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So I bought the 99 EM1 I now have in the garage while on deployment over here in Afghanistan. My aunt went to transfer the title and had to do emissions, but the car didn't. Since I wasn't home and she isn't a mechanic, I told her to take it to an exhaust shop. Apparently, the whole catalytic converter is missing after the downpipe and there is a near 2 foot gap in the exhaust system, not even a straight pipe. On top of that the O2 sensor is missing but the car isn't throwing any check engine lights which I find odd. I planned on replacing the entire stock exhaust on the car with an aftermarket Hytech Twin Loop Catback and Renault OEM cat when I got home anyways. I called the guy that did the turbo work on the car and he said everything was in order when it came and left his shop three years ago. Ecology waived the emissions test for the car so we can transfer the title considering my circumstances.

The guy I bought the car from isn't required to go through emissions in his county and that's probably why it didn't throw up any signs. So I have a few pondering questions for the mechs out there. Why isn't the SI throwing up an engine codes for the missing O2, and will the lack of the O2 and that section of the exhaust require a new tune of the turbo when i get home? Was he using an o2 sensor deleter of some sort? It wont be driven while I am gone, so if any damage has been done, there wont be any further. Thanks, any input is appreciated.

 
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Why isn't the SI throwing up an engine codes for the missing O2, and will the lack of the O2 and that section of the exhaust require a new tune of the turbo when i get home?

Most tuning software allows for the deletion of 02 sensors, therefore no code is triggered. No, it will not need to be retuned, because I'm confident that the car was originally tuned with a in tact exhaust system and the parameters haven't changed just the conditions.

 
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Yea I talked to the guy and he said he is running crome on the car. It still baffles me though because I thought crome was for OBD I engines, I guess with turbo it changes the conditions.

 
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You can convert to OBDI, it's actually pretty common.

A good investment would be switching the tuning software over to neptune, way better and more safety controls.

 
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Yea, but in order for me to pass emissions in my county, wouldn't I need to go back to OBD II? I thought it was illegal in regard to emissions to go backwards on newer model cars. I was really contemplating replacing the whole ECU and going with the AEM EMS.

Edit: In an effort to get the best look on things without actually looking at the car myself. I sent an email to a tuning shop called SpeedFactory Racing in my home state. They have pretty high reputation and I thought there input might help too. http://www.speedfactoryracing.net/

Here is the email I sent:

"Hello,

I have gotten some references from some online forums to visit your shop in regards to tuning and turbo work. I am from Renton, WA. So here goes, I am currently in Afghanistan and I bought a car while I am over here. I bought a 99 SI that has 45k Miles on the B16A motor and body. It is also running a full Greddy Turbo system w/ a T28 turbo. Once the car was taken to pass emissions, it didnt. The person that bought the car for me, took it to an exhaust shop and the catalytic converter was missing and no straight pipe was welded in. Exhaust is just running off the down pipe. He is running CROME which I believe is an OBD I system on an OBD II car, which also allowed for the deletion of the o2 sensor. So I have a few questions... I believe I want to run AEM EMS on the car and reconvert the car to OBD II so it is carb legal for emissions. I would also like to reinstate an o2 sensor of some sort, unless you believe I can pass emissions with out it? Do you have a different recommendation other then the AEM EMS to run on the car and allow it to be OBD II? After all that is completed, I would like to retune the turbo system with your shop and do a once over of the turbo to make sure everything is mechanically sound. It is running 8 psi right now, I was thinking of upping to 10 and leaving it there if possible? If your up to it, I will come by when I get home. What am I looking at in terms of prices based on what recommendations and options you have available? Thank you. If there is any other information needed, please let me know."

 
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Yeah, it needs to be OBDII to pass emissions, it's hard to believe but a lot of people run OBDI normally and convert back just for emissions testing.

AEM EMS is awesome.

 
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Yea that seems almost ridiculous to me to do all that work when you can just be running in your legal parameters for your state and county guidelines. I am going to probably go with the AEM EMS and reconvert to OBD II and up the boost to 10psi. I am not going to run the exhaust right out of the downpipe like the guy that had this car was. Too loud and impractical. I am going to wait on the email from that Tuning/Race shop in town to see what they have to say. Haha man I have got quite the list of work that I am going to be doing to this car when I get home. I should start a build thread. haha. The goal ultimately is to be a good balance between track and street use.

 
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It is ridiculous, but give a ricer the choice between a logical or a cheap option and they'll always choose cheap.