Secondary Air OBD Readiness

[Reborn_]

I need some help. It’s smog time and I’m out of time. Here’s the scenario. I’m running euro headers. I replaced my battery, alternator, both belts, air box back to stock, and swapped dkf section 1 to euro section 1. Reset the ECU. I have put on approx 340 miles since all of that. All monitors are in ready state except the secondary air system. No pending codes, no CEL. Car runs perfect. Prior to the work above, I had both secondary o2 sensor codes (due to dkf setup) but I’m 99% sure all monitors were ready state.

I removed the hose off the check valve on the cylinder head. Cold start - secondary air pump is blowing tons of air thru the hose. I don’t feel any pulses from the check valve (indicating it is ok).

Can anyone confirm for me how long their Z4M secondary air pump runs upon cold start? You can simply touch it and feel it vibrate - when it stops pumping, you’ll feel the difference. Mine only pumps about 10-15 seconds which seems short to me. But that said, if I had a problem, I’d at least throw a pending code right? Does anyone know how to get the damn readiness set? Any insight is appreciated.

My registration is due tomorrow (I paid it but I need to smog sometime soon here) - if I get desperate I’m going to buy new o2 sensors (based on some google results) and the check valve, but I really don’t want to waste the time or money for no reason.

[Steeler]

Originally Posted by Reborn_

I need some help. It’s smog time and I’m out of time. Here’s the scenario. I’m running euro headers. I replaced my battery, alternator, both belts, air box back to stock, and swapped dkf section 1 to euro section 1. Reset the ECU. I have put on approx 340 miles since all of that. All monitors are in ready state except the secondary air system. No pending codes, no CEL. Car runs perfect. Prior to the work above, I had both secondary o2 sensor codes (due to dkf setup) but I’m 99% sure all monitors were ready state.

I removed the hose off the check valve on the cylinder head. Cold start - secondary air pump is blowing tons of air thru the hose. I don’t feel any pulses from the check valve (indicating it is ok).

Can anyone confirm for me how long their Z4M secondary air pump runs upon cold start? You can simply touch it and feel it vibrate - when it stops pumping, you’ll feel the difference. Mine only pumps about 10-15 seconds which seems short to me. But that said, if I had a problem, I’d at least throw a pending code right? Does anyone know how to get the damn readiness set? Any insight is appreciated.

My registration is due tomorrow (I paid it but I need to smog sometime soon here) - if I get desperate I’m going to buy new o2 sensors (based on some google results) and the check valve, but I really don’t want to waste the time or money for no reason.

Chances are you already know this, but there is a set "drive cycle" to bring the OBD2 into ready or complete mode.
https://www.instructables.com/How-to...or-Smog-Check/

[Reborn_]

Thanks. Yes I actually made an attempt to do a drive cycle yesterday. Even stayed under 3k rpm the whole time (which was tough) based on what I’ve read.

Truth be told most of my miles have been local and short drive so I have done a couple of longer drives. I am really trying to understand if the whole drive cycle is necessary for this particular monitor now that all others are ready. If it sets during cold start, I can just start my car every morning until it sets.

[F360C]

Pretty sure the secondary air is set on the start up cycle along with the EVAP. You don't need to do the full cycle to set these two.

Cars need to be fully cold (let it sit over night), fuel tank needs to be more then half full, and you need to start the car (dont move the car at all it) then let it idle for 5 minutes.

Funny enough these are the two monitor I usually find easiest to set.

[Reborn_]

Thank you. I've read about the fuel level being between 1/4 and 3/4 so I had been making sure that's the case. I'll keep it more than half full now. I started doing cold starts as part of my morning routine yesterday, and I'm also doing a 5+ minute idle every time the engine has been off more than 3 hours. I agree - I think this damn thing should set the first time I do a morning cold start, which is why I'm growing concerned that something is wrong. I'll continue this for several more days and report back and continue to drive it around as much as I can, but I'm going to stop doing specific trips trying to get drive cycles in.

[Reborn_]

Still no dice. I've read the errors with INPA (see image). Does this provide any insight? Translation:

unknown error location
(0) no suitable error symptom
(16) Test conditions met
(33) Error does not currently exist, but has been saved
(48) Error would not cause a warning lamp to light up

EWS-DME Interface
(164) Timeout error: 10 seconds after terminal 15 ON, no EWS telegram received yet, possibly line interruption or short circuit
(16) Test conditions met
(32) Error not yet occurred
(48) Error would not cause a warning lamp to light up

[F360C]

Originally Posted by Reborn_

Still no dice. I've read the errors with INPA (see image). Does this provide any insight? Translation:

unknown error location
(0) no suitable error symptom
(16) Test conditions met
(33) Error does not currently exist, but has been saved
(48) Error would not cause a warning lamp to light up

EWS-DME Interface
(164) Timeout error: 10 seconds after terminal 15 ON, no EWS telegram received yet, possibly line interruption or short circuit
(16) Test conditions met
(32) Error not yet occurred
(48) Error would not cause a warning lamp to light up

I don't think those codes are related to the secondary air. You might want to check the plastic hose on the pump.... it gets really brittle with age and you might have a crack in it somewhere that you cant see.

Do you have a tune on your car is the DME software stock?

[Reborn_]

Originally Posted by F360C

I don't think those codes are related to the secondary air. You might want to check the plastic hose on the pump.... it gets really brittle with age and you might have a crack in it somewhere that you cant see.

Do you have a tune on your car is the DME software stock?

Thank you. I have checked the plastic hose - it is in great shape. I didn't feel any air escaping when the pump was on. I went ahead and ordered the check valve just in case that thing is not getting fully open, so replacing that valve will be the next step in trying to get this resolved. The step after that is to replace the primary o2 sensors.

I do have a tune. I don't know much about it as the previous owner had it installed, but it is an Active Autowerke tune. I'm 99% sure that it has not disabled the secondary air OBD flag because 1.) The flag shows up as "supported" when I scan for codes, but not "ready" and 2.) I'm 99% sure the flag was "ready" for 6 years prior to replacing the battery and clearing the DTCs (I would scan often because I had CEL due to the prior exhaust setup and wanted to make sure I had no other codes). That said, I may reach out to AA to confirm - it wouldn't hurt.

[Reborn_]

The flag is READY!!!! Wow, what a relief. Just to provide intel should someone else deal with this, I have not received the check valve yet or done any parts replacement. I have done a cold start and idled for 10 minutes every morning. I've been scanning OBD every couple of days, and I must add that I ran a couple of local errands as well since I checked OBD a few days ago, but I'm pretty sure it was the cold starts with idling every morning that did the trick. I might even guess it was today (which was a bit colder) that did it. I have enjoyed idling my car in the driveway every morning, polluting the air, in pursuit of passing a smog check (haha).

Now I get to worry about the smog tech passing me for visual, but as far as the OBD scan goes, I should be set!

Special shoutout to F360C and pokeybritches (by way of PM) for pointing me to the cold starts as likely being sufficient to get it set - it was helpful to not also try to get drive cycles in as I have nowhere to go these days.