Help me pass IL Emissions (O2 Sim?)
 

Hey guys, I took the MS6 in for my emissions test and had a few expected parameters come up "Not ready." After driving through the Mazda readiness procedures, everything came back online except for the CAT and EGR, both of which have been removed.

IL allows up to one "Not Ready" code so all I need is to oust one of the two...

I was just wondering if we can run an O2 sim in the rear O2 sensor? If so, is there a write up or info?

Worst case is I may have to reinstall the EGR pipe, but I'd rather run a sim if possible.

Thanks!

You can get an O2 de-fouler for the 2nd O2, if that's the one you're throwing codes for. I ran one on my 6, catless, and the code popped up once in 15k miles. Cleared it, and it never came back.

you could install a O2 spacer which you could buy from any auto store I believe. As far as the egr, is the actual valve on the car or is it removed?

just hope its not like MO emissions. If a certain monitor fails/isnt ready, on the retest it looks to see those specific ones are a pass.

Oh yeah? Where can I get one? Easy to put on?
Spacer? Do those work? The valve assembly is on the car, we just removed the pipe and blocked off the ports.

Really looking for the easiest fix

Do you have any codes coming up because of the egr?

With just the egr tube blocked off you should enable p0403 if it's not already. And disable p0401 so you don't throw a code for a clogged egr.

And the spacer I have works. It just restrict the flow that goes to the secondary o2 sensor.

No way, will doing that make the EGR show "Ready" and still not throw a code? I know I threw a code instantly when we removed the pipe so we just unchecked the P0401.

That'd be awesome!

I have no egr valve or tube and I passed New York emissions. Took me 4 months to figure everything out since I had 4 monitors not ready lol but I passed

Once you do that follow the directions on how to get your egr monitor ready. I have to look for the documentation but I did it and it cleared right away.

Wow, I'm super pumped to try this out. Yeah, I've got all the driving procedures printed out... Gonna give it a shot tomorrow, thanks a lot man!

Checking and unchecking codes does nothing to set ready monitors. Nor does it have any affect on other potential MILs.

Disable your p0403 and see if you ever get egr ready monitor even with the system intact

Agreed. It's not possible to have a system "Ready" without having the DTC enabled... I've been trying with the cat and EGR for weeks.

The system will lock in as "Not Ready"

Believe me... I wish that wasn't true : /

All you're doing is disabling the light associated with that code. Nothing more.

Just use o2 spacers. Enable the code/mil. Drive the car per the guide and you will pass. Illinois is pretty easy. I got passed with just an o2 spacer and I have the egr codes disabled. Oddly my inspection sheet said n/a next to egr.

No Tok, it ices the parameters in the computer's eyes and locks it into "Not Ready." No more codes thrown or lights.

I've done a lot of digging and it seems to be a fact. It sucks.

I even bought an emissions readiness reader to test different things and it's true. :ouch:

Have you ever tried it out?
When you disable the p0403 code in atr you are not allowing the car to even know it has an egr. Say you unplug your egr valve that would be the code that comes on

Again that's my experience. Maybe I'm wrong

When you unplug the egr you get p0401 and p0403.
All you're doing it disabling the check engine light associated with that code. The code is still there and can still be read, if the conditions that trigger the code are met. You just don't be the light.
Nothing gets locked into not ready, or ready. If you don't have an egr valve , you're gonna have egr codes.
If you do have an egr valve but have disabled the light for the egr codes, your egr will work as normal and set it's monitors as normal.

Obviously there's no point of discussing it anymore. I've tried getting my egr monitor ready with p0403 disabled and it never worked. I plugged my egr valve in the connector, left it hanging in the engine bay, enabled p0403, went for a quick drive and the monitor became ready.

My experience.

So one's saying a blocked EGR CAN be shown as "Ready" with the proper DTCs checked/unchecked and one's saying it has to be unblocked and working properly to be shown as "Ready" regardless of what's checked or unchecked.

I'm gonna try the first route and see if it works... If it doesn't, I may have to reconnect the EGR pipe. Thanks guys!

Where did you get this spacer and did you just thread it on in between the boss and O2?

Any help would be great on this... It could avoid the whole EGR deal completely. :08:

This is a pretty good write up. It gives the part number. Those are sold at most auto part stores. Although this guy is using it on his primary o2 for some reason. You just drill one out, stack the pair. Bolt it into your downpipe, then put the sensor in and done.
O2 Sensor modification using spark plug non-foulers

Nice... And just using it on the secondary O2 won't affect tuning etc?

Some will say your primary o2 will drift over time. I would just say remove the spacers after you pass emissions and you will be fine.

Once you pass, disconnect your secondary and delete all the lights. There should be 6 codes to check.
Otherwise your afr's will start to drift rich in an attempt to heat up a cat that isn't there.
Also, I'm not saying there isn't a way to make the ecu think the egr is ready when it isn't, but it isn't gonna happen just by checking one code and not the other. That's all I'm getting at.

heres the type of o2 extender that I used. I think this one will fit.

Oxygen Sensor Dry Cell Test Pipe Extension Spacer Testpipe 18mm M18 x 1 5 02 | eBay

Odd, I've lived in IL for 14 years and have never had to have a vehicle inspection of any kind. Must be a city or county requirement?

