I realize there is an aircare forum, but its getting all meandering and nonsensicle....

So...

1. Has anyone passed aircare with only 1 cat?

2. Has anyone passed with only a high flo turboback?

3. Has anyone taken out their uppipe cat? Results if any?

Thanks guys for your help! :devil:

when are u due?

Due in April/05

i'm due soon too... damn..

any wrx out there done aircare already?

have to do mine next week, how much is it now ?

have to do mine next week, how much is it now ?

40 something?
or was it 50 something. Bring a 100 just incase.

Due in April/05

i am due in may 05.... i'm going to have to rely on u.

inspection fee is $47.

Damn, I guess since our cars are so new, nobody's had to go through Aircare yet with their upgraded exhausts... won't this be interesting!

I noticed in another thread that a lot of people are staying with catback exhausts instead of turbobacks with a high flo...

I think I may keep mine pretty much stock, get AC'ed for 2 years and then put the badass mf one on..hehehee!

when you go into the aircare just remember to have your car really warm and make sure your running 94 octane from chevron or better.

Don't the 2002 and up require aircare every three years? So why not revert back to stock for the hour or so and then change back... who knows maybe you won't have to be aircared again since the contract runs out in '06 (i think)

purchase date for mine was may 02. so 3 years makes it may 05, not 06 :(

and it cost me over $700 to swap my injectors/turbo/header/uppipe/downpipe/exhaust... i would also have to pay that much to swap it back in.

i thought you only need to swap the downpipe???

KIMUTAKU, i think you will have to change your exhaust when you do the aircare
You don't want to burn people face-off while you step on your car doing backfiring. :D

i thought you only need to swap the downpipe???

normally that would be the case, but my turboxs downpipe will not fit a stock midpipe, and i'm not sure if my header will affect readings. i also have to swap out my ecu which would mean losing the sti injectors because they won't run properly on stock fuel maps :(

Benjamin,

My guess is that if you put your stock downpipe back on, which has 2 cats, you will pass air care no problems. I dont think the turbo, injectors, headers will affect anything. The uppipe cat only affects cold start, whcih aircare does not check.

Some of the cali guys pass their strict testing with just one highflow cat in the downpipe, even with monster turbos, injectors, fuel pump, headers, engine management etc etc.

Gethin.

yea i need to swap my downpipe.. but the catback should be fine..
with 2 cats, i'm not gonna have any backfiring..
wrx doesn't backfire as crazy as STi's... i don't think i shoot flames.. maybe just sparks..

Gehtin: the problem with ben is that once his txs dp is out, everything needs to be changed..

normally that would be the case, but my turboxs downpipe will not fit a stock midpipe, and i'm not sure if my header will affect readings. i also have to swap out my ecu which would mean losing the sti injectors because they won't run properly on stock fuel maps :(

I don't mean to sound like a jackass or anything, but you should have thought about this before you started modding. In my opinion, nobody in BC should make it as difficult as you have to put the stock exhaust piping back on the car. The fact of the matter is, you can't count on your car passing in it's current state. You can't even count on one of those hi-flo cats - they sometimes burn out in time, I have two of 'em that gave up the ghost after ~4 years if you want proof. With the stock exhaust, it would be a breeze to get through. For a car you have to aircare, you should have an exhaust that accommodates your stock mid-pipe.

For now, if you can somehow fit a cat in there - one that you would be able to put in and take out just for aircare, you might be able to get through. Another option is to look into registering your car in "territory Z" - I'm not sure on the process or insurance implications, but I know that's how some guys have gotten their car insured without having to pass aircare. Last but not least, convert your car back to stock - Do it yourself and it will cost you nothing but a weekend and perhaps a new set of gaskets.