2G Not passing smog because of monitors

toojung2die · May 13, 2004

1997 Eclipse Spyder GST a/t

OBD-II indicates I have three monitors stuck in a not ready condition. Nevada smog will allow up to 2 monitors not ready. Not ready are Catalyst, EGR system, Oxygen sensor heater.

There are no problem codes logged and no CEL. The car passes this part of the test. My friend runs the smog test station and he ran some diagnostics for me. Both O2 sensors are feeding back and the pre-cat sensor is in closed loop during idle. He reset the ECU and I drove almost a full tank of gas before bringing it back. The systems are still reading not ready and there is no CEL. The CEL turns on for about 5-10 seconds during start-up and goes out normally.

I replaced both O2 sensors and ran another half tank of gas, multiple trips. The sensors are still not ready with no errors logged and no CEL.

Mods: 3" catback exhaust, Injen style intake w/filter, "knock" LED on boost solenoid. All hoses, sensors and solenoids connected. Basically stock. Car runs great. What can I do before I have to take my baby to visit Satan.

dgdsm · Jan 24, 2019

Is your diagnostic port OBD-I or OBD-II? If you have a 1995 ECU, then it's probably looking for an OBD-I and not OBD-II emissions system. Also was the car originally manufactured as a CA vehicle, or a Federal emissions car later brought into CA? I think something must have been modified or converted in the electrical system/ circuits to hook up a pre-OBDII ECU to whatever emissions components are there. If you have a scanner showing "incomplete" then the info should also be there as to which monitors are not "ready".

In my 1999 CA emissions vehicle, the EGR SYS and EVAP SYS monitors are the hardest to get to ready and can take weeks or months of driving, depending on how close the normal driving is to the monitor drive cycles. As I understand it, the ECU looks for certain conditions, and then runs the tests on the given emissions component to check if it is working correctly (within parameters). The monitors won't just go to "ready" without the ECU going through the drive cycle tests. The tests are based on sensor readings and the ECU doesn't know what actual equipment is there.

Hope this helps.

chrysler kid · Jan 25, 2019

KMJDSM said:
Thread revival!!!!!!

First, let me say like so many others have that this is an awesome thread with wonderful information!!!!!! Because all of the contributors to this thread, I understand much more about my car and the emission system, ECU, etc.!!!!!! Thank you all very much!!!

I do have a question that has not been answered on this thread or in other threads I could search and it stems from my experience with my 97 GSX that I recently purchased. I do not need to pass smog for registration or title change at this point (thank goodness) but the question is more for my own knowledge going forward.

Background: When I bought my car it had no cat and I believe the EGR has been deleted (I see what appears to be the EGR block off plate on the top of the intake manifold. The car is a 1997 with (what I now know thanks to these forums) a 95 EPROM ECU because I have full DSMLink V3. Even though the car had no cat or EGR (I think) all of the OBD2 readiness indicators were showing “complete” when I purchased the car. My mechanic installed a cat (but no O2 sensor after the cat if that matters) and the car passed the sniffer test and the overall smog test (because OBD2 indicators were showing ready). Smog tech never even looked under the hood. I was able to then complete the title change, registration process, etc. required here in California.

I later had the car dyno tuned by Road Race Engineering and since then the OBD2 readiness indicators are showing “incomplete.” I assume this is because RRE disconnected the battery for one reason or another.

My Question is more about what the OBD2 readiness "complete" status represents. Is this readiness the ECU testing and confirming the cat, EGR, O2 sensors, etc. are actually installed and working properly or is it the ECU to confirming its’ own ability to search for these things, thus achieving “complete” status of "readiness" but then possibly throwing DTCs for any item not found or not operational? I know DTCs can be controlled via Link but not the actual readiness.

In short, how could the “OBD 2 readiness” have been previously “complete” if there was no CAT or EGR? I know the previous owner used a PC with DSMLink and not the old Palm software. Will a long/complete enough drive cycle restore the "complete" status of these monitors even though equipment may not be installed? Or, is the working emissions component required to be installed to achieve a "complete" status of a certain readiness monitor?

I hope my logic makes sense. Thanks to anyone who provides feedback!

You can trigger rediness complete with dsmlink. If you go all the way back to page 3 a few owners were having to get their cars inspection completed at Mitsubishi by a Mitsubishi technician who would trigger the drive cycle complete using an obd2 tech tool

Your cars readiness monitors were incomplete if they made you get on the obd1 driveline sniffer test (youre in California so they may do that to newer cars too I dont know)

All dsm's 95-97 will show drive cycle incomplete in state obd2 test rediness. There were service bulletins about driving the car for around an hour or two and maybe being able to trigger all commands ready, but it was never consistent

Why did your car say ready before? Not sure, get out your laptop and hook up to your dsmlink ecu

dgdsm · Jan 25, 2019

chrysler kid said:
Your cars readiness monitors were incomplete if they made you get on the obd1 driveline sniffer test (youre in California so they may do that to newer cars too I dont know)

In CA all pre-2000 cars have to go through the tailpipe emissions test. A 2G though can have one I/M monitor not ready. My Spyder passed in December on the tailpipe emissions test and one I/M monitor (EGR SYS) at "not ready". A 2000 and newer car can pass only on OBD2, but has to have all monitors at "ready".

