Smog Check failed for Catalyst 'Not Ready'
- Thread starter MysticGold04
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We have SMOG check equivalent in Southern-Ontario for vehicles 7 years and older. I'm glad my vehicles have so many miles by then they are retired. It's such a cash grab.
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Originally Posted By: wag123
As it stands right now where I live we are only allowed one "Not Ready", and it can ONLY be an EVAP "Not Ready". They don't give anybody a break here, they use a completely computerized system and it either passes or fails you, NO grey area.
I believe you are mistaken, Obviously you live in a emissions testing Texas County....Where did you get this information?
These are the criteria for 1996 & up vehicles for those counties.....
Effective October 15, 2008:
For vehicles year model 2001 and newer, we allow one (1) non-continuous monitor to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but two (2) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
For vehicles year model 1996 – 2000, we allow two (2) non-continuous monitors to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but three (3) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
Continuous Monitors......
*Comprehensive Component Monitor
*Misfire Detection Monitor
*Fuel System Monitor
Non-continuous Monitors.....
*Oxygen (O2) Sensor Monitor
*Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor
*Catalytic Converter Monitor
*EGR System Monitor
*EVAP System Monitor
*Secondary AIR System Monitor
As it stands right now where I live we are only allowed one "Not Ready", and it can ONLY be an EVAP "Not Ready". They don't give anybody a break here, they use a completely computerized system and it either passes or fails you, NO grey area.
I believe you are mistaken, Obviously you live in a emissions testing Texas County....Where did you get this information?
These are the criteria for 1996 & up vehicles for those counties.....
Effective October 15, 2008:
For vehicles year model 2001 and newer, we allow one (1) non-continuous monitor to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but two (2) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
For vehicles year model 1996 – 2000, we allow two (2) non-continuous monitors to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but three (3) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
Continuous Monitors......
*Comprehensive Component Monitor
*Misfire Detection Monitor
*Fuel System Monitor
Non-continuous Monitors.....
*Oxygen (O2) Sensor Monitor
*Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor
*Catalytic Converter Monitor
*EGR System Monitor
*EVAP System Monitor
*Secondary AIR System Monitor
^ Cumberland Co, ME is the same, to the letter. In the late 1990s we entered a consent agreement with the EPA requiring us to cure our high number of "bad air days". EPA seems to have spelled this out, which we cut and pasted into local law as have other jurisdictions.
It's my understanding that to unroll this, we'd have to pay millions of dollars of state money to re-survey the air and prove it's no big deal if we drop it. Everybody's entrenched with this "regulatory capture" and so we own it.
Jealous of Massachusetts and its 15 year-old exemption.
It's my understanding that to unroll this, we'd have to pay millions of dollars of state money to re-survey the air and prove it's no big deal if we drop it. Everybody's entrenched with this "regulatory capture" and so we own it.
Jealous of Massachusetts and its 15 year-old exemption.
Have a competent shop/technician test for Catalyst Oxygen Storage.......
Basically you hook up a 2 channel graphing meter/scope to the upstream & down stream O2 sensor signal wires & record the data.
*Warm up the converter really well.
*Raise RPM to around 1400-1800 RPM.
*Introduce a alternative fuel source such as LPG through the intake.
*Drive the mixture fat & let the STFT stabilize at a fairly high negative number (at least -14%).
*Shut off the alternative fuel source.
*The upstream O2 voltage will drop like a rock from the Lean condition you forced by abruptly taking away the alternative fuel source.
*With a NEW OE Catalyst.....The Downstream O2 voltage will not drop for another 6-13 seconds.
*A "good" high mileage Catalyst.....It will take 4-8 seconds.
*A Catalyst teetering on the edge.....1-3 seconds.
*Bad Catalyst....Little to No delay, Zero oxygen storage capacity.
*****If you have a "Wide Band Upstream O2"...It changes this test a lot as there is no threshold switching on the signal wire.....You have to be ON POINT with shutting the alternative fuel source off & the time stamp on the meter/scope*****
I sometimes have to weld-in a second upstream bung & install a "Narrow Band" test O2 sensor to validate this test.
A Catalyst "teetering" on the edge of efficiency failure WILL cause the PCM to abort Catalyst Efficiency tests faster & more often than ANY of the drive cycle criteria given in this thread!
