you say it failed the readiness test which one ?

I have the cp9680 a good tool to see it all.

I am no expert on CA emissions , but here [MA] you pass on a 1996 with 2 readiness tests not completed .. on a 2000 vehicle it is 1 test.

so find out what test need be done ,see if it is because of something causing it to not complete.

I know on these the EGR takes the longest on my 96.

they still use the road test in CA ? that is weird here they got rid of that more than a decade ago. that was because the OBDII was more advanced so here they dumped that .

The tool I have is $200 cost and I can chart out even the idle RPM . gives a lot of data for a 20 year old car.

I used it on a family members 2013 Dodge Hemi sport coupe and it reads so much more.

with normal driving 500 miles should do it unless there is a problem.

take the car out at midnight and get on the hywy .. you do not have to drive 55mph plus for 15 min !

 

the only fail is: failed to successfully complete all OBD self check

they do a 15 & 25 mph "roller" test with tailpipe readings

it has been over 2500 miles since battery was replaced and about 3500 miles since last smog test

the tech said as of a year ago you can now only fail one readiness test. used to be 2

I don't know if the guy is beating me up for a re-test $. He did write all the CARB #'s for the various stuff (headers, intake). Those have been on the car for about 18 years

I will try to mimic the "GM specific" OBD2 reset cycle but the hard reality is I don't have enough clear road once my car does a "cold start" to do the accelerate to 55 mph, hold my dick with my left foot while rubbing my head with right hand and using left blinker only and don't touch brakes segment of the reset procedure

you can see test below.

 

you can see test below.

the mil function is high lighted, was he meaning it failed because the MIL didn't work right?

actually it was 2 and now 1...according to the tech. supposedly changed last year. Maybe I have always had 2 "fail" but still passed. IIRC the EGR never showed ready although it has one.

I emailed Ed to see if he can look at the file on his end to see if there is a keystroke he can do without fing up what has been a perfect tune IMHO

I have a spare PCM with the same tune. Have used it before just to confirm all works well. it does. It is just a spare

yeah I meant two now one but was on the iphone trying to type quickly.
it sucks that carb is changing things on older vehicles that didn't apply when they were new.

I know on Jet DSI its pretty straight forward to have the monitors all set as passed without changing other parameters, Gerry showed me where they were.

 

Like J Cat said, you need to find out which readiness monitor or monitors are not completed. Once you know then you concentrate on which part of the drive cycle thats needed to complete them.

 

Get the computer tuned by pcmforless, pcmperformance, fastchip, or whoever is good in Cali.
The tuner can turn all your readiness codes to "ON/pass" no matter what.

Nab

 

Nab

car was tuned by Ed. It has passed every time until now

I will ping Ed to see if there is another key stroke he can do

 

While the tech was not forthcoming as to the "why" (Test Only stations here can not do repairs) I suspect EGR as one of them. It has never shown ready IIRC over the years

Same for other GM vehicles I have smoged, the EGR is one readiness test that never seems to complete

It always passed as there was 2 fail readiness tests allowed, now just one.

I did drive for the usual 15 min prior and left car running before test although I did just "drive in" to the rollers for the test

Apparently touching the brakes voids any particular test cycle. Ironically "GM" OBD2 reset procedure is more detailed than other OBD2 reset procedures as there is a specific "GM" procedure. Even after driving thousands of miles with hundreds of drive cycles in my "normal" driving conditions I don't meet the specific "drive at this speed and decelerate without touching brakes" scenario

I don't think there is anything mechanically wrong with the car, just the PCM has not seen the regimented drive cycles to complete its readiness checks. Tail pipe test are way within spec.....which ironically is the real test on "emissions". Republic of Calif does has its "rules" and CARB has a big bat here

Try deleting a air pump...went all the way to the state governing body for CARB. The language says "disable", not "delete" in the TSB....but I digress

Will try a late night run so I can blow some stop signs before actually getting on enough road to do the 3-5 min drive cycles...

 

Hmm, if cali changed the readiness monitors limit from one to two, gonna suck even more for 96s.

But yeah you can change parameters so they always show passed.

I've been told one can swap ecms, pass smog, and swap back all on the same day

 

hmmm, if cali changed the readiness monitors limit from one to two, gonna suck even more for 96's.

but yeah you can change parameters so they always show passed.
I've been told one can swap ecms, pass smog and swap back all in the same day

actually it was 2 and now 1...according to the tech. supposedly changed last year. Maybe I have always had 2 "fail" but still passed. IIRC the EGR never showed ready although it has one.

