol.

I get that I can plug in MS to control the fuel and spark.
Let's say I actually want to use it for more than that? What if I want to make it control my engine just like a factory EMS? After all isn't that the point of the MS project too make a standalone engine management computer that can control boost, spark, fuel, and many other aspects?
Damn I guess that is retarded. What was I thinking?

In Hustler-land they must just bend over and grease it up for you.

You've now annoyed me so much that I can no longer answer your questions because I'm pre-occupied with figuring which clubs and shit are going to let me in for free tonight to see bad-ass bands at SxSW.

You obviously have no idea how a parallel install works and what both the stock ECU and Megasquirt do. Does the stock ECU give a fuck about boost control? No? Well I guess Megasquirt can take that over. I guess if you're dying to use Megasquirt to control your idle, then standalone is definitely the way to go. Go read a fucking book and come back when you have more intelligent questions.

Just talk to a different shop!!! One that knows the Miata. The cost of ta new ECU is above your required costs to fix an emissions issuse!

There are shops that will do a tail pipe test on a 96 as I said that is the only way my last 96 could be tested.

karter74: Yes I do not know how precisely a parallel install works as I have never installed one. I do know how a stock ECU works. I have read website information on the megasquirt device, forum posts about tuning, and many books about engine installation and manufacturing that do nothing more than bring up more questions.

I never claimed to know how to do any of this stuff. I came here to ask questions about things that I don't understand. Like, how do you all manage to pass emissions tests while running a standalone management system?

As far as the intelligence of my questions....I'll bet that you have asked some really stupid questions in your life and imagine where you would be if everyone told you to read a book instead of giving insightful answers. You have 301 posts so far. It is amazing to me that you tell me to read a fucking book when you have done nothing to further this forum other than insult others.

Show some balls and prove your knowledge. Don't just fall back on the old and tired "read a fucking book and come back with some more intelligent questions."