Cannot figure this out - Emissions....

[cardiac]

We have a 1999 Escort ZX/2 with the 2.0l/automatic. Runs beautifully, has 119k on it, and has NO check engine lights. Here in NW Indiana, we have to pass an emissions test to get our plates. It did not fail, but it did not pass, as it says it has "Incomplete readiness monitors - EVAP, Catalyst". Federal EPA regulations say you can have 2 incomplete readiness monitors and pass, but Indiana changed theirs to zero last year.

I don't know where to begin. No CEL, no codes pending with my cheap reader, it has a strong battery, and the cigarette lighter has power (I read that's where the ECM memory gets it's power?) The exhaust is solid.

Here is a picture of the readout from the state emissions station:

Can anyone offer any insight in to this before I have to take it in? I have worked on my vehicles for almost 40 years, including 3 drag cars built from the ground up, but this computer controlled crap has got me over a barrel...

Thanks!

 

[Ferzerp]

You either wiped the stored data recently or pulled the battery. It doesn't have enough driving cycles since then to have performed its checks.

 

[cardiac]

You either wiped the stored data recently or pulled the battery. It doesn't have enough driving cycles since then to have performed its checks.

I guess I should have mentioned that the readout above is the second one. I went through the test 10 days prior, and that's what the guy told me. We did not disconnect the battery or wipe any data. And it has been driven 400 miles since the first test, including about 50-60 straight 55mph highway miles.

 

[local]

My guess is you drive very short trips and it is not enough to trigger the drive cycle for those tests. Here is a Ford Drive Cycle http://www.obdii.com/drivecycleford.html as you can see some tests require some work to trigger manually. Most people will get these through normal driving but if you only drive short slow trips it may not be enough to perform certain tests.

I have had trouble getting these two to complete on my car after reverting my tune for inspection, they are a bit of a pain. Eventually I may or may not have just programmed my ECU to say everything passed just fine...

 

[NutBucket]

You can also get a code reader. That should be able to read the readiness monitors so you don't need to keep spending time at inspection just to be told they're not set.

 

[cardiac]

You can also get a code reader. That should be able to read the readiness monitors so you don't need to keep spending time at inspection just to be told they're not set.

Local, we did a long ride of 55-60 miles at 55-60mph between tests, too. It didn't help.

Nutbucket, what is a reasonably priced reader that will give you the monitor readiness? I have one of the ELM bluetooth ones from Amazon that I use with Torque on my phone, but it only does the fault codes....

Thanks for the input!

 

[NutBucket]

Huh, I swore Torque showed readiness monitors. Maybe you need to pro version?

 

[Ferzerp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPMwr2730JA

 

[razel]

Local's awesome link gave you all the info you need. You must complete the EVAP and CATALYST Drive Cycle Procedure.

 

[tortillasoup]

You also need to drive with a full fuel tank and also drive with a partially filled fuel tank above 1/4 filled.

 

[cardiac]

You also need to drive with a full fuel tank and also drive with a partially filled fuel tank above 1/4 filled.

We have ensured the fuel was about what you have above....

My ELM reader is a piece of crap, I guess, because I cannot get drive-cycle data to come up in Torque.

Thanks for the video, Ferzerp!

 

[NutBucket]

More likely that torque may not know how to read it.

 

[bruceb]

Could be a bad O2 senor and it is just not setting a code yet. Also be sure the car is totally warmed up before you go for an emissions check. This way the converter is operating at it's best and all the readiness monitors should be fine. And check the Gas Cap, as a leaky cap will cause an Evap Failure which would show up as a Not Ready when the tech checks it.

 

[tweakmonkey]

A $50 standalone obd2 reader should give red/yellow/green lights for obd2 status of you can't get those apps to work. You get green lights and all is ready. Red = check engine light. Yellow = something isn't ready and it'll tell you which.

If something takes forever to get ready it probably has a problem. Drive cycles will get most things ready eventually (Unless your ecu or other modifications were done to wiring) but sometimes I see cars with 1000 + miles and all types of drive cycles not get ready, replace a cat or a vent hose over fuel tank (for example) and it smogs fine. My mr2 had 10k miles without a check engine light but never had the tank vent get ready. Turns out it had a big leak over the fuel tank. Cats fail all the time so I wouldn't be surprised if yours is on its way out.

