State Ref failed..

OSU34 · Mar 17, 2021

I don’t see the issue here if that’s what you want out of the car. Reflash the ECU and be done with it. Put it back to stock every couple of years if you want to be legit or find someone that will pass you, no questions asked for extra $. I suggest you find a car group out where you live and I’m sure someone will have a contact that you can use when that time comes. I’m in Cali so I feel your pain.

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AFLOCOBRA · Mar 17, 2021

OSU34 said:
I don’t see the issue here if that’s what you want out of the car. Reflash the ECU and be done with it. Put it back to stock every couple of years if you want to be legit or find someone that will pass you, no questions asked for extra $. I suggest you find a car group out where you live and I’m sure someone will have a contact that you can use when that time comes. I’m in Cali so I feel your pain.

Sent from my iPhone using svtperformance.com

i appreciate brotha, yea its a pain in the ass man, i took my car to Ford to re flash but the PCM came up as a 2000+ cougar...?... they said they cant promise that itll work or the car will run if they try to re flash so that's why i decided to just buy a new PCM programmed and updated 2 new keys and just have the other PCM to mess with, it is a pita to swap PCMs/mods etc. every 2 years but honestly i don't mind turning wrenches..

SecondhandSnake · Mar 19, 2021

I think what probably caught you is that they're able to tell the PCM was flashed at all due to something like a checksum change, even if it's restored to the base tune from the handheld.

Now as you've seen, with the separate PCM you have to jack around with PATS, since you have to have the VIN, cluster, PATS, keys, all that match. But have you considered doing something like a chip? With a chip it doesn't modify or flash the PCM, it just has the PCM read from a different memory location instead of the stock memory. You could get a chip, put your tune on it, and then when you need to smog it, just remove the chip. Viola. Factory memory/tune has never been tampered with.

P49Y-CY · Mar 19, 2021

SecondhandSnake said:
I think what probably caught you is that they're able to tell the PCM was flashed at all due to something like a checksum change, even if it's restored to the base tune from the handheld.

Now as you've seen, with the separate PCM you have to jack around with PATS, since you have to have the VIN, cluster, PATS, keys, all that match. But have you considered doing something like a chip? With a chip it doesn't modify or flash the PCM, it just has the PCM read from a different memory location instead of the stock memory. You could get a chip, put your tune on it, and then when you need to smog it, just remove the chip. Viola. Factory memory/tune has never been tampered with.

that sounds like a really good idea. going old school

Blkkbgt · Mar 19, 2021

SecondhandSnake said:
I think what probably caught you is that they're able to tell the PCM was flashed at all due to something like a checksum change, even if it's restored to the base tune from the handheld.

Now as you've seen, with the separate PCM you have to jack around with PATS, since you have to have the VIN, cluster, PATS, keys, all that match. But have you considered doing something like a chip? With a chip it doesn't modify or flash the PCM, it just has the PCM read from a different memory location instead of the stock memory. You could get a chip, put your tune on it, and then when you need to smog it, just remove the chip. Viola. Factory memory/tune has never been tampered with.

If you can get through the visual why bother removing it at all?

What I am saying is if it doesn't mess with the cal code or change the check sum they'll never know.

Am I missing something?

I am not directing the following at any specific person but am I the only person who doesn't like this info put out on an open forum on the net?

Stangra · Mar 19, 2021

Blkkbgt said:
...am I the only person who doesn't like this info put out on an open forum on the net?

If it wasn't for this stuff being open information there would be a lot more folks out there who are less knowledgeable or unaware (myself included) and finding themselves in a real jam at some point.

Blkkbgt · Mar 19, 2021

Stangra said:
If it wasn't for this stuff being open information there would be a lot more folks out there who are less knowledgeable or unaware (myself included) and finding themselves in a real jam at some point.

I understand that however I think the forum could lock some of this stuff down in a way that only established members could still access it.

What I am getting at here is why make it easy for these commie bastards that want to demolish our hobby?

Right now in this game of cat and mouse car guys are very much the mouse trapped in the mouth of the cat. It's now up to us to escape and turn the tables. The less information we openly share that is easily found via Google the longer it will take for them to catch up.

SecondhandSnake · Mar 19, 2021

Blkkbgt said:
If you can get through the visual why bother removing it at all?

What I am saying is if it doesn't mess with the cal code or change the check sum they'll never know.

Am I missing something?

I am not directing the following at any specific person but am I the only person who doesn't like this info put out on an open forum on the net?

I don't know if I'm enough of a CARB/EEC expert to know exactly what they look at to determine if the calibration is genuine or not, or if it's been tampered. That's the million dollar (fine) question.

I know the latest and greatest ones have a CARB run registry of what authorized calibrations have been applied to each specific VIN, but I would think they don't have that data for older cars like this.

As for the visibility- it's hard to say. It's a double edged sword. Help out other enthusiasts, but telegraph your moves to the enemy.

AFLOCOBRA · Mar 19, 2021

Blkkbgt said:
I understand that however I think the forum could lock some of this stuff down in a way that only established members could still access it.

What I am getting at here is why make it easy for these commie bastards that want to demolish our hobby?

Right now in this game of cat and mouse car guys are very much the mouse trapped in the mouth of the cat. It's now up to us to escape and turn the tables. The less information we openly share that is easily found via Google the longer it will take for them to catch up.