Where a NEW OE catalyst would have easily "readied" in the first 20-30 miles regardless of drive cycle criteria.
Basically you hook up a 2 channel graphing meter/scope to the upstream & down stream O2 sensor signal wires & record the data.
*Warm up the converter really well.
*Raise RPM to around 1400-1800 RPM.
*Introduce a alternative fuel source such as LPG through the intake.
*Drive the mixture fat & let the STFT stabilize at a fairly high negative number (at least -14%).
*Shut off the alternative fuel source.
*The upstream O2 voltage will drop like a rock from the Lean condition you forced by abruptly taking away the alternative fuel source.
*With a NEW OE Catalyst.....The Downstream O2 voltage will not drop for another 6-13 seconds.
*A "good" high mileage Catalyst.....It will take 4-8 seconds.
*A Catalyst teetering on the edge.....1-3 seconds.
*Bad Catalyst....Little to No delay, Zero oxygen storage capacity.
*****If you have a "Wide Band Upstream O2"...It changes this test a lot as there is no threshold switching on the signal wire.....You have to be ON POINT with shutting the alternative fuel source off & the time stamp on the meter/scope*****
I sometimes have to weld-in a second upstream bung & install a "Narrow Band" test O2 sensor to validate this test.
A Catalyst "teetering" on the edge of efficiency failure WILL cause the PCM to abort Catalyst Efficiency tests faster & more often than ANY of the drive cycle criteria given in this thread!
Where a NEW OE catalyst would have easily "readied" in the first 20-30 miles regardless of drive cycle criteria.
Originally Posted By: clinebarger
Originally Posted By: wag123
As it stands right now where I live we are only allowed one "Not Ready", and it can ONLY be an EVAP "Not Ready". They don't give anybody a break here, they use a completely computerized system and it either passes or fails you, NO grey area.
I believe you are mistaken, Obviously you live in a emissions testing Texas County....Where did you get this information?
These are the criteria for 1996 & up vehicles for those counties.....
Effective October 15, 2008:
For vehicles year model 2001 and newer, we allow one (1) non-continuous monitor to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but two (2) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
For vehicles year model 1996 – 2000, we allow two (2) non-continuous monitors to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but three (3) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
Continuous Monitors......
*Comprehensive Component Monitor
*Misfire Detection Monitor
*Fuel System Monitor
Non-continuous Monitors.....
*Oxygen (O2) Sensor Monitor
*Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor
*Catalytic Converter Monitor
*EGR System Monitor
*EVAP System Monitor
*Secondary AIR System Monitor
All I can tell you is that I was flunked for a single CAT not ready. When I complained and pointed-out to them what it says on the Internet (and you pointed-out above), I was told that there are more strict emission test requirements (that went into effect about 4 or 5 years ago) in three counties... Travis, Williamson, and El Paso. The OP must also live in an area where they have adopted stricter emission test requirements. I wonder if this isn't being done in response to the wide-spread use of O2 sensor cheaters, they sell like hot cakes in all of the auto parts stores around here. I'm guessing that the CAT will never become "Ready" when one of these devices are being used? If so, the new requirement would put a stop to this practice. They are even threatening to make us ALL do a dynamometer/tailpipe test here (in addition to the OBDII test) if we get too many more polution non-compliance days a year.
Originally Posted By: wag123
As it stands right now where I live we are only allowed one "Not Ready", and it can ONLY be an EVAP "Not Ready". They don't give anybody a break here, they use a completely computerized system and it either passes or fails you, NO grey area.
I believe you are mistaken, Obviously you live in a emissions testing Texas County....Where did you get this information?
These are the criteria for 1996 & up vehicles for those counties.....
Effective October 15, 2008:
For vehicles year model 2001 and newer, we allow one (1) non-continuous monitor to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but two (2) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
For vehicles year model 1996 – 2000, we allow two (2) non-continuous monitors to be Not Ready and still pass the test, but three (3) or more Not Ready's will cause the vehicle to fail.
Continuous Monitors......
*Comprehensive Component Monitor
*Misfire Detection Monitor
*Fuel System Monitor
Non-continuous Monitors.....