KMJDSM · Jan 25, 2019

dgdsm said:
Is your diagnostic port OBD-I or OBD-II? If you have a 1995 ECU, then it's probably looking for an OBD-I and not OBD-II emissions system.

...As I understand it, the ECU looks for certain conditions, and then runs the tests on the given emissions component to check if it is working correctly (within parameters). The monitors won't just go to "ready" without the ECU going through the drive cycle tests. The tests are based on sensor readings and the ECU doesn't know what actual equipment is there.

I believe my car to have a 95 ECU. When I removed it it is in a metal casing rather than a plastic one and it has the DSMLink chip installed.

Okay so you believe that the various emission components need to be in the car to get OBD2 completeness? That is a problem since the EGR has been removed. I imagine when the 95 ECU was installed that is when the smog equipment was removed since it was not OBD1 compatible.

I think the ECU is OBD1 because there are only four monitor as opposed to more.

KMJDSM · Jan 25, 2019

chrysler kid said:
You can trigger readiness complete with dsmlink. If you go all the way back to page 3 a few owners were having to get their cars inspection completed at Mitsubishi by a Mitsubishi technician who would trigger the drive cycle complete using an obd2 tech tool

It is my understanding that I cannot change the readiness monitors to "complete" via DSMLInk myself??? I did read that only the dealer can do this after charging a fee, then the car must stay on, etc. I am not looking to pay that high fee every time and I am hoping there is a way to get them to show "complete" myself (since they were "complete" when I bought the car without a Cat and EGR).

KMJDSM · Jan 25, 2019

dgdsm said:
In CA all pre-2000 cars have to go through the tailpipe emissions test. A 2G though can have one I/M monitor not ready. My Spyder passed in December on the tailpipe emissions test and one I/M monitor (EGR SYS) at "not ready". A 2000 and newer car can pass only on OBD2, but has to have all monitors at "ready".

Correct, the smog tech checked the readiness and did the tail pipe test. At the time I passed both. Now, because of the Dyno tune and battery disconnect, I am showing incomplete statuses on the EGR and Catalyst monitors so in about a year when I need a new smog I don't think I would pass. Though it does seem that EPA and CA BAR might "exempt" the 1997-1999 from the OBD2 readiness monitors portion of the test due to the fact the OEM ECUs had a problem with the readiness being established. I'd rather not have to go that route though.

My concern is will I need to track down and reinstall all of the missing smog components (specifically EGR as I now have a Cat) to get "complete" readiness. Although I have a Cat installed the ECU is still showing incomplete for the Catalyst readiness. Is this because there is no O2 sensor after the cat so the ECU doesn't realize I have a cat installed?

Or will the ECU get "ready" without components installed and then throw DTCs because of the missing equipment? I could deal with DTCs because once "complete" readiness I could use Link to clear the codes and keep them from popping up again.

dgdsm · Jan 26, 2019

KMJDSM said:
My concern is will I need to track down and reinstall all of the missing smog components (specifically EGR as I now have a Cat) to get "complete" readiness. Although I have a Cat installed the ECU is still showing incomplete for the Catalyst readiness. Is this because there is no O2 sensor after the cat so the ECU doesn't realize I have a cat installed?

Or will the ECU get "ready" without components installed and then throw DTCs because of the missing equipment? I could deal with DTCs because once "complete" readiness I could use Link to clear the codes and keep them from popping up again.

I had a look at the DSM profile for the GSX yesterday and it says "AEM Wideband". So your O2 sensor setup is already totally different from the stock ECU and O2 sensors. Whatever I said in an earlier post is for the stock setup and I wouldn't know how to begin to guess on your O2 sensors ECU setup when you passed, or what you have now. It seems to me though that if you look into the installation procedure for your AEM wideband sensor and what it says about changes to the EPROM ECU settings, you might find some answers there.

Do you have a rear O2 sensor port in your exhaust system? It would be in the pipe immediately after the cat . Whoever deleted the cat might have also taken out this exhaust component or plugged the port. Maybe all you need to get your CAT readiness monitor to "ready" is a rear O2 sensor.

It seems to me, you have enough time (either 1 yr or 2) to figure this out and find a solution.

KMJDSM · Jan 27, 2019

dgdsm said:
Do you have a rear O2 sensor port in your exhaust system? It would be in the pipe immediately after the cat . Whoever deleted the cat might have also taken out this exhaust component or plugged the port. Maybe all you need to get your CAT readiness monitor to "ready" is a rear O2 sensor."

So there is an O2 sensor screwed in to a bung in the down pie but it is before the cat. I am thinking the same as you that I am in need of another sensor post Cat so that the ECU can measure airflow before and after.

chrysler kid · Feb 4, 2019

You're in california, you are screwed.

Put back on all of your emission stuff otherwise you won't pass

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