Registration, Emissions Testing and OBD

[ukchris]

So, I went to transfer the title and register my car this morning, all went well but they insisted on listing the year of manufacture as 2013 when it was assembled. The car is coming from California where it was considered exempt from emissions testing. The car has a different ECU which doesn't have an OBD port so I'm a little unsure what is going to happen when it comes to test time.

 

The web site says that all vehicles after 1996 have an OBD port for testing... oops... I should have the old ECU which in theory can be swapped back in, do you think they will insist on this or is the "replica" argument valid here?

 

This is in NH, emissions regulations here https://www.dmv.com/nh/new-hampshire/emissions-testing - should they be able to test emissions without OBD or am I just asking for a fail?

[Mondo]

I'd look to see if they have a rule for kit cars.. Funny, I bet the emissions tester would have a hard time finding specs for a 2013 Lotus 7.

[ukchris]

I'd look to see if they have a rule for kit cars.. Funny, I bet the emissions tester would have a hard time finding specs for a 2013 Lotus 7.

 

From what I've read there aren't exemptions for replicas, there is however a garage down the street that apparently does a lot of custom/muscle cars and they're also a testing station so I figure they'd be a good place to drop by and ask for guidance.

 

Had another fail this morning asking how to deal with a windshield inspection sticker when I have two windshields (one glass, on aero) - they told me I can only have one windshield so to pick!

[wemtd]

Iirc you can keep your sticker I the glove box if there isn't a windshield. No tailpipe sniffer allowance: they're looking for OBDII clear of error codes.

Check with your local guru, and the "kit car/specialty vehicle" lady in concord

 

Good luck

[Croc]

Since when did NH, the land of the free, go with mandatory OBDII? Paul - how did you get your Birkin on the road when you were living there?

[ukchris]

I have spoken with Paul, it seems the secret sauce is locating the one lady at the RMV that understands replicas, I just tried and got lost in a series of telephone transfers. As a backup plan I just talked to a custom garage near where I live and they are going to look in to it too, one avenue they suggested was trying to get categorized as a "hot rod" as they are considered to be exempt. I'll try the RMV again later and see if I have better luck or maybe run up there later in the week.

 

No joy on a separate RMV topic on where to put an inspection sticker when you have a windshield and an aero screen, apparently the system is "unable to compute" what to do with the sticker other than put it in the corner of the windshield. I'm going to see if they'd stick it on a removable film/pocket that I could relocate if necessary. I was hoping they might say I could have a "bike style" sticker that is put on the frame, maybe I'll show up for the test with the aero screen and see what happens!

[ukchris]

Iirc you can keep your sticker I the glove box if there isn't a windshield. No tailpipe sniffer allowance: they're looking for OBDII clear of error codes.

Check with your local guru, and the "kit car/specialty vehicle" lady in concord

 

Good luck

 

Paul - you don't happen to remember the name of the specialty vehicle lady by any chance do you?

[xcarguy]

LOL! What’s an inspection station? Sometimes, living in AR really isn’t so bad.

[ukchris]

This is becoming a bit of a nightmare. After multiple conversations it seems there is no way to get the car classified as being pre-1996, as the chassis and engine are newer it is considered a 2013, as a "modern" engine it would have an OBD port therefore I cannot pass emissions if I don't have one.

 

Now, as to where that leaves me, the engine is a 1.6 Sigma/Zetec SE Ti-VCT, original owner installed Jenvey Individual Throttle Bodies with OMEX 600 engine management which does not have OBD, the original intake/ECU will come with it but he estimated 30 hours of work to swap back, does that sound realistic?

 

It is sounding worryingly like I'm going to have to find someone to so that swap for me, I'm not feeling like it's a realistic first project for me to take on!

[ukchris]

I’ll throw this out there (others have taken this route with various cars); is registering the car in Montana as the replicated year model an option? Then transfer the title from Montana to NH. ?????? :rofl:

 

I'm not sure how I'd go about doing that..! I like the theory but not so sure as to how.

 

I reached out to Chris from Sevens and Elans and he put me in touch with a local Lotus guy, we spoke this afternoon and he has kindly offered to come and take a look to help assess what is involved in swapping back to the original intake and ECU - and therefore getting the OBD port back, this looks like the likely path for now. Anyone interested in some throttle bodies and ECU?! *lol*

[wemtd]

Silly question- do any of the various after market ecu's have OBDII plugs?

[ukchris]

Silly question- do any of the various after market ecu's have OBDII plugs?

 

Good question, you mean can I keep the ITBs and replace the ECU? It's an OBEX600 that is on which has an RS-232 interface, I checked with them and there's no adapter or what not, far from my area of expertise but I'll do some searching and see what I can find.

[Croc]

I am not sure discussing title washing on a public forum is a great idea...for the record it is a legal no no.

 

 

For my 2004 yellow SVT zetec, it used the Ford ECU that had OBDII and had the standard intake. It used to throw error codes - transmission, evap, and fuel tank - three things different on a Caterham compared with a Ford Focus. I am not sure what specific Ford model ECU it was but it came out of a Ford Focus - easy enough to work backwards.

[ukchris]

I am not sure discussing title washing on a public forum is a great idea...for the record it is a legal no no.

 

 

For my 2004 yellow SVT zetec, it used the Ford ECU that had OBDII and had the standard intake. It used to throw error codes - transmission, evap, and fuel tank - three things different on a Caterham compared with a Ford Focus. I am not sure what specific Ford model ECU it was but it came out of a Ford Focus - easy enough to work backwards.

 

When the car arrives (Saturday morning!!) ir has the original intake and ECU with it, the engine is a Sigma/Zetec 1.6 so I assume whatever was "standard". We're going to have a look at what's what and try to figure out the best way forward.

 

It seems based on a lot of web surfing there are potentially three options:

1. Remove the ITBs and OMEX ECU and put the original intake and ECU back - original owner estimated 30 hours of work to install them.

2. Look for an ECU that can replace the Omex, keep the ITBs and provide OBD - there seems to be a lot of support for the Emerald ECU which while it doesn't have OBD does have some sort of breakout adapter that adds an OBD port, not sure if this would give me the ITB's + IBD

3. Figure out whether there's an option to "piggyback" the ECU, seems there is various discussion about this but a lot of it goes over my head right now.

 

I'm hoping that consulting with a local Lotus aficionado this weekend will help

[xcarguy]

Shoot for option 2.

[JohnCh]

I didn't realize Emerald began offering that feature. Dave and Karl are very good guys; I'd shoot them an email, or better yet call, and discuss this with them to see if it would work.

 

-John

[ukchris]

I didn't realize Emerald began offering that feature. Dave and Karl are very good guys; I'd shoot them an email, or better yet call, and discuss this with them to see if it would work.

 

-John

 

Great minds...! I just sent them an email outlining my situation and whether they feel swapping the Omex for an Emerald would be a viable and sensible solution.

[wemtd]

So I guess no luck with the hotrod inquiry? That is above board, and iirc allows just about anything.

Or don't use it as a street car.

[ukchris]

So I guess no luck with the hotrod inquiry? That is above board, and iirc allows just about anything.

Or don't use it as a street car.

Qualifying as a "hot rod" has it's own set of requirements, talked it through with the DMV and the answer was basically not it's not a hot rod it's a car.

[JohnCh]

Hopefully the OBD port is designed to respond to a code reader without giving an error, vs. simply operating as an access port for other devices that are pulling out sensor data (e.g. speed, rpm, temps.) Sometimes they get backed up on email, so if you don't hear back in a few days, give them a call. BTW Karl handles the SW, so you probably want to speak with him rather than Dave who is the tuning guru.

 

-John