I can't pass smog (catalyst monitor)
 

Hey everybody! I have a 2000 manual that has had all of the catalytic converters changed, brand new set of spark plugs, TPS was changed, and the catalyst monitor still won't set. I've looked all over the internet for the drive cycle, and I can't find it anywhere. I really need to pass smog already because my car is way past it's due date for the registration. Registration is already paid for DMV is just waiting on the smog certificate. It passed smog 2 years ago when I had the front converter changed. This year it didn't, and so I had the rest of the converters changed. Still not setting the catalyst monitor. I also changed the clutch out earlier in the year around February I believe. I read somewhere on the forums that when someone changed out their clutch it did the same thing to them where the catalyst monitor wouldn't set when it came time to smog. I've given up on trying to deduce this issue myself, so here I am asking for help :/ can anyone lend a hand on what I need to do to get it to pass? I know about spark plug fowlers, I'm trying to get this issue straightened out the right way :(

I did unhook the battery way back when, when I changed out the clutch. I live in California where cats do matter unfortunately :(

I mean lucky them. Every time I've ever gone they've always told me there's a problem here or there. My apologies, but I don't know how to tune. I've been wanting to learn, but I haven't been able to find a good software to start out on. Lean is more oxygen right?

What is an AFC, and how do I pull fuel? I know what E85 is, but my car is stock, so I'm not sure if it can take it. I have no idea how they do the test. I just know that they said it wouldn't pass because the catalyst monitor won't set.

I already have bluedriver. That's how I know all these problems, and why my catalyst isn't setting. Every other monitor sets except that one. mode 6 has told me all my voltages are perfectly fine, and they were after I had changed the TPS. At this point, the most helpful thing I need is the complete drive cycle for my car. AFC stands for air filter cleaner doesn't it?

I have the same problem. If/when I disconnect my battery, my CAT monitor does not complete for months and perhaps never. Typically, it does not complete until I take special care by driving as follows:
1. Start the car and let it warm up - until the water temp needle is 1/2 way up.
2. Drive to a near highway/freeway - never shut off the engine, do NOT coast, and do come to a Complete Stop on every light or Stop sign.
3. Accelerate onto the freeway at 1/2 – ¾ throttle
4. Cruise at 55-60 mph for at least 5 miles.
5. Coast down very slowly, in gear, do not shift to N.
My car is an automatic. In my normal driving, I regularly shift to "N" when coasting to intersections; this seems to invalidate the desirable driving sequence. Also, I just "start and drive", no need to warm up the engine where I live.
The FSM and/or the User Manual has a description of the "Nissan Drive Cycle" - I remember seeing it, but I can't find it right now.

I wouldn't disconnect the battery or erase the codes w/ a scanner. If you do that the readiness monitors begin again from scratch. That's going to put you back at square one. I don't think there is a simple set of structured driving patterns for completing the cycles. Just drive the car. Drive the way you normally drive. Freeway/highway, stop and go, slowing with engine compression (no brakes), idling, ac on, ac off, etc. If you want really detailed info go to page EC-70 of the FSM and start reading.

Nissan Drive Cycle
 

I just found the description of the "Drive Cycle" by Nissan: See page EC-82 of the FSM.
The above page # applies to the FSM for my car (2000 Maxima), so for your car, adjust the page number accordingly.

Sorry that doesn't fix nor clear a CEL! Just so you know even if you change and clear the CEL you still need to drive the car for 85 miles til the monitor will be ready!

Right, but I've seen them across multiple manuf not reset or complete unless cleared first. I was just covering the bases (as in you don't complete a repair, but not reset the ECU).

And after that I asked about highway driving, b/c that's a condition of a drive cycle :P That makes sense if he's doing all slow speed stuff.

mine did not pass smog with a bad cat but i've heard that if you add some e85 it'll lean it out and help it pass.
perfect engine leak down is perfect just an old/bad cat.

There's an app obd auto doctor that will tell you when the drive cycle is done i did it for my moms versa took like 30 mins.
didn't know there was a drive cycle for a 2000 though.

If you guys aren't able to get emissions to ready after doing FSM directions then you've probably got a wiring issue. Some SES / CEL codes can turn on the light on every new drive cycle. Continuous monitoring. Some take be 3 drive cycle. I.e. 3 times you crime with emissions monitoring reading all complete. Shouldn't be any incomplete unless your scanner is incapsble of reading it. Either way it still points to wiring since the scanner can't pick up the signal.