I think you get it if the car is older than 4 years.

How often will my vehicle need to be tested?
A. Vehicles begin testing when the vehicle is four years old. For example, a 2003 car should be tested in 2007, 2009, 2011, etc. In certain cases, a vehicle may need to be inspected if it was not in compliance when acquired by a new owner, or when the vehicle is newly registered in a test area.

It's most counties. Here's full info.


Cook All
Dupage All
Lake All
Kane All except 60109, 60119, 60135, 60140, 60142, 60144, 60147, 60151, 60152, 60178, 60182, 60511, 60520, 60545 and 60554.
Kendall All except 60447, 60512, 60536, 60537, 60541, those parts of 60543 that are not within the census defined urbanized area, 60545 and 60560.
McHenry All except 60001, 60033, 60034, 60071, 60072, 60097, 60098, 60142, 60152, and 60180.
Will All except 60401, 60407, 60408, 60410, 60416, 60418, 60421, 60442, 60447, 60468, 60481, 60935, and 69050.
Madison All except 62001, 62012, 62021, 62026, 62046, 62058, 62061, 62067, 62074, 62088, 62097, 62249, 62275 and 62281.
Monroe All except 62244, 62248, 62256, 62261, 62276, 62278, 62279, 62295, and 62298.
St. Clair All except 62224, 62243, 62248, 62254, 62255, 62257, 62258, 62260, 62264, 62265, 62269, 62278, 62282, 62285, 62289 and 62298.

Info pulled from http://www.epa.state.il.us/air/vim/faq/testing.html#8

Good call!

I gotcha man... Gonna give it a shot before trying the extender. I can have one "Not Ready" and still pass per IL guidelines.

Awesome! And you used one on both o2s or just the secondary?

C(r)ook County man.

Thanks again for all the tips and insight guys! :fingersx:

It's by county. Most of the state is exempt.

Just the secondary o2. Don't mess with the primary since that controls your afrs

My txs down pipe had a built in extender.
Last year I had, "primary cat slow to temp"
After storing all winter (and summer) I plugged the battery in and drove around for a week to set all the ready monitors to get me emissions test done before the new motor goes in, and the code code never came back. So the extender is hit or miss.
The secondary sensor DOES look for an increase in egt of about 200 degrees from the primary...

I tried plugging in the EGR valve connector, disabling the p0401, enabling the p0403, and doing the EGR drive procedure, but no luck : / It still shows up as not ready.

Anything I'm doing wrong or other tips for it before I try going the o2 extender route?

Thanks!

warm up the car and then drive it around in 6th gear between 49 and 57 mph for few minutes.

worked for me right away.
since you just reflashed a new map to the car it might take longer. every time a new map is uploaded all the monitors reset.

page 2 on this drive mode emissions tell you what to do

No.

Since you know so much on this topic and codes do not affect readiness monitors in any way, why is his egr monitor not going into a ready state?

Weird. I did that page two procedure, but want to run through the EVAP and last two just to make sure before I write it off.

Like you said though, I thought it'd pop into Ready mode right after the EGR step, like the others do after you do the drive procedures.

Because he doesn't have one!

Because the egr system is not flowing. The map sensor is used to detect egr flow in these motors. He disabled the codes, but the system is still looking to see if the egr is working. On my ms3 however when I disabled both codes my emissions test came back n/a for egr system readiness.

Hmm... I DID enable the one EGR dtc and no codes were thrown. However, it still didn't go into ready state either : /

You'll get the cel after a few drive cycles.

If the egr is disconnected the car throws p0403 and p0401
P0403 is because the valve is disconnected.
P0401 is because the valve is not flowing.

Connecting the egr and enabling p0403 will let the system get ready since the valve is there
However because 0401 is still disabled, you won't get a cel that it is not flowing.

I fucken passed emissions this way.... Wtf

Alpha drive around a little more and see if it gets ready and clear this up for us.

Of course you won't get a cel for the p0401 that is checked, but it will show up on a scan.

They plug in their tool. If all the monitors but one are ready and no cel... You pass. Drive off and take out all the random parts hanging out in your engine bay. The end

I got the "CAT" to turn to ready today, but popped a P0421 cel too : / Back to trying the extender I guess

Ok will do, thanks

He's gonna have a not ready for the egr, and a not ready for the cat.

Gonna try the secondary extender to slip by with just the EGR not ready. Do you know what codes need to be enabled/disabled to get the CAT into ready state?

I threw the P0421 today : /

I'll tell you guys till I'm blue in the face. You're not going to set any ready monitors by checking codes. All you're doing is eliminating the cel for those codes.

Update: These cars will NOT go into ready mode unless the associated DTC is checked and active. I put the extender on the secondary cat with the P0421 unchecked and nothing for days... I then checked it and the CAT became READY within 5 minutes of driving. :bigok: Thanks again guys and hopefully this helps some people!

I had my code for primary cat slow to temp unchecked before the car went away for winter, and the codes were there when scanned with the AP.
My txs dp had a built in extender.
When I put the battery back in in the fall to get my e-test, nothing with the map changed.
I drove around for a week to set the drive cycles and kept scanning for the cat codes, but they never returned.
Got my e-test and passed.

That extender works man... You guys weren't kidding!