I emailed Ed to see if he can look at the file on his end to see if there is a keystroke he can do without fing up what has been a perfect tune IMHO

I have a spare PCM with the same tune. Have used it before just to confirm all works well. it does. It is just a spare

 

If its the egr monitor that needs to run its tested on decel, get the car up to about 60mph and let it coast down to about 30mph without hitting the brake.

 

I don't think I have ever been in a normal drive cycle decelerating from 55-60 down to 30 without hitting the brake....but will do that scenario.

fing putters....check that...fing Calif smog. tail pipe is way good which shows wtf "emissions" are.

The tech was rather evasive on what it might be other than saying "just drive it at 45 for 15 min then 55...." never said anything about decal or not hitting brakes

 

EGR functionality hasn't been required to test in California for years now. Also our cars do not use a readiness monitor for EGR (what I mean is it will NEVER show as set).

 

I just did the "GM" test I posted earlier. Although I could not immediately go from step 1 to step 2 as there are a few traffic lights and residential streets before the fwy. I did do the rest of the steps once on the fwy...a little harry decal down to 20 mph though

I will shake the smog tech down as to wtf is not showing ready to see if I can dial in on one particular item

interesting note on the EGR monitor test in Calif 4x4. As anti car anything as Calif is surprising they don't check the "function" of the EGR, just that it is visually there....and my test results show EGR as "pass". must be because it is there.

don't know if all shops charge the same but for 96-99 cars the shop charges $10 more on the test...

 

yes I see the 9680 as a new addition to my toolbox. I see them for under $200.

sucks the shop won't say "what" monitor fails at Test Only aka STAR here in Caif.. Although the guy could easily "unofficially" advise.

I told the guy "I have come here for 10 years with 5 vehicles.....can you give me some concrete info as to what is not ready"...he said they are not allowed to say...and I reply "so you are willing to lose a customer who comes here at least once, sometimes twice a year, over not telling me what your f*%^)$! computer says."....his reply was just to drive it for 150-200 miles and do 45 for 5 min and 55 for another 5 min then come back and give him another $30 for re-test.

I said wtf am I being charged the 8.95 for the cert if I am not getting one...he said that is the "law"...wtf little biatch hiding behind some BAR code calling it "law"

given the tail pipe readings the emission crap should be working right. 02's have less that 7k miles on them

reading on a forum for smog techs they are all smiles on new changes and higher fees for 96-99 cars and getting "points" to fail cars at STAR stations. A real fing circus BAR has created with $ the only goal. This has nothing to do with "emissions"...those are what comes out of the tail pipe and if those are good....but I digress

 

Balls,
Why did you not put torqe lite (free one) on you phone to see what is going on ?
just buy bluetooth connector.

here is pic of torque


it may head you in right direction.


Also why not put car on jacks and strap it down and drive how they want you rto ?
i know it can be dangerous, but find a safe place.
-ALF out...

 

Ed replied to my email. He said he can set IM readiness to all good/pass in my tune.

Last tune he did was back in 07 and he wasn't doing those then. Easy fix for him

all should be fine now

IIRC 2 system monitor checks had always previously failed which was not a problem until BAR changed it to one allowed as of May 1995. This applies to all "OBD" emission tests now.

 

yeah Pogo the smog tech (sole owner place) could have, IMHO, been more forthcoming. Maybe he sincerely feels just driving the car for a few hundred miles will resolve it....but after 2+k mi since the battery swap I doubt it will.

Fortunately Ed can fix tune with a few key strokes to resolve

I got the 9680 scanner using my amex points from amazon so no cost really. I use my amex for biz and rack up a ton of points on it.

 

around here its much better , reason is the state inspection station also is a gas / auto repair shop... therefore they most all the time will work with you and not get you pissed off.

I never had an inspector not tell me what the issue was . they did not say what caused the failure , but did say what the failure was .

you will like the 9680 . I liked how it will store data to be played back later.. like O2 sensor voltages. fuel trims long/short all on a graph . a very good tool that will remove most of the guess work on electrical problems .

plug it in a on a new vehicle you will not believe all the data that is available .

 

Don't know if the guy is beating me up for retest $ but if this driving cycle has to be achieved...I will either get tickets, run over someone or certainly blow through some stop signs & lights doing so

suggestions?

I feel your pain. It's impossible to complete any of these driving cycles when you're sitting in bumper to bumper traffic within seconds of getting on the highway.

The tuning seems like the best option.

 

Well I hooked up my new 9860 scanner and checked I/M status....2 show "incomplete". You are only now allowed 1 monitor to fail or be incomplete. Before May of 2015 you were allowed 2 which is why I always passed the "readiness test"

the two incomplete are:

oxygen sensor monitor (bank 1&2 sensor 1)
EGR/VVT system monitor

In viewing "data" while engine running both front 02's readings go from 1xx to 8xx frequently so I see them "working".

so any advice on how to set either so they show ready?