I Appreciate the advice, honestly i never thought of a piggy back device for our cobras, i have one on my motorcycle and your right its just like a chip, you remove it and its gone back to oem and no tampering shown on PCM.

Stangra · Mar 19, 2021

AFLOCOBRA said:
...i decided to just buy a new PCM programmed and updated 2 new keys and just have the other PCM to mess with, it is a pita to swap PCMs/mods etc. every 2 years but honestly i don't mind turning wrenches..

I Really hope I'm wrong about this but I believe that during emissions inspection the smog tech will enter the odometer reading into the computer. I'm also pretty sure that the PCM, instrument cluster, and maybe other modules independently log miles for various reasons (Dealer warranty confirmation, for one). If the PCM disagrees with the odometer? ...I dunno. As soon as any miles are logged on both PCMs neither one will match the rest of the car. Cause for concern??? If it works once but there's a bigger discrepancy in 2 years, cause for concern? Ever going to sell the car and the PCM & odometer don't match, cause for concern?

AFLOCOBRA · Mar 19, 2021

Stangra said:
I Really hope I'm wrong about this but I believe that during emissions inspection the smog tech will enter the odometer reading into the computer. I'm also pretty sure that the PCM, instrument cluster, and maybe other modules independently log miles for various reasons (Dealer warranty confirmation, for one). If the PCM disagrees with the odometer? ...I dunno. As soon as any miles are logged on both PCMs neither one will match the rest of the car. Cause for concern??? If it works once but there's a bigger discrepancy in 2 years, cause for concern? Ever going to sell the car and the PCM & odometer don't match, cause for concern?

well good thing i plan on keeping this car don't plan on selling it, besides i don't even know if the original PCM is even accurate since the previous owner tampered with it so much..

Blkkbgt · Mar 19, 2021

Stangra said:
I Really hope I'm wrong about this but I believe that during emissions inspection the smog tech will enter the odometer reading into the computer. I'm also pretty sure that the PCM, instrument cluster, and maybe other modules independently log miles for various reasons (Dealer warranty confirmation, for one). If the PCM disagrees with the odometer? ...I dunno. As soon as any miles are logged on both PCMs neither one will match the rest of the car. Cause for concern??? If it works once but there's a bigger discrepancy in 2 years, cause for concern? Ever going to sell the car and the PCM & odometer don't match, cause for concern?

It's always been my understanding that these PCMs don't log milage.

Edit***

I did a quick Google search and from what I gather milage is in fact stored in the dash.

Dusten · Mar 20, 2021

Blkkbgt said:
It's always been my understanding that these PCMs don't log milage.

Edit***

I did a quick Google search and from what I gather milage is in fact stored in the dash.

I posted that earlier. The only place these older ford's store mileage is the dash

Blkkbgt · Mar 20, 2021

Dusten said:
I posted that earlier. The only place these older ford's store mileage is the dash

Sorry I missed it.

zredfire04 · Mar 20, 2021

What is the outcome of passing the state ref? A sticker on your window? Or is it what you have to do to get a sticker on your license plate?

If it's just a sticker for your license plate, why not just buy a v6 car the same color to take to the state ref and put that sticker on the cobra plate? Already breaking the law, why not run with it?

Edit: or swap plates for that matter.

Wings65288 · Mar 20, 2021

Dusten said:
Here are your options in cali
1) leave it stock
2) mod with only carb approved mods
3) mod a car older tan 1975
4) take your mods off every 2 years. Pray you don't get called into the state ref, or have a cop inspect your mods.

One more option, register the car in one of the counties in California that doesn't have smog. Only thing here is if you're screwing around and get popped by a CHP he COULD send you to a ref if he writes the ticket up that way i believe.

Blkkbgt · Mar 20, 2021

zredfire04 said:
What is the outcome of passing the state ref? A sticker on your window? Or is it what you have to do to get a sticker on your license plate?

If it's just a sticker for your license plate, why not just buy a v6 car the same color to take to the state ref and put that sticker on the cobra plate? Already breaking the law, why not run with it?

Edit: or swap plates for that matter.

There's no sticker or anything of the like. You get through the ref and you get to register your car.

Dusten · Mar 20, 2021

zredfire04 said:
What is the outcome of passing the state ref? A sticker on your window? Or is it what you have to do to get a sticker on your license plate?

If it's just a sticker for your license plate, why not just buy a v6 car the same color to take to the state ref and put that sticker on the cobra plate? Already breaking the law, why not run with it?

Edit: or swap plates for that matter.

1) it's by vin
2) the state ref is different than your bi-annual emissions. It's almost like being audited on your taxes. The cars registration is flagged and can't be renewed until cleared. I think if you've failed the ref it's supposed to be parked until cleared.

Dusten · Mar 20, 2021

Wings65288 said:
One more option, register the car in one of the counties in California that doesn't have smog. Only thing here is if you're screwing around and get popped by a CHP he COULD send you to a ref if he writes the ticket up that way i believe.

Yup.
I've been military and trying to explain registration not matching home address when you have a good reason sucks. I'll pass in having to lie.

Blkkbgt · Mar 20, 2021

Wings65288 said:
One more option, register the car in one of the counties in California that doesn't have smog. Only thing here is if you're screwing around and get popped by a CHP he COULD send you to a ref if he writes the ticket up that way i believe.

This isn't quite as easy as some think. The last time I tried this DMV asked for a bill in my name for that address. I probably could have pulled it off because the address belongs to a family member.

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