I had similar issue. Could never get downstream sensors to read and when it did it was pegged at a value it shouldn't have been. Driving conditions such as high RPM (above 4 Grand) signal ecu to monitor the one o2 meant for it. Can't remember which bank. I'd pull all the o2 sensors n take a look and inspect egi harness aka fuel injector/coil pack, cam sensors harness. I had similar issue and found a bunch of stuff including damaged knock sensor, bank 1 cam sensor harness was showing bare wires, Crank sensor filthy, a bad ignition coil and a corroded ignition condenser relay wrapped in the harness. Good luck

Using your Bluedriver app, and looking at your Readiness Tests, is it telling you that O2 Sensor and O2 Sensor Heater are "Complete"?

The last I reset my ecu and subsequently performed the drive cycle, all of my readiness tests completed very quickly, in about 15 minutes. Very brief surface street driving and about 5 miles on the freeway.

I've always had luck with the following........

assuming you have no pending errors.......Try the following.....
1. start fresh if you have to.....reset ecu, using scanner or disconnecting the battery
2. perform a quick drive to warm up the car and get some of the basic test to complete.... misfiring, etc...
3. go home, or to a parking lot then load up the electrical system...lights, defroster, etc.
3. rev car up to 3k rpm and hold steady for 5 minutes. (park for auto, neutral if manual)
4. after 5 minutes, take the car out and perform your highway driving (hold around 55mph for a few minutes) and perform some coasting down without stopping

evap will run only if you have the right amount of gas and a working fuel sending unit ( the car will need to have at least a 1/4 tank of gas but no more than 3/4 tank) evap only runs when gas gauge is somewhat in the middle of the dash dial...

again, this has worked for me in my state, I usually get cars ready for inspection doing the above, the only time the catalytic converter test doesn't really complete for me is if the car has a hollowed out cat with non foulers. In that scenario, the car never throw a check engine light on but the catalyst monitoring is never complete but I am allowed one incomplete for 2001 model year.

Yes mine is complete. Pm sent. OP didn't mention TPS relearn procedure. Research that and a reset ecu with most scanners isn't enough. Same with battery disconnect because voltage can exist in the circuit for up to 24 hours or longer I mean on if you have aftermarket radio, alarm or lights, etc. My car had LoJack installed and I didn't know it when I bought. that it was tied into through the car audio amplifier. It wasnt an out of range voltage drop nor aftermarket stereob so I never thought to look there but eventually I found that leaching SOB...

So I installed some foulers on both sensor 2s of banks 1 and 2. I've been driving it like this for about a week now, and it still hasn't set with about a good 200 miles at least already on it. Hopefully it passes soon enough. I'll definitely try your method though.

Previous owner mentioned something that raises a question. Are you allowed to have any monitors incomplete in California? I'm in Houston. We have very strict emissions testing but 1 unready is allowed. Also there are no sniffer tests here if that is the testing sensor that gets placed in the tailpipe. Everything is done by computer using OBDII. I just read another post about emissions testing that reminded me of something that happened to me a couple of times, once on a 300zx and once on an Acura. I used Bosch o2 sensors bc they were cheaper. The 300zx was so long ago I've forgotten the details but on the Acura the Bosch sensors just didn't work. The car ran like crap and the cel came on. I bought Denso sensors and the car ran great again. I don't know how old your o2 sensors are or what brand or if that would even cause a readiness fail tho I suspect it would since those are what gives feedback to the ECU for the cat monitors if I'm not mistaken. It shouldn't be taking this long so I'd guess there is a problem somewhere. Also, coasting... in gear... clutch engaged, when coming to a stop (for my truck it was 40mph down to less than 10mph) is important but I think that is for a different part of the system. EGR or throttle maybe. That's just part of normal driving conditions which is what the system is supposed to be using for these self tests. The whole thing is about the system operating in normal everyday driving. You didn't mention any problems from EGR, secondary air or anything else so those are probably not important at this point.

original poster never mention location but I'll have to assume they are in CA.

In California:

• Gasoline Vehicles
  • 1996-1999 Gasoline Vehicles can have 1 monitor not-ready
  • 2000 and newer gas vehicles must have ALL monitors in a ready state with the exception of the EVAP monitor.
• Diesel Vehicles
  • 1996-2006 Diesel Vehicles can have 1 monitor in a not ready state.
  • 2007 and newer Diese vehicles can have 2 OBD2 monitors in a not ready state

I was talking to a buddy who runs a repair shop and does emissions inspections. He told me that either rear (I'm guess that's downstream) o2 sensor can cause an incomplete, even if they aren't bad enough to cause a code. Also according to him the steady 50-55mph part is the most important part of the drive cycle for the catalyst monitor thing.

Which fouler did you use?