Issues during state inspection

[SOLar]

About a month ago my alternator was replaced (voltage regulator issue). After the dealership replaced the alternator, I have to let the car warm up to at least 170* before driving otherwise it's like a someone waking up after a hard night of drinking; sluggish and bogging VERY bad. If I try to drive it before warming up I'll get a check engine light. The inspection site said it might be build up around and/or near the throttle body.
The other problem I have is that when the inspection place does the emissions test. The car fails on the recirculation test and on the O2 sensor test, well it doesn't show failed, it shows Not Competed. The inspector stated that the vehicle is only allowed up to 1 fail on the test and it's common that a car fails the recirculation test. We tried putting the car's O2 sensors through their drive cycles multiple time but it won't show up on the diagnostics as completed. He did a scan for trouble codes and found nothing and scanned the O2 sensors. On the front sensor the voltage was sitting at .95-.97 at idle. The inspector said he didn't believe that was normal but wasn't sure due to the car being a turbo and not a NA.

Here's the following mods I have on my car:

Intake
intercooler piping
SOLO street exhaust
HPTuners tune


None of these as far as I can figure out would affect the O2 sensor.


So.....................The car goes to the dealership tomorrow for guess work.


Any tech savvy heroes on here wanna take a stab at what the problem might be?

[Bagpypr]

Check hoses and connections. Sounds like something is loose or plugged.

[Duck]

I was throwing a code indicating "low catalytic converter efficiency" based on the readings between the two O2 sensors. Problem turned out to be a small exhaust leak where the catback attached to the cat. Might check to make sure you have a good seal at all the connections there.

[LatinVenom]

He also post HPTuners tune, which means is a do it yourself tune.
You may have some of your tables values a bit off.

[shabby]

Originally Posted by SOLar On the front sensor the voltage was sitting at .95-.97 at idle.

I'll bet they're expecting readings that a narrowband sensor would give out, we have a wideband in the gxp which is probably throwing off their tests.

[BaldTurboFreak]

Post a HPL log.

[achieftain]

Originally Posted by shabby I'll bet they're expecting readings that a narrowband sensor would give out, we have a wideband in the gxp which is probably throwing off their tests.

But he's having operating issues - could be sensor caused, but basically the car is spewing out more pollutants than allowed, so that needs to be fixed first. If I recall in PA if the cost of repair to meet emissions test is over something like $500 you simply pay the $500 to the state and get to drive for 2 years. Don't quote me as in my corner of the state only the gas cap is actually tested - and it still costs an additional $25!

[AdamVIP]

Ahh the old gas cap pressure test. I like how most places also have a nice supply of new caps for purchase right by the testing machine.

I had an 89 celebrity pass emissions and fail the cap test in CA.

[Small Dealer]

Not sure that they are having "operating issues.....spewing out more pollutants than allowed".

Think they are saying that because more than one readiness test is showing as not completed, the emission test can not be done. For some reason, even after going through drive cycles, the two tests are not flagging as completed. The test could be done if just one flag was showing as not ready. Most common casues are loss of power to the ECM or clearing ECM codes. Both clear the readiness status. With driving, the flags should set. Something is keeping them from doing so. At least that is their inspection issue.

What is readiness? A vehicle’s on-board diagnostics (OBD) computer monitors engine, transmission, fuel system, and emissions control performance. Up to eleven “readiness monitors” or software routines continuously or periodically check these major systems and components under specific operating conditions. If enough monitors have not completed their checks by the time an inspection station connects to a vehicle’s OBD system for an emissions test, the vehicle is “not ready” and will not pass its inspection or re-test. Certain common repairs or maintenance procedures can temporarily interrupt power from a vehicle’s battery to its OBD computer, leaving monitors “not ready” for an emissions test because the power loss has cleared all diagnostic results from the computer’s memory. After power is restored, the computer needs to monitor various driving conditions long enough to run the required number of checks again, determine whether emissions-related systems or components are performing correctly, and store this information to be “ready” for a state emissions test. Until the computer is “ready” for OBD emissions testing, the vehicle will fail its initial inspection or be turned away from a re-test. There may be nothing wrong with the vehicle; the computer simply needs to complete its checks. One week of combined highway and city driving is normally enough to reset the system and provide an accurate reading of vehicle performance.

They do appear to be having an operational issue on cold starts.


My suggestion would be to have the dealership look at the cold running issues and not freak them out with the readiness situation right now. Especially if tied to their replacement of the alternator.