Gentlemen, I know the "how to pass California smog" horse has been beaten way past death, but I wanted to share my experience running an EPL tune on my 996TT since there are mixed posts claiming that an EPL tune does not interfere with smogability. See:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...smog-help.html
https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...lp-please.html

Problem: EPL "No cat" and "Cali-91" tunes will not pass CA smog due to ODB2 monitor readiness code issues.

Solution: Remove the tune (set to stock) and run the drive cycle procedure to reset.


Long story/details: I take delivery of a 2001 996TT with an EPL Cali-91 oct flash and Speedtech 3.0 100 cel exhaust. It passes the CA smog sniff test. Great I think, and at that time contacted Tony Chick at EPL to have the tune files associated with the car (purchased by the previous owner) transferred to me in case I ever need to untune it. Tony gives me a really hard time about doing so but eventually provides access (it was a real battle... way uncool, and an omen for poor support later down the road).

Two years go by and its time to smog again. Everything with the car is fine (no CEL/MIL, no scan codes, stock exhaust back on) so I take it down to a STAR facility and it fails the oxygen sensor heater circuit ready. All other ODB2 monitors were fine. Great. I go home and my durametric scan says fine and there are no ODB2 codes being thrown. I take it to my indy and they confirm alles ist in Ordnung, but suggest changing spark plugs and O2 sensors to be safe.

At that point I remember that the battery was recently d/c to fix a turn signal reset issue, and indy tells me to just complete a drive cycle and the readiness indicators should reset (new to me). I run the standard 996 cycle (https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...cle-reset.html) about 5 times --- no dice. I run an extended cycle -- no dice. So I'm now 2 weeks into this thing and really frustrated. I make an apt with the CA BAR referee to make the case that the car is an exception and that I shouldn't have to spend $650 on random repairs to be given a free pass (NO JOKE: http://asktheref.org/Services/RepairCostWaivers).

Now, just waiting for my referee apt, I scan the forums for probably the 10th time and see it -- EPL tunes can mess up smogability. I email Tony @ EPL asking for his input and to once again provide access to the tunes purchased for the car (this time on a newer laptop) and get no response. Days and several requests later I finally get a very terse and unhelpful response. On my own I figure out how to unflash the ECU to stock, drive the car for 10 min, and yahooo it passes smog just fine.

THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN NO-PASS AND PASS WAS THE REMOVAL OF THE EPL "CA SMOG FRIENDLY" TUNE.

Without my own durametric setup, ODB2 scanner, hard-fought EPL flash file access, 6speed resources, backup O2S to fiddle with, and an honest mech, I would have spent >$1k on unnecessary "repairs" and likely still have no smog certificate.

Conclusions and recommendations:
1. Even though your readiness indicators are on, you don't need new plugs, O2S, cats, etc. Detune and CAREFULLY DO THE DRIVE CYCLE.
2. When purchasing a tune, ensure that your car will smog on the tune. Don't trust the tuner when they say it will -- do your homework.
3. Make sure you can remove the tune if you want, and that it won't be a pain in the *** to do so. I've been very disappointed with Tony and EPL so hopefully my (and others) experiences will influence their business practices and/or instill caution in potential new customers.

Good luck out there.

 

I have no issue with my EPL tuned GT2 passing the OBD2 monitor/readiness/emissions test

 

That's a nice computer desk

 

To add some balance to this thread I had a three month saga trying to smog my GT3, which only had a 10 year old flash from GIAC and was otherwise stock, engine/exhaust wise. I had taken my car to the dealer to get the readiness reset after a battery change and smog check fail because of no readiness...however, the dealer did not give my car to the tech I requested that I knew could perform the readiness cycle and they gave it back to me saying they couldn't get it to reset....since I thought their lead certified tech had worked on my car I turned my attention to the flash...Austin of GIAC was great and they removed the flash for a small fee....guess what...after several hundred miles of driving still no readiness reset....after much frustration I looked at my docs from the dealer and noticed that they hadn't assigned the tech I had requested but had given it to someone else...the dealer had emailed me for a customer service survey so I blasted them...besides not assigning the tech I requested they gave me the car back a quart low on oil....the service manager called me all apologetic and promised me if I brought the car in they would have their lead tech work on the car and get a readiness reset and there would be no charge.....so finally a three month saga of chasing my own butt ended and it was all the dealers fault not the flash in any way....getting readiness on these vehicles can be very easy or extremely difficult and it really takes a PIWIS tool and a tech who knows how to use it to get the right results

 

sounds like horror stories. I have a decade + cargraphic 1.2 tune and when I went to try the reset protocol after clearing codes for smog then realizing enough drive cycles had not been met ( duh ) they reset immediately on the first try. but it is truly daunting to drive at the exact speeds, not exceed 3k rpm etc etc for the duration of the reset.


I had to do it just before dawn so that traffic didn't impede my forward progress but yes, those readiness codes are problematic for all of us at one time or another.

 

I had a similar issue a couple years ago, right down to not being the original purchaser of the EPL tune.

Where my story diverges is Tony was great in helping me out to get me an updated tune that allowed for less efficient HFC's. I'll most likely be using EPL for tuning when I install the upgraded turbos I have on the shelf.

 

there could be two chickensh*t components to this story also. first would potentially be that "they" failed the guy when the star station transmitted the "not ready/fail" to sacto via their upload which they did NOT have to do. I know because my smog guy informed me also that I wasn't in "ready" which is what prompted my then resetting the codes myself as per above.
the other is the notion that epl didn't assist with the op's issue in a timely manner as it sure sounds as if they did. unless I'm missing something. I just dont get the bagging on epl bit I guess. but three sides to every story. at least you got it sorted!

 

Offtopic my emissions are do, wish me luck, maybe ill drag my car tomorrow to emission station

 

Its nice being mileage exempt for emissions as I could have engine light etc and still pass= one less thing to worry about.

 

 

Ok...before this becomes a flame the op thread...everyone has had their say...it looks to me that Tony was pretty helpful considering the op wasn't his customer...these issues are complex and from my own experience it is easy to cast stones in the wrong place...it may have been totally coincidental that removing the tune resulted in readiness...certainly no reason to attack a vendor with a good reputation especially when he did provide help that resulted in a resolution even though it didn't satisfy the op...thread closed