NYS Inspection '96 and up vehicles... BEWARE!!!

Check this out;

Go to have my '98 classic inspected (only five months overdue:dunno: ), passes safety perfect, but then... Find out that NY does not not dyno cars from '96 and up. Yep, no probe in the tailpipe.

What they do do is connect to the obdII port (and Albany) and see what the computer tells the tech.

My baby said to 'em:

Catalyst: Not Ready
Evaporative System: Not Ready
Oxygen Sensor: Not Ready

What does these all mean, you ask?

I'm going to scan the printout and the NYSDMV pamphlet tonite, but basically it does not necessarily mean anything is wrong with these systems.

It does mean that this "NOT-READY" condition may be caused by a scan tool clearing recent repairs, or the battery being disconnected or replaced. The sensors/systems are just not talking to the computer properly, or not at all.

There's a lot more stuff in the pamphlet, but it describes a generic drive cycle that should clear the computer, slowing down, speeding up, things like that. The guy at the shop said 99% of the problems can be cleared up by this. The pamphlet does say check your owners manual, because that drive cycle may be different than the generic one.

Now I'm wondering if the K&N cone filter has anything to do with it. I still have the old air box, blah, blah, blah... Also, if I need to buy a scan tool. This shop has always done me right, but this time they also said a cat because it's making noise, but I checked it and it's the heat shield flapping a bit, not the innards.

I'll post the documents by morning, and Rich P, I still cannot find that cable

sv

As far as I can recall, emission readiness cycles complete on two consecutive start/drive cycles that also include some freeway driving to provide adequite catalyst temperature reach. If you've driven some short trips that consist of short shopping trips, that would definately not be enough to set all monitors to "ready" status. However, that in my openion should be enough. If in doubt, have a compitent technician drive your vehicle for a day or two with a scanner plugged "in" in order to complete all the tests. If that doesn't progress to anything at all, there might be some software updates for your PCM that are most likely available at qualified Dealer.

I thought it took five start-run-stop cycles to reset the computer, but not sure.

What I do remember, though, is that my 2000 was due for emissions testing when I came back from an extended vacation. It hadn't been driven at all for several months. The inspection station is all of three miles from home. I drove there, parked it and shut it off. It sat for maybe 15 minutes while they completed the car ahead of me. They started mine up, drove it into the test bay, plugged in the scanner and said I passed.

I took mine in for Illlinois AirTeam "inspection" last fall with the same filter and a glorified tune up (Bosch Platinums, K&N drop in, MPP 7.5mm plugs, and new cap and rotor) and it passed what appears to be a nearly identical test without a hitch.

Be glad they don't dyno it. Here in CO, anything 82 or newer gets a dyno test (I loved seeing the "tech" search high and low for a computer to hook up to on my 82 FSJ - no computer), and let me tell you, the testing company doesn't hire geniuses (or even HS grads) to run the test. I've seen my vehicles flat out abused by the "techs" while running the vehicle.

That said, I'd second the recommendations to run it a couple times at highway speed for a little while. Then, when you take it in for the test, make sure it's been at op temp for more than a couple minutes. Make the computer happy by letting it get to temp and work for awhile and get some readings to store.

ya welcome to the new NYS emmisions inspections.

a bunch of bureaucrats came up with this, not technicians.

Being a NYS resident I know exactly what you mean.
I had to take in my girlfriends Explorer last December.
The Service Engine Soon light had been on. It needs a catylitic converter.
Its been tripping the light for 18 months now.
So I got out my own scan tool, cleared the codes, reset the light and took it in for inspection.
They took it in, found no codes and passed it. Lickity Split.
Gotta love owning your own scan tool.
Their fancy NYS emissions computer never even detected that it had just had its Service Engine Soon light just turned off 15 miutes before.

bustednutz said:

Their fancy NYS emissions computer never even detected that it had just had its Service Engine Soon light just turned off 15 miutes before.

Click to expand...

lucky.... obdII has a good memory.

Re: NYS Inspection '96 and up vehicles - Resolution....

My friend owns a guitar store in Huntington. A guy down the road is his mechanic. Honest, good people (hubby & wife, trustable).

These days much of the wife's day is driving around western Suffolk and Eastern Nassau Counties trying to reset the computers on '96 - '01 (maybe newer?!?) vehicles. Trying for three days to reset a pathfinder.

Dropped my '98 off, check engine lite on cause I accidentally dislodged a vacuum fitting while dialectric greasing connectors.

Reconnected fitting, disconnected battery, fifteen minutes later reconnected, check engine lite off.

Instructed to drive around about an hour, cycling the computer, on and off ignition, speed up and down, blah....etc... No good, same three "monitors" "NOT READY."

Realized I almost never put tranny in D because rpms' bog down (31's need 4.10's to bring all back to normal). Again drove around for 1.5 hours, approx. 39 miles, in D bogging down, all "monitors" now reporting, passed inspection.

Advice? No expert, but don't disconnect battery or try to erase comp. by disconnecting three connectors before inspection. Drive normally for at least a week, visit NYSDMV on line (they may have the brochure, or visit inspection station to get brochure w/generic drive cycle). I'll scan it if need be.

The station has the right and WILL charge $27 every time they have to connect to big brother (albany) and your OBDII port for each emmisions inspection segment.

Funny, on the paperwork I was given by the inspections station, it appears this nightmare appears to be a joint venture between NYSDMV and NYSDEC. Not funny at all...

good luck, fellow ny'ers...

sv

Sounds like a nightmare. I wish they'd figure out that whole recycling mess they started.

i do these new nys inspections pretty frequently at the body shop i'm and i get symptoms like that often, catalyst not ready, egr not ready, o2 sensor not ready blah blah blah, usually we tell the customer to go drive it for 20-30 minutes or 20 miles and come back and it usually passes the second time around. a way around it is if you have another car around like yours you can do the safetly check on your car but when it comes time to plug it in use a different car you know does'nt have the check engine light on.

eric

Wait untill you get a Ticket from the DMV for being 5 months out on inspection.

And now you cannot get an illegal inspection sticker as well.

fun wow yay.