*Oxygen (O2) Sensor Monitor
*Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor
*Catalytic Converter Monitor
*EGR System Monitor
*EVAP System Monitor
*Secondary AIR System Monitor
All I can tell you is that I was flunked for a single CAT not ready. When I complained and pointed-out to them what it says on the Internet (and you pointed-out above), I was told that there are more strict emission test requirements (that went into effect about 4 or 5 years ago) in three counties... Travis, Williamson, and El Paso. The OP must also live in an area where they have adopted stricter emission test requirements. I wonder if this isn't being done in response to the wide-spread use of O2 sensor cheaters, they sell like hot cakes in all of the auto parts stores around here. I'm guessing that the CAT will never become "Ready" when one of these devices are being used? If so, the new requirement would put a stop to this practice. They are even threatening to make us ALL do a dynamometer/tailpipe test here (in addition to the OBDII test) if we get too many more polution non-compliance days a year.
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I can definitively confirm that the ONLY incomplete (Not Ready) monitor allowed for a vehicle to pass an emission inspection in CA is for the evaporative system. I found it in writing here...
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_OBD_Reference_Full_Version.pdf (see page 7)
Also, the EPA allows any state to implement any CARB emission standards/testing policy if they choose to.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_emission_standards
Currently, 16 other states have either adopted, or are in the process of adopting, California's strict emissions standards.
I'm guessing that in Texas, the 3 counties previously mentioned must have implemented one or more of the CARB emission standards/testing policies to help stave-off federal pollution non-compliance penalties. I have not been able to find any information on this in writing even though I personally flunked an emission test in Travis county because of a CAT not ready.
https://www.bar.ca.gov/pdf/Smog_Check_OBD_Reference_Full_Version.pdf (see page 7)
Also, the EPA allows any state to implement any CARB emission standards/testing policy if they choose to.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_emission_standards
Currently, 16 other states have either adopted, or are in the process of adopting, California's strict emissions standards.
I'm guessing that in Texas, the 3 counties previously mentioned must have implemented one or more of the CARB emission standards/testing policies to help stave-off federal pollution non-compliance penalties. I have not been able to find any information on this in writing even though I personally flunked an emission test in Travis county because of a CAT not ready.
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Interesting thread, as a resident of the Austin area. Thank you.
I've moved from Travis to Williamson and plan on staying in Williamson, but, per your information it doesn't appear that will make a difference.
If I fail in the future, I'll refer back to this thread for info.
I've moved from Travis to Williamson and plan on staying in Williamson, but, per your information it doesn't appear that will make a difference.
If I fail in the future, I'll refer back to this thread for info.
I think I have a problem with my alternator...
I ran a test this morning. I disconnected the battery and checked all of the connections at the alt itself and then reconnected the battery. I started the car and watched the voltage via scangauge, it was 14.2...then I turned on the ac, headlights and rear defroster... the car almost stalled, and voltage went down to 11.6, then back up to 12.8... then stabilized about 13.4 once I turned the headlights off... I think the alt is my problem for now...
I ran a test this morning. I disconnected the battery and checked all of the connections at the alt itself and then reconnected the battery. I started the car and watched the voltage via scangauge, it was 14.2...then I turned on the ac, headlights and rear defroster... the car almost stalled, and voltage went down to 11.6, then back up to 12.8... then stabilized about 13.4 once I turned the headlights off... I think the alt is my problem for now...
What do you all recommend?
rebuild or replace?? reman or new?? I want to keep driving it, but don't want to break the bank either...
rebuild or replace?? reman or new?? I want to keep driving it, but don't want to break the bank either...
Originally Posted By: MysticGold04
What do you all recommend?
rebuild or replace?? reman or new?? I want to keep driving it, but don't want to break the bank either...
If you have the 100A alternator it's the same as the camry - so plenty out there for $25-50, and more than enough to cherry pick from.
What do you all recommend?
rebuild or replace?? reman or new?? I want to keep driving it, but don't want to break the bank either...
If you have the 100A alternator it's the same as the camry - so plenty out there for $25-50, and more than enough to cherry pick from.
Get your battery and alternator tested together. I'd put the battery on an overnight charge to make sure it's at its full strength. Agree on the used alt option if it comes to it.
I had a battery with a bad cell that had similar symptoms to yours.
I had a battery with a bad cell that had similar symptoms to yours.
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