2001 Boxster S OBD2 readiness
 

Just bought an 01 Boxster S - tiptronic
( I know, I wanted a 6 speed but got too good of a deal to pass up )

Need to smog the car and monitors for CAT, EVAP, and secondary air injection wont turn on or activate


Anyone have a solution or a dealer tool/durametric tool that can do short tests to enable my monitors?

I have driven the car about 120 miles and no progress...

I don't think there is any magic wand in the Durametric to make the car emissions monitor ready in preparation for a smog check. According to the stuff I have the functions you mention are checked once per key cycle.

1b. Monitors Run Once Per Key Cycle
I. Evaporative Emissions System Monitor
a. EVAP Purge Valve
b. Tank Leak
1. Pressure Sensor
2. LDP
3. DM-TL
II. Air injection System Monitor
III. Catalyst Aging Monitor
IV. Oxygen Sensor Monitor
V. Oxygen Sensor Heater Monitor

The information I'm quoting from doesn't say the exact driving conditions that must be met before each of the subsystems are checked but I think they generally require a moderate drive up to operating temperature and at least about 10 minutes long. So several normal drives of maybe 30 minutes ought to exercise the systems and make the car ready for a smog check. That's assuming there isn't something actually wrong with the emission equipment. Since you don't report a CEL the systems would appear to be passing their checks. That is assuming the CEL is functional on your car.

I have run the following drive cycle on my Boxster and 993s with great success. The key is to lug the engine. And longer times is better than shorter. I have the hardest time with the second 3:15 second run for 3:15 minutes. I have started doing it on the freeway shoulder. If the CHP stop me I'll claim mechanical issue. True! Do the cycle twice. If all codes are not set, let the car cool and try it again. It has taken me up to three times to get all of them set. But usually twice will do it. Good luck.

Start engine, let idle for approx. 2 min, 10 secs.

Accelerate to 20-30 MPH, Maintain steady speed for approx 3 min, 15 secs.

Accelerate to 40-60 MPH, Maintain steady speed for approx 15 mins.

Decelerate and come to a stop. Then:

Idle in Neutral for 5 mins. (manual trans.)

Idle in Drive for 5 mins. (Tiptronic trans.)

During the drive cycle, do not exceed 3,000 rpm or 60 mph.

You cannot "reset" the I/M Readiness monitors, the DME has to do that after sufficient drive cycles (varies with the individual monitors). This system is an EPA mandated “trap” protocol to prevent people clearing codes just before submitting the cars for emissions inspections.

If your car cannot reach I/M Readiness, you have one or more sensors that need to be looked at, which probably have at least pending codes, which is something that the Durametric can help with as it can trigger different systems and test the sensors; but it cannot defeat the emissions system.

sometimes you can get it to work without actually driving the car.

just hold the following RPM ranges from 2-5 minutes:

Idle
1500
2000
2500
3000
Idle

the checks usually happen before the 5 minutes is up, but without a scan tool hooked up you won't know when it happens.

You just have to drive it. It has to meet certain criteria in order to do each test. It is suppose to do all within 50 miles but I have yet to have that happen. In my case I had a bad secondary O2 sensor heater so the cat test could never initiate. Of course it failed the O2 heater test too.

I have replace the secondary O2 sensors and have my fingers crossed. After 60 miles of on and off driving I got all but the evap test to perform.

I think I have to have the tank above or below a certain level for this test to be performed but not sure.

I think the secondary air pump test is performed when the car is below a certain temp and stops when it reaches a certain temp.

Oh and do not do full throttle, or heavy right foot driving as it must meet certain criteria in order to perform each test, For example I believe a couple test are at 45 mph cruising, with a certain throttle angle, so just getting on the freeway and going 80mph for 120 miles will not work.

Sorry its been a while since I let my smog license lapse.

Oh and just to let you know if you just bought it and the tests are not performed yet, it means the computer was cleared prior to you buying it or you cleared it just before you went in to test it.

I put 700 miles on my 993 and several still were not set. I had to do the drive cycle i posted. And I agree. There are some sellers that will clear the codes to turn off the check engine light. Hopefully that is not the case here.

Car passed smog very clean today. My porsche dealer ran short tests on the the CAT, EVAP, and SAI monitors to activate them for me, didnt charge me anything

Cool.... now, enjoy the hell out of that car!

I love it, but want a 6 speed. I drove a friends and big difference IMO

Well, it depends on where you are driving. If you are commuting from TO to LA, a tiptronic is the way to go. For local commuting, I agree that a 6 speed is the way to go. I had a 993 cab with a tiptronic. I only drove it in manual mode. Got tired of the tip and went to a 993 turbo. Then.... well, never mind...... If you dumped it in auto mode it would shift too early. Enjoy the car. If worse comes to worse, sell it and get a stick.