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Emission Testing in ATX

AlienSP

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
I recently installed a catted downpipe and Vibrant J-bend spacer. Never had a CEL and no codes using JB4 or OBD11. For the locals in Austin (Travis, Williamson, or any specified TX county), how are you proceeding at inspection time? Replace with stock or go in with aftermarket DP?
 

SRoads

Ready to race!
Location
WV
I love the abbreviations you youngsters are coming up with for every area of the country....it makes me laugh.

You would have to look into the specific laws for Texas. The DOT website for Texas would be a great place to start research. Also, areas like Austin many have stricter rules than the rest of Texas.

If they just look for codes you'll be fine. If they do a visual and see a spacer depending on the laws in Texas you may or may not pass.

update:
A quick search here gave me some quick answers...
https://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/inspection/inspectionCriteria.aspx

Looks the the spacer would be open to interpretation of the mechanic. If you get a clipboard warrior type who is aware that VWs of the mk5 up vintage have 2 cats you probably wont pass.
 
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AlienSP

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
Funny, I'm almost 50 and will take the compliment. I've checked the DOT laws in Texas, and the exception counties, but wanted to know some experiences within the Austin area.
 

VWTURBOFAM

Ready to race!
Location
TEXAS
I recently installed a catted downpipe and Vibrant J-bend spacer. Never had a CEL and no codes using JB4 or OBD11. For the locals in Austin (Travis, Williamson, or any specified TX county), how are you proceeding at inspection time? Replace with stock or go in with aftermarket DP?

What inspection are you referring to? Texas doesn't do emission testing that I know of, like ever. Heck you could go to a Jiffy Lube and get inspection done for 8$ and be done in like 6 mins. Bexar county here.
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
Read the title and started freaking out.

Still no emissions though
 

AlienSP

Ready to race!
Location
Austin, TX
Read the title and started freaking out.

Still no emissions though

I wanted to clarify between inspection and emissions, but talking about "emissions" is a little awkward in public.
Some of the larger cities in Texas require the OBD check for newer vehicles, sniffer for pre-1996. I spoke with a local inspection station and the opinion was "no codes, should be fine....a cat's a cat, doin' it's job". So the level of inspection is probably the same as Taco Bell order accuracy at 2:15AM.
 
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