I did the "drive cycle"....which didn't change anything

I don't normally turn on my AC or rear defroster simultaneously for the first 2 1/2 minutes from a cold start but I did. Even had headlights on as apparently as much "electrical load" you can apply seems to be part of this reset procedure

Battery is 1 year old and good.

I will note the PCM is tuned for H/C 383 so I assume that has some influence on wtf happens. My tuner is updating my tune to show all readiness monitors "ready"

But if I could get either the 02 or EGR to show ready I would be good to go with current PCM (I have 2 so sent my spare back to tuner)

 

Our cars are only capable of 8 monitors even though a scanner will show 10. Both of those monitors are not supported in our cars and will NEVER set. Think it's time to find a new smog station.

 

Interesting....our cars do not show 02 or EGR monitors..

what documentation can I show the smog shop those monitors are not capable of being monitored....or should there be some notation in the smog shops vehicle specs they see on their screen?

this is what the scanner reads under I/M scan:

• misfire monitor=OK
• fuel system monitor=ok
• comp component=ok
• catalyst monitor=ok
• HTD Catalyst=n/a
• EVAP system monitor=n/a
• secondary air system=ok
• A/C Refrig Monitor=n/a
• Oxygen Sensor Monitor=inc
• Oxygen Sensor Htr=OK
• EGR/VVT System Monitor=inc

so excluding the inc 02 sensor monitor & EGR monitor), I see 6=ok, 3 n/a...that is 9 total

you are saying our cars can not have oxygen sensors or EGR monitors read as "ready"?

 

with the scanner read the engine temp see if its 180 deg f.
how many miles on the upstream O2 sensors ? are they the afs 75 ?
how many years old is the EGR ? if its heat damaged these do bind and not move as well as a new one.

on these engines the EGR does not have much info with 9680 , but on new engines it will.

what does it idle at ? my 96 is 504 RPM .
I had a bad EGR and it did take a lot of driving to get the 400 code. after I did the reset IM ..

 

engine temp was 175 but I just was idling in garage for a few min. IIRC it gets to about 185 when fully warmed up & operating. It has a 160 stat/tune

front 02's have about 7k miles on them, AC Delcos

EGR...about 10 years old with 40k miles max. F-body EGR

idle is set at 825 (383 H/C car)

IIRC the EGR has never shown ready. For various service reasons battery gets disconnected from time to time. It has not been disconnected in over a year and 3k miles of driving....yet 02 & EGR will not reset.

02's are quickly fluctuating up/down

 

this is the 2016 BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair) publication. Go to page 2. Now 96-99 cars are only allowed 1 readiness function to fail...not 2 like it used to be.

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_OBD_Reference_Guide.pdf

 

this is the 2016 BAR (Bureau of Automotive Repair) publication. Go to page 2. Now 96-99 cars are only allowed 1 readiness function to fail...not 2 like it used to be.

https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_OBD_Reference_Guide.pdf

Now 96-99 cars are only allowed 1 readiness function to fail ..........

IN CA , that is not one fail but one INC , on the CA smog test guide... if you have a one fail test , then you fail.

if the engine temp is too low it could cause the O2 and egr not to complete the test.

block the radiator and with tool connected ,see the temp rise , then check for the O2 sensors to complete the test.

my 96 runs most of the time 182-200 deg f. 180 deg stat.

 

INC means that readiness monitor function has not "completed" which translates into "fail"

my car has a 160 stat and tuning so it will run cooler. I can't show up at a STAR test place and start putting cardboard in front of radiator (they even put a fan in front of the car like dyno pulls) or unplug fans. For the purposes of seeing if a higher operating temp does allow the 02's to show ready I can certainly drive around some with the fans unplugged to see if that does it

As suggested by Nab the PCM can be programed to show I/M functions ready all the time which for me will resolve the issue. For some reason Ed didn't do that back (07) when my last tune was done but he did correct that and I will put that PCM in when it gets here.

This only surfaced on this recent test as the 2 monitors that show not ready have always been that way so I doubt there is any way to reset them with my current tune by any driving cycle procedure. This years test only allows 1 to not be ready thanks to our friends at CARB and BAR

 

my 96 has all those . egr was the last to complete.

I have read that PCM programming can cause these issues [performance PCM programming].

I also read to fix this have the PCM programmed to OEM for passing.

also have PCM programmed to display all tests completed . [if possible on this ]

 

my car is H/C 383/T56 so yes....the PCM has been "programed"

It has always shown two monitors not ready, which may be a result of the tuning, but unfortunately you are only allowed one to show "not ready" aka "INC" as of May 2015 for 96-99 cars

My tuner is addressing the issue.

