Pass NJ inspection with exhasust leak before Muffler?
blahcomp222
11-13-2017, 04:49 AM
sorry long. In simple, it has a small leak between the Cat and the muffler but is quiet. Will it pass NJ inspection? Thanks.
My truck is falling apart from rust. I have 5 months until inspection. I plan on getting a new truck before then but I want to pass inspection to sell this or drive it if I don't get a new truck by then.
I hit a puddle this summer and the cold water shock on the hot exhaust pipe cracked a weld joint coupling. Luckily the break was after the catalytic converter. Basically it's just that the muffler isn't attached. It was loud. Then I took two 3" metal straps/plates and screwed them into the exhaust pipe with self taping screws to bring the two ends of the break together (I would have just had it welded for maybe $25 while it was already up on the lift for an oil change but the metal is so rusted that I don't think the weld would stick well let alone also hold it all together for long because the break happened in a 'bouncy' area of the pipe. I hope the tiny bit of air that might come through around the screw holes doesn't cause an inspection fail but maybe I can have them weld over those screw heads or I can put a dab of that 'exhaust-fix glue' on it at least to pass inspection and then it'll probably fall off.
Another reason why I screwed those straps on instead of just pulling the
two pipes together and having it re-welded over the old weld joint was because the two cut ends got all jagged from rubbing and they don't slide together anymore. If I have to cut the whole thing out and weld in a new coupling then I'll do that though.
I'm due for an oil change in the next couple days, so while they already have it on the lift, I can maybe get it welded for $25 or something. But do I have to for inspection? I don't even want to throw $25 at this truck because it's a POS and I already threw too much at it.
As it is now after I screwed those two strap plates on, it's a quiet as if nothing ever happened but I don't know if it will throw a code. I'd rather get it welded for $25 then spend ~$10 for that 'exhaust fix glue' that will probably leak or something for inspection.
From what I read, I don't even have to worry about this in NJ but I want to make sure.
I passes my last inspection by the skin on my teeth and it had I think two Pending codes (running lean and something else like EVAP leak), so I have to plug in the code reader and make sure I can still pass how it is. I have to look into those codes also because I'm not sure if they'll pass even if Pending. And now DMV charges extra for a re-inspection if you go back after failing once.
My truck is falling apart from rust. I have 5 months until inspection. I plan on getting a new truck before then but I want to pass inspection to sell this or drive it if I don't get a new truck by then.
I hit a puddle this summer and the cold water shock on the hot exhaust pipe cracked a weld joint coupling. Luckily the break was after the catalytic converter. Basically it's just that the muffler isn't attached. It was loud. Then I took two 3" metal straps/plates and screwed them into the exhaust pipe with self taping screws to bring the two ends of the break together (I would have just had it welded for maybe $25 while it was already up on the lift for an oil change but the metal is so rusted that I don't think the weld would stick well let alone also hold it all together for long because the break happened in a 'bouncy' area of the pipe. I hope the tiny bit of air that might come through around the screw holes doesn't cause an inspection fail but maybe I can have them weld over those screw heads or I can put a dab of that 'exhaust-fix glue' on it at least to pass inspection and then it'll probably fall off.
Another reason why I screwed those straps on instead of just pulling the
two pipes together and having it re-welded over the old weld joint was because the two cut ends got all jagged from rubbing and they don't slide together anymore. If I have to cut the whole thing out and weld in a new coupling then I'll do that though.
I'm due for an oil change in the next couple days, so while they already have it on the lift, I can maybe get it welded for $25 or something. But do I have to for inspection? I don't even want to throw $25 at this truck because it's a POS and I already threw too much at it.
As it is now after I screwed those two strap plates on, it's a quiet as if nothing ever happened but I don't know if it will throw a code. I'd rather get it welded for $25 then spend ~$10 for that 'exhaust fix glue' that will probably leak or something for inspection.
From what I read, I don't even have to worry about this in NJ but I want to make sure.
I passes my last inspection by the skin on my teeth and it had I think two Pending codes (running lean and something else like EVAP leak), so I have to plug in the code reader and make sure I can still pass how it is. I have to look into those codes also because I'm not sure if they'll pass even if Pending. And now DMV charges extra for a re-inspection if you go back after failing once.
blahcomp222
11-14-2017, 11:16 PM
bump, trying to get oil changed asap so want to have them weld it at same time if need be (don't they in NJ still stick that thing on the muffler for inspection and thus should weld this?)
blahcomp222
11-15-2017, 03:20 PM
I called like 7 state inspection garages, places that do state inspection and emissions repairs, and I talked to a different guy at about 4 of them who all said that it should pass with the hole in the exhaust if it's between the cat and muffler. I tried calling the DMV but no one picks up and I don't think they woulda told me anyway.
They said if the check engine light is ON it will fail automatically which I knew but I told them I passed last time like that by erasing the codes (something about Running Lean and EVAP leak codes) with my code reader and then they become pending codes.
It's a 2000 non diesel truck and one guy said I can have up to 2-3 pending codes which I knew. But I need to time the inspection sort of exact because if the system isn't 'Ready' after deleting the codes, then it will fail and then I have to pay a fee to get re-inspected at the DMV (new rule, no free inspection after already failed, and last time I did this with erasing the codes, it wasn't "Ready" but I went back again for free and passed).
so I don't think I will bother with even welding the hole shut. One guy said they don't stick the reader thing on the end of the tail pipe anymore, all they do is plug into the code reader port, but he said what others have said about this situation when I googled which wasn't an exact answer but people were saying as long as it's not alarmingly loud as to draw attention to the inspector to look under the car, then they won't notice or fail it for a small leak in the exhaust (before the cat).
They said if the check engine light is ON it will fail automatically which I knew but I told them I passed last time like that by erasing the codes (something about Running Lean and EVAP leak codes) with my code reader and then they become pending codes.
It's a 2000 non diesel truck and one guy said I can have up to 2-3 pending codes which I knew. But I need to time the inspection sort of exact because if the system isn't 'Ready' after deleting the codes, then it will fail and then I have to pay a fee to get re-inspected at the DMV (new rule, no free inspection after already failed, and last time I did this with erasing the codes, it wasn't "Ready" but I went back again for free and passed).
so I don't think I will bother with even welding the hole shut. One guy said they don't stick the reader thing on the end of the tail pipe anymore, all they do is plug into the code reader port, but he said what others have said about this situation when I googled which wasn't an exact answer but people were saying as long as it's not alarmingly loud as to draw attention to the inspector to look under the car, then they won't notice or fail it for a small leak in the exhaust (before the cat).
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