ECU not responding not communicating for SMOG

[loots06]

Well I took my car in for its bi-annual CA smog check and they tell I won't pass. I'm told I required CARB stickers for my CA approved Whipple HO SC kit and JBA shorty headers. Anyhow I got the stickers and I'm good to go but now the ECU isn't responding! I went to a second shop and they tell me the SC is good but shorty headers with CARB plate and sticker is no good, really WTF. The second shop tells me headers are only good for up to 05, lol makes no sense.

I'll get the headers sorted out but the ECU not responding is another thing. My car is running fine, I don't know what gives here. Any one else in CA have similar ECU issues. I have the day off tommorow so I'll check the pins in the ODB II port to make sure all is well there.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

STICKERRRRRRRRZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!!!!! Try magnets.............

 

[loots06]

^^no kidding!

 

[stkjock]

are you getting a "no communication error" ?

wonder if CA is using similar to NY systems

http://www.newyorkmustangs.com/forums/has-failed-nys-inspection-2014-a-t36642.html

 

[loots06]

Yes no communication error my tune is 6 years old.

 

[loots06]

I have Aeroforce scan gauges so I know my OBD II port is working fine. I wonder if I should load the stock tunes and run it through a drive cycle just not get into boost.

 

[Mr. Q]

Go to Santa Ana and find 'that' guy lol, that's what I did.

 

[loots06]

I just tried to connect with my scan tool and it too says fail to connect! Could this be an ECU problem?

 

[black2008gt]

Just move out of California and you can solve that Carb BS real quick. Thats one of the perks of being in Texas.

 

[loots06]

I've lived in Texas before, not for me.

 

[lostsoul]

have you tried to disconnect the batt for a while.. I cant remember where but there was some procedure to almost do like a hard reset.

 

[loots06]

I'm dropping it off at me buddies shop in the morning I'll have try the reset among other things

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

I just tried to connect with my scan tool and it too says fail to connect! Could this be an ECU problem?

Your car is dead and don't know it. Time for a s550!

 

[loots06]

Your car is dead and don't know it. Time for a s550!

No not dead!

Well I took it to my buddy and he was able to get it to read with his Snap on scanner. When doing the diagnosis he found that it won't scan with one of the smaller scan tools, generic mod. He think new smog machines use this basic mode. He is gonna return it back to stock and check. Might need a new tune it is six years old.

 

[loots06]

Looks like it's a tune related issue after all.

 

[avinaj80]

This is what's going on for 2000 and newer cars in California:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/newsrel/newsrelease.php?id=355

I recently took my wife's very for a smog check and was trippin when the dude just opened the hood, plug in his computer to the OBDII port. Closed it up, and printed me a cert. No more tailpipe/dyno testing.

What I'm trying to figure out is what exactly are the computers reading. To my understanding they read more in depth info than what a hand held scanner can.

If I were you, I'd definitely get in contact with your tuner and see what they say.

 

[DERRY90]

I'm a frequent visitor to the air resources board website being a smog tech in training. Now one thing the smog techs are are required to do is verify the carb eo on the arb website and look at the model years, make and model to which the EO # applies. The jba headers are also good for 2006 but I don't know the year of your mustang. Now as far as the tune it may need an update(I know I'm repeating what others have pretty much said) but if you have any other smog issues, pm me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[loots06]

Well I took my car to AED last Friday and all I could say is that it was well worth the three and a half hour trip. Shaun really took his time to explains things to me. I ended up renting a trailer so I could get the car there. My car now has no issues communicating via the OBDII port and best of all it runs so much better. It car ended up making 484HP. It just feels like a whole new car with this tune. I'll be off to the smog shop on Wednesday so I could legally get back on the road.

 

[claudermilk]

LOL So smog check prompts updating tune which results in better-running car with more power. Oh, the irony.