Was just curious as to 4x4's comment as I can not verify that statement and given the scan tool shows them as IM tests and the fail was a result of the two specific monitors I note....I suspect the statement to be false but was asking if he or anyone could vet it.

 

I am sure the tuner would know "why" if his tuning was causing the readiness monitor not to set. He will have my PCM Monday

I asked you since you said you "did some searching" and came to conclusion that aftermarket tuning could/would be the cause. I was asking you to elaborate beyond that if you could

ex. why or what table in aftermarket tuning may cause this...if in fact your search showed that.

Or are you just echoing something you read that says aftermarket, aka performance tuning, may cause these issues in general?

Yeah scanner will show a great deal of info. The LT & ST fuel trims sit at 0 with car just idle or hitting the gas a little. Have not done any driving data log with it yet. 02's fluctuate up/down quickly

There seems to be no EGR function monitoring in data stream tab. Several other parameters but don't see anything to do with EGR function.

TPS is in %. Wish it was in V but don't see how to change the value for that. I did just download the latest update for the 9680

In Special Tests under IM tab EGR/VVT are one of the readiness monitor functions it looks for...but in my case says INC which I believe it always has and driving for a few thousand miles does not seem to clear it.

Tuner says he can set it to say ready...even if the car has no EGR (it does) so ideally that will resolve my issue leaving just the one 02 monitor function showing INC....unless it finally does clear after driving. I only have about 150 miles after battery disconnect so maybe it will clear but I doubt the EGR will ever. One not ready monitor you can pass emission test

 

well the EGR will need the vehicle up on the hywy for about 30 min or so . follow the procedure with that.
The programmer people were the ones that said this diagnostic test can not complete if performance programmed in some cases ,,,,,,,,,,. not exact because as you know its not exact on what was changed.

having the PCM show all tests completed is the way to fix your inspection issues in CA.

well on my 5.3L the LTFT its fixed !! replaced the MAF and after about 15 min they dropped down from 17/25% to close to zero .

NOW LETS SEE IF THAT CAT MON TEST COMPLETES . That is the only test to finish it .

cat monitor uses fuel trim data if too lean I think it will not complete.

 

Hi,
I find this all fascinating and informative stuff !
Thank you J_cat and BallSS for keeping the discussion going.

Personally, I just started last night using Torque to monitor my stock PCM on my '96 SS.
I plan on getting a PCM tune but I am delaying as I wish to watch what the stock program does, and hope to understand what it is telling me.
These are the sensors I am able to see with the free version of the software.

• MAF
• throttle {TPS I think?}
• coolant temp
• intake air temp
• Timing advance
• INTAKE in Kpa {Need to learn what this is? maybe vacuum in different units?}
• all 4 O2 sensors
  • front 2 bounce like they should
  • rear 2 still learning what normal looks like.
• STFT I have no clue about short-term fuel trims yet.

My car does like to throw a P0430 light the CEL, but it also turns the CEL off on its own after driving a few days
if i leave it alone and don't clear it.
Not sure if Pass side CAT is old or an O2 is old....? 270k is 270K, these parts don't owe me anything.


Anyway sorry for the thread jack.
TTYL
-ALF out...

 

Hi,
I find this all fascinating and informative stuff !
Thank you J_cat and BallSS for keeping the discussion going.

Personally I just started last night using Torque to monitor my stock PCM on my '96 SS.
I plan on getting a PCM tune but i am delaying as i wish to watch what the stock program does, and hope to understand what it is telling me.
These are the sensors i am able to see with the free version of the software.
MAF
throttle {TPS i think?}
coolant temp
intake air temp
Timing advance
INTAKE in Kpa {Need to learn what this is? maybe vacuum in different units?}
all 4 O2 sensors
front 2 bounce like they should
rear 2 still learning what normal looks like.
STFT i have no clue about short term fuel trims yet.


My car does like to throw a P0430 light the CEL, but it also turns the CEL off on its own after driving a few days
if i leave it alone and don't clear it.
Not sure if Pass side CAT is old or an O2 is old....? 270k is 270K, these parts don't owe me anything.


Anyway sorry for the thread jack.
TTYL
-ALF out...

on my 96 the long and short term fuel trims are close to zero %.
that is what a really good engine will show. less than plus/minus 10% is acceptable . closer to zero is best. anything above 15 plus/minus you have to find out whats wrong . plus means too lean minus is too rich . lean is on our engines the exhaust manifold leaks.
rich most times is the fuel regulator.

on the 430 code simply swap the downstream O2 sensors . if the code becomes the 420 code then its the O2 sensor replace both . if its the same 430 then your cat is not working properly on the oxygen content in the exhaust.