More emissions hassle (state of MA)

[urs6ville]

So, I'll start this off right away by saying I ordered a RossTech tool. I was putting it off as I had some other items that I wanted/needed to get, but until this is sorted, those items don't matter.

I don't want to split this topic up over many threads, so here is the full background.

I bought an RS6 in July of 2015. This car was for sale by someone I have known for awhile. The car has (relevant items to emissions and only based on what I was told):

1. Miltek cat-back (yea, can see that, so it has it)
2. gutted DPs (yup, can see those, so it has those as well)
3. 10SecTune (not verified, but no reason to not believe this to be the case... and I have been in touch with 10SecS4 about it)
4. Tune has 02s coded out (verified, since they show up "not Supported" on Emissions report.

So...before I picked the car up, the previous owner had just had the car inspected in NYS (have the paperwork). When I bought the car, previous owner and I had agreed to have the Audi Master tech do the 105 TB service. That was completed, I picked up the car and drove it home (~150 miles). I went to registry, etc etc... then took it to be inspected.

The emissions report came back with EVAP and SAI not ready. This was chalked up to service that has been done. I took the R sticker and was told to come back. In the time since, I have only driven the car once a week... but I have done ~ 1500mi on two trips. So.... figuring that would be MORE than enough time to get the monitors reset, I take it to a shop who pre-checks it for me (I don't have VAG COM yet).... those two monitors are STILL not ready. (WTF).

Talking to the shop guys, I am completely open about what the car has. A theory they came up with is that the SAI and EVAP need to see the O2 to "be ready"... but perhaps they could be forced ready.

At this point, I could get the original DPs... have Marc re-tune the O2s back in... but if I do all that work (read: spend all that time/money), at this point.. without knowing why the SAI and EVAP are not ready... (SAI is operational.... hear that nice loud pump on startup).... I fear that I do all the work... but those two monitors are still not ready. Wondering how much more lax NYS inspection is. Perhaps forcing the monitors to reset is OK in NYS (read it isn't going to fly in MA).

At this point, I am looking for shared experiences and other knowledge that will allow me to make my next decision (read: not asking anyone to make the decision for me).

The suggestion I have right now is to retune the O2s in... see if that brings the other two monitors up to ready. Marc is in CT and I could probably drive down there and hopefully get it done when his schedule allows.... but want to gather as much info as I can.

So far this car has left me stranded on vacation because the perch on the Koni was installed upside down... and now this... I know this tends to be $$$ to maintain, but this isn't the way I thought I would be spending my money. The good news in that the koni struts are in right now! Always gotta see the positives.

What are the other reasons that the SAI and EVAP would NOT return to ready? Just want to determine if the O2 code-out is related or not.

Thanks in advance for any info.... having this forum is one of the reasons I opted to buy this car... had the QW forum for my UrS cars and know what a great and indispensable resource they are.

[UrS6]

Have you tried setting readiness with VCDS?

[urs6ville]

Have you tried setting readiness with VCDS?

I have not. This would be the first step for me once I get the VAGCOM.

[UrS6]

Ah, first sentence.....

[ilovegt100]

Hiya,

It is my understanding that only the factory scan tool can force readiness for our cars and the vagcom cannot do so. I had a similar sai pump fail repeatedly and intermittently and was able to figure out that it had a hairline crack at one of the plugs on the unit. I will be of little help as my car now shows readiness but will not communicate in Virginia for some reason. Good luck!

[GreggPDX]

I went through a similar drill on previous car (not an RS6) that had a custom tune. It's possible there could be a relationship between those readiness tests, but I kinda doubt it. It's true that the SAI test might need the O2 sensors to verify the exhaust goes lean when SAI is running (this was the case on my other car), but the ECU should be checking the primary O2 sensors, which should not be coded out on your car. Primary O2's keep the car running right, secondary O2's just check the functioning of the cats. The EVAP test is usually a vacuum "leak down" test, so again should not interrelate with the others. (that said, I'm not an expert, so YMMV).

I would suggest searching on "Audi Drive Cycle" and see if you can find a good list. There are whole range of parameters that the ECU has to see to complete all it's readiness tests, and it's possible that driving once a week is not hitting them all. The EVAP test in particular requires pretty specific parameters around fuel level, temperature and time. The SAI test is usually pretty simple and should complete after a few start-ups. On my previous car, I knew all the specific things that needed to happen, and it still took a few days of "normal" driving to hit them all.

If I had to guess, I would guess that SAI, EVAP and secondary O2's are all coded out on your car. Ultimately on my other car, I paid the original tuner to send me a temporary tune that turned everything back on. I had to cobble some hardware together to temporarily reconnect things like EVAP and SAI and eventually I was able to get the readiness checks done then immediately rush to a testing station before it threw any codes.

Marc should be able to tell you for certain what is coded out, and if he say SAI and EVAP are not, then I would focus on figuring out the exact drive cycle conditions for those tests and try to make them happen.

[UrS6]

Hiya,

It is my understanding that only the factory scan tool can force readiness for our cars and the vagcom cannot do so. I had a similar sai pump fail repeatedly and intermittently and was able to figure out that it had a hairline crack at one of the plugs on the unit. I will be of little help as my car now shows readiness but will not communicate in Virginia for some reason. Good luck!

I've done it with my VCDS

[urs6ville]

I would suggest searching on "Audi Drive Cycle" and see if you can find a good list. There are whole range of parameters that the ECU has to see to complete all it's readiness tests, and it's possible that driving once a week is not hitting them all. The EVAP test in particular requires pretty specific parameters around fuel level, temperature and time. The SAI test is usually pretty simple and should complete after a few start-ups. On my previous car, I knew all the specific things that needed to happen, and it still took a few days of "normal" driving to hit them all.

Certainly the 1500mi I did on two trips (vacations) would be enough to reset them.... I can't imagine that I would need to do more than that.

If I had to guess, I would guess that SAI, EVAP and secondary O2's are all coded out on your car. Ultimately on my other car, I paid the original tuner to send me a temporary tune that turned everything back on. I had to cobble some hardware together to temporarily reconnect things like EVAP and SAI and eventually I was able to get the readiness checks done then immediately rush to a testing station before it threw any codes.

Wouldn't they read "Not Supported" if coded out? Not "Not Ready". The O2s (Which I know are coded out) read NOT SUPPORTED.

Marc should be able to tell you for certain what is coded out, and if he say SAI and EVAP are not, then I would focus on figuring out the exact drive cycle conditions for those tests and try to make them happen.

Good idea to check with Marc to see exactly what I have.

[UrS6]

Again, my SAI wouldn't reset after driving for 2 weeks. VCDS DID IT IN 3 minutes

[ttboost]

CT emissions are fairly strict too and I passed emission with my SAI and rear O2's coded out.

[urs6ville]

Again, my SAI wouldn't reset after driving for 2 weeks. VCDS DID IT IN 3 minutes

Ok.. so when I get my VCDS I will reset them and see if they last. If they do, then I will take for inspection and fingers crossed.

[urs6ville]

Alright.. I got my VCDS and set up a cheap tablet to run it... nice and compact, fits in glove box.

Anyhow... I get in to the readiness screens and while it will show that the EVAP and SAI are "not ready", it will NOT allow me to reset them... it says "script not loaded". Is there an RS6 script floating around from RossTech? I am about to reach out to them via support.

[lswing]

Again, my SAI wouldn't reset after driving for 2 weeks. VCDS DID IT IN 3 minutes

Not for the RS6 right? As mentioned, no script to allow changes.

[UrS6]

I'll look at my VCDS on Monday. Mine took 2 tries but was very easy to set readiness.