3rd Gen Checklist for passing CA SMOG TEST??

[Jeffkin]

Yeah, I know what you mean. I had to waste gas to get the CRC and Seafoam all out of the system. I would just drive around at lunch time.

You can also try the high octane and alcohol if you're in a rush.

I just went to a Smog place that would let me test a 2nd time for free if I needed it. I PASSED without doing ANYTHING! Almost 192,000 and everything is original. I just drove real fast with the A/C on for the 30 minutes down the freeway to the Smog place, you want the engine HOT! There was no waiting when I got there, maybe that saved me.

I read a few places online that said you want LOW octane not high, you want less for the engine to burn not more. They recommend putting 85 in there if you can find it, just for the test..

 

[Jeffkin]

There was just another thread about this and someone posted a video of a guy running lacquer thinner(I think??) in the gas saying that it cleans out the cat by burning off all the coatings which exposes new catalyst. Looked but I couldn't find it.

I've always just used the CRC stuff, don't know about just throwing anything in the gas tank like that?! LOL Let me know if you know anyone that might want to buy my Runner! I'm in N. San Diego county..

 

[calnhob]

I just went to a Smog place that would let me test a 2nd time for free if I needed it. I PASSED without doing ANYTHING! Almost 192,000 and everything is original. I just drove real fast with the A/C on for the 30 minutes down the freeway to the Smog place, you want the engine HOT! There was no waiting when I got there, maybe that saved me.

I read a few places online that said you want LOW octane not high, you want less for the engine to burn not more. They recommend putting 85 in there if you can find it, just for the test..

Nice! Damn Cali and our smog test but it's a good feeling to get it over with. I feel like all the car smog comes from the dirty semis that are all over the fwy from other states.

What did your Nox show? Low octane huh? first I've heard of it.

 

[Jeffkin]

Nice! Damn Cali and our smog test but it's a good feeling to get it over with. I feel like all the car smog comes from the dirty semis that are all over the fwy from other states.

What did your Nox show? Low octane huh? first I've heard of it.

At 15 MPH Allowed NO is 512, I blew 361.
At 25 MPH Allowed NO is 765, I blew 2.!?

This guy says low octane, but other places I've read says High Octane! LOL

Tips and Advice on How to Pass a Smog Test | AxleAddict

Use low octane fuel. The lower the octane the better. We already discussed above that buying premium fuel can cause you to utterly fail your smog test. Go the other way. If you can find 85 octane fuel, use it. Don't use it permanently—just use it to pass the smog test. What happens is that lower octane fuels burn up faster while still in the combustion chamber, giving your engine the maximum amount of time to incinerate those pesky emissions, before sending them on their way.

 

[Wedgy]

Found the "Clean Your Cat" video

YouTube

 

[BrianSD_42]

I think the electrical is a becoming a more common issue for people. It used to be just don't have a code. Now they require that all the computer modules report in when tested with no individual issues (even with no code showing). If you go to a mechanic shop that knows these trucks they can test for this before the smog, like a pre-check.

 

[Twisted Sid]

For $20 or less, you can have a bluetooth odb2 reader and the torque pro app and know if your truck is ready to go or if there are any stored codes.
You can also have real time readouts of just about everything that's going on as you drive.

 

[BrianSD_42]

Do you know how to use the OBD2 reader to check the individual modules for errors? I think there are 8 of them. The errors that can now cause a failure on the CA test are not necessarily going to throw a code and sometimes won't show a code at all. This is what happened to me when I got smogged about 8 months ago. I had to reset the computer to clear old a few errors in one of the individual modules (not the main CPU box in your dash), those errors were not throwing an OBD2 code. That's all I know about it, based on conversations with the mechanic.
.

 

[Riceye]

Do you know how to use the OBD2 reader to check the individual modules for errors? I think there are 8 of them. The errors that can now cause a failure on the CA test are not necessarily going to throw a code and sometimes won't show a code at all. This is what happened to me when I got smogged about 8 months ago. I had to reset the computer to clear old a few errors in one of the individual modules (not the main CPU box in your dash), those errors were not throwing an OBD2 code. That's all I know about it, based on conversations with the mechanic.
.

I believe you are referring to "readiness monitors". My Dash Command app with my cheapo wifi adapter does, indeed, list the results of these monitors. I had a code pop up a month ago for my downstream o2 sensor. In the past I have simply erased the code and the MIL stayed off for a long time. I had never replaced either sensor since purchasing my truck 40,000 miles ago. I replaced both, just because they do affect gas mileage as old sensors get "slow" to react. I went for a long ride after replacement, and within three or four start/stop cycles all of my readiness monitors were complete. And my gas mileage has improved by an estimated 10%. I purchased both Denso sensors and a dozen copper-clad nuts for <$120 on Amazon.

I took my truck through WI DMV testing protocol last week. Granted, WI emission testing is not nearly so rigorous as CA emissions testing, the results are the same in this case. WI testing simply checks stored OBDII info, the exhaust is not actually sniffed. My truck passed with flying colors. No codes or readiness errors.

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