California Smog Test Warning

I have just failed 3 times on my less than 2 yr old truck. 2 monitors have not reset. This is because I responded to a computer update for the control monitor for the airbags. What I found out was that on any update ALL monitors return to 0 and have to reset themselves , which takes driving time. Since the first failure i have followed Rams guidelines, first driving over 100 miles. Didn't work. Today drove 110 miles with segments at or over 20 miles as 60-65 MPH. Failed again. 2 monitors not reset. It goes to Ram tomorrow for them to check out . They say it is nothing that they can correct. ???.
My suggestion. If you get a recall notice, In CA, Have your smog test done first. Otherwise be prepared to drive a LOT. i have driven over 250 miles since the first test.
Will update as i know something.

 

Living in California with Obama's EPA henchmen at work has never sounded very appealing. Good luck with the "Mini-Feds" as I call them.

 

There is a knack in setting monitors. I spent almost a year fixing and setting monitors in various model passenger cars when the inspection went from IM240 dyno to OBDII. If you're lucky, you can find out the parameters for your monitors, and it will happen.
Some like Gasoline vehicle EVAP never set. There should be a tolerance for one not being set.

 

I would not know what to do if i lived in California and had to deal with all that. In Texas they only look to see if we have insurance. Even then you might pass if you promise to get it within the next six years. Or just say you do not want it. Or give the guy a taco. Either way i have never seen a failure here. Shoot. A car may pass even if it is pulled in on a trailer and is upside down with or without a motor.

 

LOL! Taco bribe!

 

I actually did bribe the emissions folks here in Phoenix on my old CJ7. I had failed twice and they asked me how much was it worth to pass. $50 later and I was on my way with a 2 year pass. I put EFI on it before the next inspection. Especially seeing as that very station got busted for taking bribes not a month later.
Diesels here in AZ don't get the OBDII check. We get to floor it for opacity. I built a block for my throttle pedal for emissions to limit me to 2600 RPM as no load on a Diesel engine at red line is just asking for a floated valve. Stop on the side of the road, pit it on, get thru emissions and take it off just outside the parking lot.
I'm not nodded, but I'm not going to risk my engine for that dumb crap.

 

I thought he was from Hawaii? OR some place further West?

 

Hawaii.....commifornia....what's the difference?

 

SMOG inspection in Ca is no problem if you know a guy. Luckily, I know a guy.

 

I have to say, in the last 4-5 years I have not had to inspect my truck.
Registered over 5500 lbs, no inspection. (self inspection)
I asked for documentation, as I knew a local LEO wasnt going to buy it after nearly getting a ticket for no front license plate.
Ok, now I have 2 good things to say about NJ.
This and the food.

 

Sounds very VWish....

 

At least it's not a Commiefornia "visual" inspection where any smoke can be a subjective fail. The old 6.5 truck of mine is known to bust a flex plate during emissions snap testing resulting in people running away from the sudden knocking clatter. It's also known to blow out (soot coat) the sensors to where they can't get it to zero and officially fail it resulting is a directors cert for their equipment problems. Other nearby vehicles on the dyno are known to fail when they are doing diesel snap testing. :-laf Full fuel till max RPM and then measure the smoke at MAX RPM. The smoke getting up to max RPM isn't counted, but, causes problems. The turbo can't help on no-load snap testing and really is a restriction for intake and exhaust. Yes, an abusive worst case test these old engines weren't designed for as the valve cover sticker only lists NOx emissions limits. Officially they can run at max governed engine RPM all day loaded or not. Obtain Classic Car insurance and the emission test goes away in AZ. Not easy to do for a old beat up work truck.

 

Dick go to your dealer and ask them to print out a copy of tsb25-004-15 for you.It is not specifically for your year but it will show you the required drive cycles to speed up your process.

 

The test is stopped if it shows monitors have not run.I don't think your guy has a work around for that since the truck is plugged into the state for that portion

 

I believe drive cycles requires a cool down between each cycle, so you could go 1000 miles and not reset it. Last I looked I think it was 4 cold-hot-cold cycles to reset monitors.

 

Much more complex than that.........

 

Silly modern rigs....

 

IIRC the tsb is something like 11 pages long.A very frustrating situation for owners.

 

California, like most states, have their own environmental agencies and regulations (called State Implementation Plans), they just happened to be the most stringent and have been for a long time. CARB existed and was heavy handed long before Obama. The sitting president does not directly affect those regulations.

 

Very true. I still hate the sob and everything he backed.