I am ready to give up.

erictw

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OK, I have sorted out several repairs, threw a ton of money at the car, and am still in deep trouble. After 800 bucks the cooling system seems ok, but when I tried to get it through the smog check it came back not ready on the cat and the evap- in IL this means no pass, even though it is almost definitely due to the overheat code it threw, but the procedure to retrain the computer is long and complicated. I went through most of it yesterday, I was pretty sure we'd survive, but when I got home and shut the car off it would not re-start, went through all the fun tricks it always does when the battery is discharged, which means, of course, that it once again reset the computer. The alternator check shows AOK but from my hours of reading on here this afternoon it looks like that doesn't mean much. The battery seems to take a charge when I hook up the charger, but this car has eaten batteries since new (I believe this is its fifth) so I have no faith in that either. I have a 200 mile trip that I have to make, I would love to use this car and think it would finally reset the computer so I can get through smog, but I am not sure I want to take a chance on it making the drive. I could throw the small charger in the trunk and recharge it when I get where I am going (100 mi each way) but I don't know if it has that range in it. If I drag this thing into an auto parts with the free bat/alt scan is that any more definitive than the onboard warning? At this point I am tempted to call it an alternator problem, but I hate just throwing parts at the car blindly. Also, if I just drive the car in a normal cycle how long will it take to reset the computer? It is important as the plates expire end of month and they will not renew til It gets through EPA, so time is tight. It is an 03 v8 premium sport, btw.
 
Five batteries in sixteen years may be a little more than average, but I wouldn't call that "eating" batteries.
On this car diagnosing a charging system problem (which will probably be the alternator) isn't that difficult. Just plug in a voltmeter and notice it while you drive. 14.2 volts is ideal, but all the way down to 13.8 or up to 14.6 is okay.
Something like this is easiest: https://www.amazon.com/Battery-Char...way&sprefix=car+battery+volt+,aps,161&sr=8-25
Your local auto store probably has something similar.
 
Any cheap OBDII bluetooth adapter (I think they run like $5 on amazon?) with Torque on your phone can read codes and check the emissions status. That will tell you whether or not it's ready to go to the inspection.
The calibration process isn't actually all that involved, and it's the same for every single car made after '98 or so. Just drive the car. Takes about 50 to 100 miles of various conditions - you can't just hop on the interstate for 50 miles unfortunately. The big involved thing is a process that's supposed to hit all the scenarios the computer is looking for in the quickest time possible, but you don't have to follow that, and there's questions on whether or not it's even slightly correct.
 
On the evap readiness, make sure you keep the fuel around 1/2 tank. If the tank is full, it won't even run certain tests until you get closer to 50% fuel contents. This is in general, the LS may have different parameters. My son had a Subaru that kept failing the evap tests. Since you can get a pass with one incomplete readiness condition in New Hampshire, all we had to do to get a sticker was to keep the gas tank full or over 1/2. We used that testing condition of waiting until it was 50% full to our advantage to pass inspection annually until he sold it in 2012.
 
My LS seemingly takes hundreds of miles to clear evap. I have noticed cats seem to be 2nd to last thing to go ready, but that only takes a couple days at the most. NJ allows one to be not-ready as well, so it's never been a concern for me. I run Torque 90% of the time I'm driving my LS for temp monitoring and occasionally scroll over to the Readiness widget I put on one of the screens

Any cheap OBDII bluetooth adapter (I think they run like $5 on amazon?) with Torque on your phone

If you have Android. iOS users have to go with a wifi adapter and an alternate app, or pay a premium for a name brand bluetooth adapter that only pairs with their own app. I have Android though so I can't recommend anything for Apple users. I can use knockoff peripherals (and non-Play apps)
 
... I have Android though so I can't recommend anything for Apple users. ...

I have iPhones, so I can recommend something. I recommend that if you have an iPhone, you get an Android tablet.
 
I have iPhones, so I can recommend something. I recommend that if you have an iPhone, you get an Android tablet.
lol

Maybe not the best option for someone not used to the Android OS, but I got two older used Android phones for cheap on ebay. I found them with issues that weren't detrimental to my needs. I got a Nexus 5 with a bad SIM slot and then a Nexus 5x with a bad audio jack. They work[ed] great as mini tablets, basically, for less than $50. Their main purpose was to be a dedicated OBDII display in my LS, occasionally being used as wifi-only streaming devices. The 5 lasted about 3 years before it developed startup issues, which is why I got the 5x to replace it about a year ago
 
OK< one more question-does putting it on a battery charger affect the readout for the obdII?
 
i have been charging the battery ona trickle charger, will that mess up my results at the smog police?
 
kind of a moot point, the damn thing overheated this afternoon. So much for dealer service.
 

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