New Caprice - Discussion forums

Fellas....
Forgive me if I'm in the wrong section.

Bought my Caprice recently and finally went to get it inspected. Not even thinking about it, I didn't bother removing the AFM disabler prior to. I failed the inspection because the oxygen sensors and EVAP system were in a not ready state. I can only attest this to the AFM disabler plugged in. Can anyone confirm this? If yes, will simply unplugging it before the next start bring them back into ready state, or does it need to be driven a certain number of miles before going ready?

I used various words attempting to search for this, assuming it must have been covered at some point. Has it?

Hi Caprisun,
I had my 2012 inspected last month without any issues. Removed my Range DOD disabler when i parked at the inspection station. Their emissions computer did not find any problems when they pulled it into the bay to perform the inspection. That would have been the 2nd start cycle. The first would have been when they started it to drive it in. I also think I had the disabler when it was inspected last year, but cant remember for certain. Based on my experience, i don't think the disabler is the issue.

Has the battery been disconnected recently or the codes cleared? The evap system self test is not one that gets completed quickly. I believe the O2 heater test requires a cold start and the O2 test requires some highway driving at a steady speed. I would think the Range would not affect the self test.

GM's like to start from ice cold, run for about 1 minute and then shut down and sit for 8 minutes. That sets the O2 heater monitor. Then, it's a combo of accelerating mildly to 55, coasting back down to almost stopped, accelerating back up, but with more throttle and coasting back down again. It helps to have a cheapo scanner and check progress as you go. Otherwise, you gotta have someone else scan to be sure. The smog shop should check it before sending in any results or Autozone will scan for free. Good luck. Oh, and you can google GM drive cycle and get a few different opinions on how to do it. If you have to clear a CEL or disconnect the battery, you start over.

Oh, and you don't need the evap to set, just all the others. The evap takes many cycles to set, sometimes weeks. Smog checks don't require it.

I'd like to believe the guy unplugged the range AFM disabler while the car was running. Thinking that's what caused to unready state. Can't think of anything else.

May have to take off the range off for a few days so the car can normalize and then bring it back for the inspection.

In Texas, they DO measure the Evap sensor, and yes, they take stupid amounts of time to reset into Ready state. In Texas, you can have one sensor in not-ready state, but not two. If you clear O2 codes, it will reset the O2 sensors AND the Evap, hence your two not-ready state sensors for a failed inspection.

I work from home, so don't get out much, but I spent two days driving the car after reseting the O2 sensors (had a tiny exhaust leak upstream of the sensors), and two days of driving didn't reset things! I was told by one of the inspection guys that the evap sensor will reset faster if the fuel tank is full. Ours was reaching 1/4 to empty.

Hopefully your issue is just having the AFM disabler installed.

Evap is stupid long to set and needs certain parameters to work. Tank has to be between 1/4 and 3/4. Range actually has a page with info on the procedure to get it done:

https://www.rangetechnology.com/blog/po ... procedure/

Mooseman wrote: ↑Wed Dec 29, 2021 11:45 am Evap is stupid long to set and needs certain parameters to work. Tank has to be between 1/4 and 3/4. Range actually has a page with info on the procedure to get it done:

https://www.rangetechnology.com/blog/po ... procedure/

"The start-up engine coolant temperature (ECT) is between 4-30°C (39-86°F).
The start-up intake air temperature (IAT) is between 4-30°C (39-86°F). "

Wow, no wonder it took so long to get our car to 'ready' state. Was working on this during the summer in Houston. 86-deg F in Houston in the summertime would be considered cool. Add to that that the car is parked in a garage, the IAT would likely be >86 almost all day.

It's not any better when trying to do it in winter's below freezing temps.