Chip/Tuning Question?

[96Cordovan]

I have a 96 Mark VIII which is OBD 2 obviously. I want to chip it and do some tuning but I need to know if the the tuning programs effect the readiness monitors in any way. For example (not that I'm going to do this) if I delete the rear O2 sensors will the readiness monitors for them stay in the not ready status? The only reason I care is here in Maryland the emissions program only does a scan test on OBD2 vehicles and they will not officially test a car if all the readiness monitors aren't in the ready or yes status. They just assume you have recently cleared codes to try to pass and they tell you to come back in 100 miles. Thanks in advance for the info!

 

[96Cordovan]

Wow I thought for sure I would have gotten at least a wrong answer already! LOL

 

[NoLimit95]

Give it a little time. You'll get an answer before the night is out most likely. KK will most likely know.

 

[cadillackman]

With a reflash they won't exist.

 

[96Cordovan]

Hmm. I'm not trying to press you but are you sure on that cause the readiness monitors are for sub systems not each individual component. So like in my O2 example if you blanked out the rears the fronts would still be there and I would think the monitor would be too. That makes me wonder if the monitor would ever set because there is missing information. I just don't want to spend the money for the chip/tuner/software and set my car up to need a tune to run properly and then find out it will never pass the state scan.

 

[XLRVIII]

almost an impossible question to answer.

here in texas you are allowed 1 monitor "not ready".

I turned off my rear o2's before getting inspected and passed with flying colors.

I thought that the fronts and the rears were a seperate monitor, but after talking with the inspector he informed me that "all four" were a single monitor.

SO if the fronts are ON and the rears are OFF it will still report "monitor ready".

Now in your locale, it might be different.

Also since there is no performance gain in removing the rear 02's my question to you, is...
WHY bother?

They are there for a reason, they help with economy...

unless you have a "real reason" for removing them, my educated suggestion would be to leave them in place.

 

[XLRVIII]

I just don't want to spend the money for the chip/tuner/software and set my car up to need a tune to run properly and then find out it will never pass the state scan.

you should "go ahead" and spend the money, if it's an SCT switch chip you can easily and quickly return to the stock tune and pass your inspection, then swap back to the performance tune AFTER they put the sticker on the windshield.

your "concern" is valid, but I would suggest getting the car tuned, because there is ALOT of things that get changed in the trans functions that go ALONG way in increasing longetivity.

That is probably why my 95 trans made it to 360,000 miles and over 4K dragstrip passes... a good solid tune goes along way in decreaseing wear on the trans.

 

[Tiltedhalo]

On a re-flash with the rear oxygen sensors turned off the software takes the code out of the ECU, the mechanics are still there but the software wont use it, because it does not exit in the software. Same as removing the PATS. So my guess would be no ready status, because it wont exist in the program, but that all depends on whether their machine checks all ECU parameters and see's it should be there and is not.

 

[96Cordovan]

I appreciate all the insight. I think I am going to just bite the bullet and order the SCT stuff and try it out. I will set it all up and drive it for a week or so and hook up the Verus and see what the monitors have to say. Then I'll post up just in case anybody ever needs to know : ) for the record I was never going to blank out the rear O2's. I just know that the monitors for them are one of the touchiest in OBDII and figured somebody may have encountered that problem when they did theirs. More info coming soon....

 

[XLRVIII]

I think I am going to just bite the bullet and order the SCT stuff and try it out....

if your gonna make an attempt at tuning it yourself, you'll need

The tuning software which is roughly 329.00 and an Xcal flash device which is about 379.00, these can be had from your favorite SCT dealer.

Most around here that buy tunes buy them from Lonnie at Blue Oval Chips, he is also the preferred SCT dealer on this board as well.

We tend to support those that support us, so give Lonnie a shout, he's got some good tunes for the Mark 8, since he owns and drives one, he'd be the person I would talk to if I were buying a tune today.