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Old 03-22-2010, 02:32 PM   #1
dan240
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Default Resetting ECU before California Smog Test

Hello All,

I have a smog test coming up. I put my stock downpipe back on and removed my Cobb AP (revert to stock).

I have read that the ECU will need time to completely reset its self and be in a "ready" state. If I take it to be smogged before then I will fail when they plug into the OBDII port.

Is this true? How long does it take to reset? Can I speed up this process?

Thanks,
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Old 03-22-2010, 03:01 PM   #2
the suicidal eggroll
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Yes it's true
It takes a while to reset, at least 50+ miles or a few days of driving
I don't believe there's anything you can do to speed up the process
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Old 03-22-2010, 03:03 PM   #3
fred.r
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From what the tech at my local dealer told me, you need to be between 1/4 empty and 1/4 full on fuel and drive it 60 miles for the ECU to set all the tables. FWIW.
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Old 03-22-2010, 07:16 PM   #4
rkramer
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ODBII spec calls for a certain number of conditions to be set. (fuel level isn't one of them) Basically a couple full warm up/cool down cycles and some miles on the clock.
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Old 03-22-2010, 07:22 PM   #5
Jubert69
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Quote:
Originally Posted by dan240 View Post
Hello All,

I have a smog test coming up. I put my stock downpipe back on and removed my Cobb AP (revert to stock).

I have read that the ECU will need time to completely reset its self and be in a "ready" state. If I take it to be smogged before then I will fail when they plug into the OBDII port.

Is this true? How long does it take to reset? Can I speed up this process?

Thanks,
If you find a person with a tactrix cable, you can have someone flash a map that forces all readiness codes.*

*Please check your state for legality issues
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Old 03-22-2010, 07:45 PM   #6
timskyline86
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I'm probably wrong, but I thought the AP copies and saves those stock values over before you switch maps.

OP how soon is your smog test? Cuz it sounds like your gonna need to put some miles under your belt.

Or you could lie and say you had maintenance done recently and it involved removing the battery. Maybe they will believe it....
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Old 03-22-2010, 07:48 PM   #7
ThaFlyinSoundman@aim
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i have smogged a couple cars in the last year.. 97 honda prelude, 03 crown vic police intercepter and helped a friend smog a 300zx. The smog tech had me drive around town and back which was roughly 10-15 miles. He had me give it some heavy acceleration and slow cruising, and that reset the codes. Subarus may be different when it comes to mileage, but i would say 20 would be a good number to try if you were crunched for time.
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Old 03-22-2010, 07:58 PM   #8
vusalterego
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Old 03-22-2010, 08:07 PM   #9
OUScooby
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I think a single 3rd or 4th gear pull should get a ready check from everything.
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Old 03-22-2010, 08:21 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fred.r View Post
From what the tech at my local dealer told me, you need to be between 1/4 empty and 1/4 full on fuel and drive it 60 miles for the ECU to set all the tables. FWIW.
It has nothing to do with fuel level, but 50-60 miles of city driving seems to always work for me.
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Old 03-22-2010, 08:22 PM   #11
MannyMohawk#5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OUScooby View Post
I think a single 3rd or 4th gear pull should get a ready check from everything.
It won't.
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Old 10-04-2012, 01:41 AM   #12
UnknownAlly
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50 miles of city driving didnt work for me. Im now at 160 miles to be safe. Going to smog it tomorrow.
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Old 10-04-2012, 02:37 PM   #13
NOT_2_SLOW
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rkramer View Post
ODBII spec calls for a certain number of conditions to be set. (fuel level isn't one of them) Basically a couple full warm up/cool down cycles and some miles on the clock.
While fuel levels don't directly affect emissions they can affect emission components such as the "charcoal evap canister" Fuel tank must be between 3/4-1/2 tank IIRC before this systems properly registers.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MannyMohawk#5 View Post
It has nothing to do with fuel level, but 50-60 miles of city driving seems to always work for me.
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Old 10-04-2012, 02:48 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UnknownAlly View Post
50 miles of city driving didnt work for me. Im now at 160 miles to be safe. Going to smog it tomorrow.
You need to take it on the highway for literally 2-3 minutes cursing above 40mph. It's another test that gets run. This has to be after 7 minutes of the car being on.. any time before that, it won't even start the test.

This tests for emissions. If you have a leak in the gas tank.. even a small one that won't pressurize the system, it throws a code. If you pass, another one of those damn 'ready' things gets checked off he ECU for emissions testing. It's one of about 7-8.
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Old 10-04-2012, 02:59 PM   #15
radd269
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you can also take it to a tuner; most tuners will reset the monitors for you for free
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Old 10-12-2012, 05:38 PM   #16
UnknownAlly
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I passed the smog test with the bpv not bolted on all the way. The bolts came loose after hard driving.
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Old 10-12-2012, 05:55 PM   #17
yankeesfan
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ThaFlyinSoundman@aim View Post
i have smogged a couple cars in the last year.. 97 honda prelude, 03 crown vic police intercepter and helped a friend smog a 300zx. The smog tech had me drive around town and back which was roughly 10-15 miles. He had me give it some heavy acceleration and slow cruising, and that reset the codes. Subarus may be different when it comes to mileage, but i would say 20 would be a good number to try if you were crunched for time.
so we are guessing now?
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Old 10-13-2012, 02:27 AM   #18
TwinscrollGT35R
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Reset the ecu and drive the car for a few days.
There is no single trick out there to speed up the ECU learning and get the monitors up quickly.
I flashed my truck back to stock and forgot about it and the smog tech asked when it failed why the monitors were not ready.. You need all but two up to pass. My quick thinking brought up that my 3000 watt sound system blew a fuse and killed the battery. He said oh no problem. Go drive it for a few days and said it could be from 50 to 200 miles.

I drove 70 miles and still not ready.. I ended up driving another 150 miles and they came up and I passed. But its all about key cycles, run time and ecu learning working together to get them to come up.

And as far as forcing them with a tune. The new smog computers in Ca scan for OEM map version numbers. They have been watching the tuning world for a few years now and have caught on.
Soon they will be failing people with reflashed ecus and requiring new ECU's that match the oem codes meaning they have not been flashed.

Just flash the car, Take a run to the mountains and by the time you get home it should be good to go the next day. Just make sure you stop a few times to shut the car off and turn it back on with at least 10-15 min between shut off and start up.
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Old 10-13-2012, 10:08 AM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cmiovino View Post
You need to take it on the highway for literally 2-3 minutes cursing above 40mph.
I didn't realize cursing was a requirement. Do I have to wait until 40mph to curse? Sometimes it slips out before I get to 30mph, depending who's in front of me on the merge ramp.
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