Attn: Any NY'ers

2001 F-150, 5.4, 4x4, will not pass NYS inspection due to catalyst and evap. system not being ready. I was told to drive it. I have driven it over 1500 miles (city and highway) and catalyst and evap are STILL not ready! I have noticed that the truck is not coming up to full temperature (thermostat?) and I was wondering if anyone knew if this would cause the catalyst and evap systems not to be ready?
Anyhelp would be much appreciated!
Thanks!

 

Have you recently cleared the PCM or had the battery disconnected? Not ready means the system has not completed a drive cycle [50 to 150 miles at the most]since it has been cleared. With the 1500 miles it sounds like you have a PCM problem. The PCM may need a reflash.

 

I thought one full drive cycle meant reaching full operating temp on the coolant?? If you have determined that you are not reaching full operating temp, then the computer is not going to record a cycle??

Resetting the computer will only drag out the process even longer, because after each reset, you start from zero.

Washington State only looks at the computer codes to determine if it passes or not... If I were to reset my computer the day I take my test, I'd fail because the computer will show the code for not enough drive cycles... Once it completes it's number of cycles, then the code goes away...

They also pressure test our gas caps! So far, I've passed every time and that's with a 10 year old truck!

Mitch

 

isnt that crazy your trucks already 10yrs old mines 4

 

Are there any other codes? The EVAP Leak Check Monitor will not initiate until the Heated Oxygen Sensor (HO2S) Monitor has completed. If the IAT temp is not between 40°F and 100°F the EVAP monitor will not complete.

JMC

 

A drive cycle is NOT reaching a certain temperature. A drive cycle requires a certain number of times of reaching certain speeds/rpms etc. It's a list of different mini requirements basically. So you need to go drive around town at different speeds and rates of accel. from what I have been told for best results.

 

i dont have any technical advice for you oldnnew,

but i do live in new york (buffalo, right in your area kinda of i think) and also had problems with the NYS inspection two years ago. They told me i had to complete all the drive cycle stupid tests that are sooo difficult to actually do, in order for my computer to reset or something and pass the inspection. Well after driving like 500 miles in three days, i took it back to the firestone that i had been dealing with, and it didnt pass again with their little hand held computer scanner. Then, for some reason they hooked it up to a bigger computer docking station in the garage and presto! the truck passed. i dont know what the difference was, but it worked. And then it worked again last year when they hooked it up to the big computer, not the hand held scanner again. Maybe its the scanner they are using? i dont know if it will help, but i'm just sharing what happened to me.

good luck,
John

 

Is putting the scanner on a vehicle a normal part of the inspection process for all vehicles in NY

or are they using the scanner only because the 'check engine' light is on?

 

The EVAP monitor is a pain in the *** to complete. I forget the exact specifics off the top of my head, but it's something like the fuel level must be between 15 % and 85%, the vehicle must be on a cold soak, you have to drive at a steady speed between 45-60 mph for 15 miles while minimizing fuel slosh (no hard turns, bumps, hard acceleration or braking, etc.).

 

I assume your temperature gauge read higher before the weather turned so cold? If you can't come up to full operating temperature, you will never pass. You may have a thermostat stuck open, or your fan clutch may be getting stiff with age.

 

A drive cycle is a series of driving conditions that should if executed correctly allow all the monitors to complete their testing. Having said it is futile to attempt to complete a drive cycle if the Intake Air Temperature is not between 40 and 100°. The EVAP monitor will not initiate. If it does initiate it will only test for the 1st 30 minutes of the drive cycle. If the Heated Oxygen Sensor monitor has not successfully completed its test the EVAP monitor will not start.
The Catalysts monitor uses input from the CHT, MAF, TP, VSS and IAT sensors.
What I suspect is that it is not warm enough for these monitors to complete their tests. Can you park in a heated garage and then run the engine to warm it up to operating temp then go for a cruise. If you need it I can post the different speeds and conditions required to complete the drive cycle.

JMC

 

I moved from Upstate NY 3 years ago and i think it is 95 and newer had to be hooked up and i don't think there is any way around it unless you know someone that will slap one on.

oldnew sorry,if you were closer to where i used to live i could prob hook ya up

 

Thanks Kevin, now that has me wondering if Virginia inspections are the same across the board.
06 So Comfort is in northern VA and aware of this test.

None of the places I've gone to around here for annual inspection even have a scanner, big or small.
It certainly isn't part of the inspection......yet.

 

Your truck should pass the test 10 mins after hooking up the battery! Drive cycles?? get real!
You have something broke and you need a "real" scanner to find the info you need to fix it. If your truck is running cool then its running rich (too much fuel) this will fail the emission test. Ask if the station has the old "tube in the tail pipe test" to give you independant reading.

 

things must have changed...back in the day $100 got you a "pass"....