Most cars will get ready if all is OK. My drive cycle is 80 miles highway/city. Park it overnight so it cools down. Repeat. If it doesn't get ready then it's usually something wrong IMO. The 1/4 tank gas point mentioned above is important too.

Here's the reader I have. See green/yellow/red. Always reads every car without issues or false ready status.

 

[sontakke]

If I am not mistaken, even Walmart carries that reader locally for under $100.

 

[bruceb]

That looks like a fairly nice reader for the shadetree mechanics. And it can do ABS codes. I will look into the cost and availability of that Innova 3100 for myself. I usually would spring for Pro level tools, like from Actron, but they are much more expensive. But most of those can also let you activate things like EVAP Solendoid or ABS Module if you need to.

 

[cardiac]

Thanks for the additional info. My couple year old ELM bluetooth adapter is indeed on it's way out. It drops the link about every 60 seconds... I'm going to pick up something like the Innova 3100.

Bruceb, the smog test actually does a physical test of the gas cap, and it does pass. We have been keeping the fuel level around 3/4.

I'm starting to think that there may be an issue with the catalytic converter, as it appears that it is still the original. We had put a few hundred miles between tests and it still wasn't ready.

The saga continues....

 

[shabby]

We had put a few hundred miles between tests and it still wasn't ready.

The saga continues....

It doesn't matter how many miles you put on, you have to hit each specific criteria in the readyness test to trigger it.

 

[cardiac]

It doesn't matter how many miles you put on, you have to hit each specific criteria in the readyness test to trigger it.

But in day to day driving, we have hit them. We live way out in a rural area, and drive varying speeds just to get to the city. I drove it to work which is 23 miles each way at 55-60 mph, and then did the other varying speeds listed in the Ford drive sequence... I'm getting vary tired of this crap. And there are only 2 counties in Indiana that have to do this, since we are right next to all of our steel mills....

 

[tortillasoup]

But in day to day driving, we have hit them. We live way out in a rural area, and drive varying speeds just to get to the city. I drove it to work which is 23 miles each way at 55-60 mph, and then did the other varying speeds listed in the Ford drive sequence... I'm getting vary tired of this crap. And there are only 2 counties in Indiana that have to do this, since we are right next to all of our steel mills....

you might want to contact a dealership or look up in the service manual how to do the specific triggers for the drive cycle tests. I remember a friend's Mistubishi Montero Sport having a similar issue with conducting the drive cycle tests. I managed to obtain specific driving instructions on how to conduct the drive cycle tests so that the car could make up its mind on whether or not it passed or failed the tests. Most cars aren't this difficult but there are a handful that are.

 

[bruceb]

Have a look here:

http://www.aa1car.com/library/obd_monitor_not_ready.htm

I would also suggest you change out the O2 sensors if they have not been done. The heated sensor, if they fail will cause the not ready and may not set a code. These type of sensors typically have 3 wires

 

[cardiac]

I did follow the Ford recommend drive cycle that local had linked to above, and it didn't reset. I have a friend who has a Snap-on scanner where he works (I think he said a Verdus model?) and he is going to scan it this evening (It's a diesel truck shop) and see if it can offer any additional info.

Bruceb, he had also said something about trying the O2 sensors also.....

 

[sontakke]

Hook up the code reader which can show the I/M status (aka the one pictured in this topic) when the key is on but the engine is off. If you see more incomplete than the two you are battling with, then it would imply that ECU is not getting the constant power when the ignition is off and every time you turn off the car, all I/M are getting reset. The continuous monitor complete almost instantaneously once the car starts but the one which need multiple drive cycles will never complete.

Start chasing that angle.

 

[cardiac]

Went to my buddies place and hooked it up to his Snap-on scanner and it showed no fault codes, which is no surprise. What it did show is that the downstream O2 sensor sat at 800 microvolts, and didn't vary much, where the upstream sensor went between 50-900 microvolts as the car ran.

So, that is showing a rich condition, but is it a bad sensor, but still within the specs of the sensor, and doesn't trigger a CEL, or is it showing rich because the cat is bad? It appears that the converter and the O2 sensors are original. As cheap as they are, I think I'll change the sensor #2 and see what happens. The cat isn't cheap, and it looks like a real bear to change....

 

[sontakke]

The rear sensor is NOT supposed to switch often but it should switch slowly like once after few seconds or so.

Did you do the test I had requested you to do?