'02 Sienna: Setting Cat. Readiness Monitor?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Apr 29, 2017
Messages
138
Location
Orange County CA
Okay, I read the drive cycle instructions on how to reset the OBD catalytic converter readiness monitor for my 2002 Toyota Sienna. Something about patting your head and rubbing your belly while hopping on one foot and saying the alphabet backwards. Well, not exactly but close enough.

I live in Orange County, California, basically a metropolitan area. Part of the instructions say hop on the highway and drive at 50 mph for 5 minutes then COAST down to 20 mph without using your break.
Then in another part of the process you repeat that driving at 50 for 2 or 3 minutes and then you repeat the coasting thing.

We don't have any surface roads out here where I'm going to be able to drive for 5 minutes straight at 50 miles an hour. So that leaves the freeway.

Now on a weekend I can get away with doing that If I drive in the far right lane and put a sign on my back window saying CAR UNDER REPAIR so people don't get too [censored] off that I'm going so dang slow and they know just to go around. I've done that kind of thing before and it has worked out okay.

But there's no way that I'm going to be able to do that coasting down business. My cars is a pretty good coaster. If I'm going 50 miles an hour and I take my foot off the gas it might take me over a mile to get down to 20. So no way am I going to be able to pull THAT off on the freeway?

So my question is, outside of that official version on how to reset that monitor, do you guys know of any other method that works?
 
If it is not ready for a while, that means a DTC will show up eventually.

Otherwise, it does not take that long for the CAT to be in ready.

When DTC comes out, then you have to read it and see how to fix it.
Check Siennachat forum.
 
Last edited:
The drive cycle in the service manual is the same for all the readiness monitor, other than a few minor differences. The EVAP ones are the hardest to set, I can clear the EVAP canister vent code on my Impala and I never know when it will reset. I drive the same route, more or less, every day and keep about the same amount of fuel in it at all times. Ambient temps have been relatively steady over the last month and a half or so, yet I can go anywhere from 2 days to 2 WEEKS without an EVAP failure setting a CEL.

I would just drive the van like normal over the course of a few days. Remember, a drive "cycle" means starting an engine from COLD (ambient) and driving it continuously until operating temperature is reached. Try to do a couple of those a day, take a grocery run in the morning and then a quick jaunt around the neighborhood in the evening. Assuming everything is functioning, the monitor should set fairly quickly.
 
When the cat went out on my 02 camry, the light came on at highway speeds, about 5 minutes after a warm start. No coasting involved.

Do you have a new cat? OE or aftermarket?

I had to change to an aftermarket cat on my prius and it took a few days of normal driving, up to 55. I wasn't trying to pass immediately but just checked in on it daily.
 
Originally Posted by mehullica
I think you're using the incorrect drive cycle. It's a pretty easy monitor to set. Check out this link.

https://justsmogs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/READINESS_MONITOR_DRIVE_PATTERNS_T-EG02-003.pdf


Thanks for that link. Yeah, that is different than some of the other stuff I found. So I'll work that one out as well.

Not too worried about the EVAP monitor not setting. That's the only one they allow you not to have set in California still pass. Unless they changed the law in the last 2 years and I haven't heard about it. I think my evap canister is toast anyway.

The reason this is even an issue is that I just lost the ignition coil on my number 5 cylinder. So obviously dealing with that resulted in clearing all the good as well as bad codes.

I had already lost a couple of coils in the front over the last couple of years and replaced them with aftermarket ones. Tat is a very easy DIY job, but each time it took months for my catalytic converter to reset.

But this time I wasn't going to fool around with aftermarket on the rear cylinders, so I had my guy put in Denso coil packs in the and of course Denso long life plugs all around as well as a new Toyota OEM PCV valve. ( last plugs where Denso equivalent NKH long life iridiums. I feel kind of cheated because I only got 65,000 miles out of them from 2012.
laugh.gif
)

I feel really stupid I didn't have that PCV valve done when I first got the car back in 2012, because I think that was the original PCV valve as it and the grommet were pretty much petrified in place and the whole thing nearly crumbled apart and breaking off at the neck when trying to get it out. Fortunately, no little pieces crumbled inside.

Afterward my car runs with more smooth, effortless power and some previous lite clacking noises while accelerating are now gone. And I'm sure when I check. a month from now my oil loss/consumption will be down too as part of the related problems you get with a clogged PCV valve.

Okay, Well, that was a lot of useless information that nobody cares about. But I don't think it took up that much room on the internet. Basically, just a cautionary for others to replace their PCV valve.

And If you like to do that, and it's easy to get to, I think cleaning it every other oil change or every third oil change or whatever you like to keep it unclogged is a good thing... but not to the point of never replacing it. Because, even if it rattles, at some point the spring is going to lose its designed tension as well as both the valve and the grommet suffering the effects of their environment.

Anyway, thanks to everybody again for their advice and insight on the monitor reset.
 
It's possible your cat is marginal, and the computer takes forever because it's on the cusp of making up its mind.

Try getting an 18mm spark plug anti fouler, put that around the rear o2 sensor, let the monitor clear itself, then go back and take it out to see if it sticks.
 
Originally Posted by eljefino
It's possible your cat is marginal, and the computer takes forever because it's on the cusp of making up its mind.

Try getting an 18mm spark plug anti fouler, put that around the rear o2 sensor, let the monitor clear itself, then go back and take it out to see if it sticks.


Well, two years ago, I had a bank. 2 (? ) problem and my guy replace the pre cat there and the appropriate O2 sensor down the line and that took care of a P420 code I had, But again the long time for the cat to set. So I wouldn't doubt by now if the system is not a little iffy.

Is what do you suggest the kind of thing that would allow it to pass smog if the cat sets
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top