Ready....steady....smog...CA

[ifsmithy]

I'm getting ready to smog my LC over here in CA. I have one incomplete readiness monitor (which I'm allowed 2 incomplete in CA - my OCD wants me to fix this) - it's the catalyst monitor.

No other codes, or other incomplete monitors reported etc - the o2 sensors report as complete

I've tried the drive cycle to fix and read a bunch of threads on this but it wont go away - I'm going to try a different drive cycle I found online this weekend but its been reported as incomplete for over 6 months so I doubt a drive cycle will fix?

Given there isn't an apparent problem with the O2 sensors what could be causing this?

 

[bajaphile]

Are you talking about an check engine light? Not sure what an incomplete readiness monitor is.

 

[jcardona1]

Here's the service bulletin that describes the drive cycles in order to achieve readiness on all OBDII monitors. If a monitor wont switch to ready after completing drive cycle, it could indicate a pending code for a faulty component. Per the bulletin:

http://www.watrd.com/work/TSB_EG003-02_(revised).pdf

The readiness status may not switch to “complete” after the first drive pattern trip if a
Pending Code has been set (first trip for a two–trip DTC).
- Pending Codes are available from the DTC Info Menu in Enhanced OBDII.
- Pending Codes indicate a POTENTIAL problem was detected. A second trip is
needed to confirm the DTC prior to diagnosis.
- Once a second trip is completed, a current DTC will be stored.

 

[ifsmithy]

no - its not a check engine light - that's not on and that light works does work.

I have an OBD2 scanner along with the dash command app I use to pull codes - its showing up in the diagnostics section there.

 

[e9999]

these cycles can be hard to do if you don't have the proper roads and traffic. But 6mos is a lot, you'd think it would have been ready by now.

Unlikely if there is no code, and not to alarm you, but be careful that there is not something actually wrong with the cats that could be revealed by a sniff test. In the PRK I believe you would have to replace them with OEM, which would be rather expensive. And if you are declared a gross polluter you are in a pickle with special tests and locations needed after that.
If you have any doubts about it it might be a good idea to arrange for a "pre-test" of sorts where they do the measurements but don't send them in. If a problem you can then fix it before the actual test. A few $ more but peace of mind.

 

[jcardona1]

In the PRK I believe you would have to replace them with OEM,

Doesn't have to be OEM. There's several CARB-approved aftermarket versions.

 

[2KCruiser]

Incompletes are very common and can often times never even trigger a check light. I would say a good amount of cars have at least a couple if they were to check. Yours can run for 10,000+ miles without a code and still not be monitor ready. Tell your OCD to go on vacay.

 

[ifsmithy]

these cycles can be hard to do if you don't have the proper roads and traffic. But 6mos is a lot, you'd think it would have been ready by now.

Unlikely if there is no code, and not to alarm you, but be careful that there is not something actually wrong with the cats that could be revealed by a sniff test. In the PRK I believe you would have to replace them with OEM, which would be rather expensive. And if you are declared a gross polluter you are in a pickle with special tests and locations needed after that.
If you have any doubts about it it might be a good idea to arrange for a "pre-test" of sorts where they do the measurements but don't send them in. If a problem you can then fix it before the actual test. A few $ more but peace of mind.

I'd be surprised if it was the CATS - they're new as of Oct 2015 - CARB- approved aftermarkets. That on top of an bottom up rebuild of the engine at Yotamasters after the HG blew last year....

My OCD is going to go on vacay for this one - I was planning on a pre-test......

I thought it might be a simple fix -for example if the drive cycles can't get rid of the incomplete then simply replace one of the O2 sensors.......thought there might be a known fix to this problem

 

[e9999]

good to know about legal aftermarket cats now in California. Hopefully cheaper.

But one more thing if that might help: if you are going to fiddle with things, be careful that you don't disconnect the battery right before going to do the test as that will set the monitors to incomplete again and may take some time to reset. Failed a test once just for that.

 

[ifsmithy]

good to know about legal aftermarket cats now in California. Hopefully cheaper.

But one more thing if that might help: if you are going to fiddle with things, be careful that you don't disconnect the battery right before going to do the test as that will set the monitors to incomplete again and may take some time to reset. Failed a test once just for that.

Cheaper than OEM but still not cheap! If I remember correctly it was around 800 for the two Magnaflow cats installed - oem is around 1400 if I remember correctly....

 

[Pin_Head]

AFAIK, there is no way to monitor the catalyst function other than by the O2 sensors. They are the only sensors in the neighborhood. On a 3 way catalyst, there is a difference in the O2 concentration between the front and rear cat. There should be more O2 At the exit of the front cat sensor as the front reduces NOx to produce o2 and a decrease in O2 at the exit of the second cat as O2 is used to oxidize HC and CO.

 

[lazy]

Cheaper than OEM but still not cheap! If I remember correctly it was around 800 for the two Magnaflow cats installed - oem is around 1400 if I remember correctly....

This guy found a place in cali for $450 for both. Clogged catalytic converter... options?

if you can weld, you're looking at about $280 to diy both.

 

[jaymar]

Doesn't have to be OEM. There's several CARB-approved aftermarket versions.

Good to know. Do you have those handy, by any chance?

 

[Dragos80]

I got no CEL, but I think one readiness monitor is not... ready.
I was told it won't pass that way. I've tried a few of those drive cycles, but still can't get the monitor to be ready. It's really hard to perform the correct drive cycle in order to have the monitors all ready. I have to recheck it since I drove a few hundred miles since last time I checked in a variety of cycles (city, freeway, off road, traffic, etc).


Make sure you don't erase any codes, because doing so will also reset the monitors and you have to start all over again.

 

[lazy]

Good to know. Do you have those handy, by any chance?

Aftermarket Catalytic Converters

You can also Google MagnaFlow or Walker cats California and their Web pages will take you to the exemptions.

 

[e9999]

From memory I think it is true that in Calif you can have one not ready and still pass the test. Strangely generous as this may be for the PRK.

 

[TYM4FUN]

2000 model year and up only evap can be incomplete for gasoline vehicles. 1996-1999 you can have any one incomplete monitor. Yours I believe is a 1995?, monitors are not checked for that year.....

 

[ifsmithy]

Who says ignoring a problem won't make it go away!

Finally took in for a smog - the one remaining readiness monitor that was reporting incomplete had fixed itself - I must have inadvertently done the drive cycle to reset it!

Passed smog! Phew....not that the 1 incomplete would have affected the smog but still!