[quote=flu][quote=FlyerInHi]Flu. I own a service station in CA.
You cannot reset the ECU to pass smog. The whole drive cycle needs to run for your car to pass smog. The newer cars now sent the VIN when you plug in.
The new rules were negotiated with auto manufacturers who want their customers to have a good consumer experience (easy smog).
The benefit is that new cars are perfectly clean, expect for the CO2 of course. Compare to the polluting old cars of past.[/quote]
Funny, because my ECU and OBD connector allows me to do just that. How do you think all the tuners flash their custom ROMs onto the ECU? 🙂 Not that I would suggest anyone do it… But at least as a theoretical exercise, it’s been done…[/quote]Actually, the onboard test does have to run with OBD II(s). You can reset the codes, but the tester the emissions test places use will report whether all of the drive cycle tests have been completed. I have a diag tester (Innova 3140d) that will report the any codes, whether it is a transient code, which drive cycle tests are reported, which have run to completion and which are yet pending. It also allows real time monitoring of sensors – all through OBD II port. The test that is coming down the pipe is that the OBD II test station will request the checksum for the flashed ECU code.. and it if doesn’t match allowable checksums, you will be failed (code mod detection). OBD I(s) can be reset and will pass immediately after reset unless it is a permanent code. OBD II(s) will have to run through the onboard tests.
NOTE: I think the checksum route is stupid because it is relying on the ECU to report the checksum. If the code has been modded, it could report the factory checksum instead of the actual for the code installed. I haven’t seen any ways for them to actually read/upload the ECU code from the OBD II port (don’t think the upload(to tester) command is spec’d/implemented)
In many ways, the whole test code thing is stupid. It should only be measuring what it blows.. and codes used for maintenance purposes (I find them useful, including the transient ones