Gtr Running -5s With Stock Components To Pass An Epa Emissons Test

[Bangaz Boy]

Hey guys, was after a bit of insight. I was unlucky enough to get pinned with and EPA (Victoria) noise and emissions notice. I have a modded R33 GTR, and I basically have to change everything back to stock. I originally had:

Garrett -5s

Nismo 555 injectors

Nismo fuel pump & fuel pressure regulator

Power FC

Greddy Profec B spec 2 boost controller

HKS cam gears

Apexi pods

3 inch exhaust.

I have changed everything back to stock apart from the turbos and HKS cam gears. I was hoping not to change the turbos over, plus they are covered by the factory heat shields so the EPA inspector (hopefully) shouldn't be able to tell that the turbos aren't standard. I think the turbos are running a stock boost of around 10-11 psi. Does anyone think that running the -5s with basically everything stock is asking for trouble, will it run too lean? I know that its far from ideal, and I wouldn't be driving it around while its like this, I just want to pass the EPA with out having to buy and install the stock turbos. I would appreciate any advice if it can be done or any other suggestions to get around this. Thanks.

[Trozzle]

A) I thought stock boost for a 33 was 7psi? Though don't quote me...

and at such low boost, -5's shouldn't flow any differently than stockers really...hell maybe wind the boost back a bit more...but you'll need to get the PFC retuned accordingly

[linkems]

The dash 5 will flow the same as stock turbos at lower boost, so for example stock 14psi = dash 5 10psi. Having said that the epa won't put your car on load as they are just free reving in neutral so your car won't ever see any where near those load points. The important part is making sure you have your aftermarket boost controller completely removed from the system and you have factory solenoids hooked up to your actuators. If you have factory injectors with factory ecu and a good cat/muffler you should pass fine. Good luck

Edited July 8, 2010 by linkems

[Bangaz Boy]

Great thanks for the advice, I was hoping it would be ok, and yes the EPA free rev it in neutral at 5,500 rpm (I think for a GTR) so the boost will be little to none with no load. Just didn't want to kill anything driving it around.

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

is this just the noise test or are they analysing exhaust gas etc.. when i was epa'd for noise, it was simple noise test with no check to other mods except the exhaust, which u still able to mod but no over the set decibel

[R.3.2.G.T.R]

Great thanks for the advice, I was hoping it would be ok, and yes the EPA free rev it in neutral at 5,500 rpm (I think for a GTR) so the boost will be little to none with no load. Just didn't want to kill anything driving it around.

shouldnt have gone to the trouble of returning your car to stock, simply change exhaust to keep below the set decibel (92?) and your done

[STATUS]

we get -5 and -7 / -9 through all the time with most injectors (tops painted yellow) cam gears and untouched power tune all the time, the emission test is easy to pass, all you would need is a remapped std ecu there are plenty of guys remapping std ecu's nowadays.

Best bit is you make 350+ wkw and pass epa without having to pull components off.

You may find your GTR to be high on the NX levels with big turbos and std ecu but you should pass.

[usmair]

so its impossible to pass EPA with a PFC? can they easily tell if the car has an aftermarket computer...

i would have thought that they focus more on noise and emissions... so if yr exhaust and cat is up to scratch you will get through?

[R31Nismoid]

What EPA?

Is it a FULL test or just exhaust noise?

If you take the time to read the Vic Section - the EPA thread that has been created has all the info you need to know.

Test is 89dB @ 5100rpm for a RB26

I say the below based on the fact the EPA will go looking for the factory ECU if they suspect you have a aftermarket one fitted, so change it before you go as it's just not worth the risk and effort when you consider it takes 30mins to change the parts back to factory.

You will need the following to pass a full test.

Factory ECU

Factory Injectors

Factory AFM

A factory exhaust or a legal aftermarket one

What you don't need to worry about:

Aftermarket low-mount FACTORY size replacement turbos

Aftermarket cam gears

Aftermarket exhausts that are legal.

Of course there are corners as Trent has posted up, however they are heavily circumstancial.

[usmair]

Factory Injectors

are they going to rip the motor apart to check for injectors? :S

or there is another way of telling whether they are aftermarket or not

the factory ECU cant support aftermarket injectors so I guess u'd have to take them out...

Edited July 9, 2010 by usmair

[Takahashi GTR]

Injectors are visible mate, you can see them on the intake side of the motor.

[Bangaz Boy]

Thanks for your advice guys. As I mentioned in my first post its a full epa "noise and emissions" so I have to change to stock what Ash (R31nismoid) recommended, which I realise and have done, but I was wondering if the -5 turbos would be ok running with the stock components.

The point that Trent has made is an interesting one. Be great to pass an EPA without having to change everything back to stock.

[R31Nismoid]

are they going to rip the motor apart to check for injectors? :S

You answered your own question

the factory ECU cant support aftermarket injectors so I guess u'd have to take them out...

[Kinkstaah]

Does the AFM fall into the same rule? I didn't see anything regarding AFM's other than that they have to exist (but can be moved). So I presume this falls into the "Its a different AFM, so ECU/Injectors or something else illegal must have been changed"

[R31Nismoid]

You cannot run a factory ECU without a factory AFM.

Therefore I am unsure what you mean...

[adzR34]

You cannot run a factory ECU without a factory AFM.

Therefore I am unsure what you mean...

Hmm, in the process of upgrading my gtr and am also concerned about defects. If i were to go down the nistune path, that would allow for the AFM upgrade i believe.

I take it this is the only way to keep things 'stealthy' these days.... sigh.

[Kinkstaah]

You cannot run a factory ECU without a factory AFM.

Therefore I am unsure what you mean...

Yeah, as below, with NIstune it appears (visually) as though it is, infact, a stock ECU. Except you'd have an AM AFM. Which can be explained in no other fashion other than something illegal being changed. I guess that depends entirely on whether NISTune gets by Victoria's EPA people.

Cause if you had highflow turbo(s), NISTune, highflow injectors (or appropriately coloured ones) the only visually defectable or 'wrong' item would be AFM's.. which, on their own, arent specifically excluded.

Probably a discussion for the VIC EPA thread though..

[adzR34]

In all honesty, i am finding it difficult to fathom how or if they could be bothered to reference checking all part numbers to the original nissan OEM listings. I believe the tuning game is really beaten into the ground by authorities, however i believe all this to be the worst case scenario. It would be difficult to imagine they take the same hardline approach to everyone out there.

[k-train]

Hey there, i had the same problem about 2 months ago. I had just picked up my car that arvo from Racepace after having it off the road for about 4 months getting one of their stage 1 motors and i got pulled over for a breatho. Anyway i got a full EPA in the mail about a week later. The car had,

-5 turbos

wayy loud 3 inch exhaust with no cat

700cc injectors

PFC

044 fuel pump

apexi pod filters

cam gears

I ended up just putting the stock injectors, ECU, cat converter and i really bunged up homemade cat back i had made up on it and it passed. The hardest thing to try to get is the car under 90 dba on the noise test.

[k-train]

Oh yeh i had nismo afms too. so i had to put the stockers back in