When you ruin your daily driver to the point you need to get another one...

[68_427]

They plugged into the OBD port and called it good.

I have NY plates with no military advantages.

That is the emissions testing.  It's just not a sniffer test... yet

[68_427]

Yeah, just need a fun car.

Wife's car is better than van but I hate weak 4pots with slushie transmissions. And it's definitely not a road-hugger, sits up a little too high.

(And no, there's NO WAY she would want it lowered or modded.)

So you do understand

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

You're going to need another DD

My rule:  DD gets no mods that can't be completed in a day.  And no engine mods.

WORD!

[AutobahnSHO]

That is the emissions testing.  It's just not a sniffer test... yet

that's no test. Easy to beat. MD puts a hose on your car on rollers and drives it.

[68_427]

that's no test. Easy to beat. MD puts a hose on your car on rollers and drives it.

The plug test is not as easy to beat as you think.  (I'm talking engine swap type conditions like Rags mentioned.  Not I have an evap leak I'll reset my readiness monitors)

[r0tor]

Plug test is about as simple as it gets... Just turn off/mask all of the trouble  parameters

[Cookie Monster]

Plug test is about as simple as it gets... Just turn off/mask all of the trouble  parameters

I don't know if that works here. If you turn off something like the o2 sensor, it might not show as "ready", which is what they're looking for.

[shp4man]

To pass California emissions test, there can be no fault codes in the PCM, all readiness tests must be clear except evaporative, and all aftermarket parts on the engine must have an EO number that says it was tested by CARB. No parts can be missing (like catalysts). Engine swaps to a different vintage or size engine have to go to a "referee" for approval.
Current cut off date for smog test is 1975.
It's amusing to see the price difference between a '75 Vette and a '76 Vette in Craigslist. 

[Cookie Monster]

I heard you could get away with a stock 2.5L swap in a 2.2 since they only offered the 2.2 in 1-2 years of the Outback. If not, I could just get it BAR'ed. That wouldn't be too hard since I could just say I needed a new engine anyways and put a bone stock one back in.

[MX793]

I don't know if that works here. If you turn off something like the o2 sensor, it might not show as "ready", which is what they're looking for.

Same here.  A couple of years ago, I failed my inspection because I had just pulled the car out of storage, with battery disconnected, and not everything was showing status due to only driving like 8 miles since reconnecting the battery.  Had to do a little 50 mile joy ride and then return the next day.

[shp4man]

I heard you could get away with a stock 2.5L swap in a 2.2 since they only offered the 2.2 in 1-2 years of the Outback. If not, I could just get it BAR'ed. That wouldn't be too hard since I could just say I needed a new engine anyways and put a bone stock one back in.

If it looks stock and has the same emissions equipment, it would probably pass.

[Cookie Monster]

Same here.  A couple of years ago, I failed my inspection because I had just pulled the car out of storage, with battery disconnected, and not everything was showing status due to only driving like 8 miles since reconnecting the battery.  Had to do a little 50 mile joy ride and then return the next day.

Yeah, every time I swap headers to get my car smogged, I have to get the sensors all ready, which can take forever (there's a certain driving style needed to hit the different sensors).

So it sounds like NY is the same as CA (which isn't surprising because NY has the second most stringent emissions laws after CA, IIRC), so Autobahn has smog AND lives in a boring place to drive.

If it looks stock and has the same emissions equipment, it would probably pass.

I'm sure my car would pass the sniffer OK with a 2.5. Hell, my catless NC would probably pass the sniffer if it needed it. It's just visual I'm worried about, if the shop even notices or cares that the 2.2 was replaced with a 2.5.

[2o6]

Same story with the few counties in OH that do it.



Amazingly, my Neon passed with an empty cat.

[shp4man]

Yeah, every time I swap headers to get my car smogged, I have to get the sensors all ready, which can take forever (there's a certain driving style needed to hit the different sensors).

So it sounds like NY is the same as CA (which isn't surprising because NY has the second most stringent emissions laws after CA, IIRC), so Autobahn has smog AND lives in a boring place to drive.

I'm sure my car would pass the sniffer OK with a 2.5. Hell, my catless NC would probably pass the sniffer if it needed it. It's just visual I'm worried about, if the shop even notices or cares that the 2.2 was replaced with a 2.5.

If they look the same on the outside, it would probably pass. Don't smog it at a Subaru dealer. 

[Cookie Monster]

If they look the same on the outside, it would probably pass. Don't smog it at a Subaru dealer. 

They don't look the same, but they don't look that different either. It's easy to tell if you know what you're looking at, but what are the chances the smog guy will know?

[shp4man]

They don't look the same, but they don't look that different either. It's easy to tell if you know what you're looking at, but what are the chances the smog guy will know?

There's a lot of smog guys that I wonder how the hell they passed the state smog test.    But you need a guy that doesn't know Subies very well. Like me. 

[AutobahnSHO]

so Autobahn has smog AND lives in a boring place to drive.

Don't forget my boring DD. 2003 Minivan.

[Cookie Monster]

Bought some almost new Blizzak WS80 snow tires and wheels for $400 today.

[giant_mtb]

Nice. Gonna keep 'em swapped out when you're not weekend skiing?  They'll last a lot longer.

[Cookie Monster]

Nice. Gonna keep 'em swapped out when you're not weekend skiing?  They'll last a lot longer.

Yeah, definitely not dailying on these. I'll just put them on the day before and take them off the day after I go skiing. I prefer the RSRR's for street driving anyways.

[giant_mtb]

Yeah, definitely not dailying on these. I'll just put them on the day before and take them off the day after I go skiing. I prefer the RSRR's for street driving anyways.

Lots easier/convenient to swap when they're on their own wheels. 

[Cookie Monster]

Yep, the wheels look nice too:



2k miles on 3 tires, one is brand new, barely any tread depth difference (which was a concern since Subarus have the 2/32nds tire difference thing for the AWD systems). I'm pretty happy with the purchase.

Also got my new mud flaps today! Going on tomorrow. They gave me free Smarties with it too.

[giant_mtb]

Don't eat the Smarties.

[Cookie Monster]

Too late.

[AutobahnSHO]

Jelly!

[Rupert]

True, it's not a problem when it's unloaded and I'm just commuting in it, but I'm hoping to go skiing at least a few times a month...

Skis and ski gear weigh a lot less than firewood and camping gear. And even still, going slow because you're fully loaded just means your doing it right.

[giant_mtb]

Firewood is indeed heavy.  I figure a body's worth volume-wise is about the weight of an adult.

[Cookie Monster]

Skis and ski gear weigh a lot less than firewood and camping gear. And even still, going slow because you're fully loaded just means your doing it right.

That's true. Maybe I just take too much stuff for camping.

[giant_mtb]

That's true. Maybe I just take too much stuff for camping.

The more you go, the more you'll pare down on things you don't actually need.

[veeman]

Isn't it a pain in the ass to switch the tires/wheels?  You have to jack up and down individually 4 times.  Or do you have access to a lift? 

Just asking because I switch out my all seasons for winters on one of my cars every November and thought about doing it on my own but then thought better of it and got it done every year in combo with an oil change at a local shop.