Emissions Help
 

Bought a used 2012 C63 and I'm having trouble passing emissions. Apparently 6 of the 8 readings are good to go, but the catalytic converter and the O2 sensor are showing as not ready or something. Mechanic told me to drive around for a few days, but it hasn't changed anything. I asked if there's anything else I can do and he keeps saying no and to just keep driving around. Is it possible the car had a previous time that turned these monitors off or something?

What I know about the car:

-I disconnected the battery around 900 miles ago to get it tested. I think this sometimes resets all the monitors, but I think they should have turned on by now.

-I had the secondary cats replaced with a straight pipe and the resonator replaced with an x pipe. I don't think this should mess with anything, but please correct me if I'm wrong.

-When I had the exhaust done, the guy said the car has headers on it. It doesn't sound particularly loud though so I'm not sure if it does or not. I can take pictures if needed if that matters...just let me know.

-I've found remnants of matte gray vinyl on the car so I'm pretty sure it was modded somewhat at some point by a previous owner. It might be tuned as well, but I'm assuming I have no way of telling? If I were to contact a local tuner, I'm assuming they would be able to tell me what mods are on the car and tune it appropriately so I at least know what I have and have everything set correctly. Could they also maybe turn these monitors on to help me pass emissions?

The car sounds tuned. Especially if it does have headers.

Get a picture from underneath or just ask them if it has primary cats. If it does, it's tuned, and that needs to be addressed. Either a new tune file that does not disable the monitors or a stock file needs to be added.

I think I am Jeff has headers in NYC. He should be able to give specifics on how to pass emissions there with headers.

Sounds tuned and the reason why you can't pass. The o2 sensors are shut off. You can drive around for a year. Won't help. Make sure you have headers. But your going to need a retune that has the o2 sensors turned on

If the tune is disabled the o2 sensors would show as not available instead of not ready.

https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...b064234dd9.jpg
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...ec2d8aefd9.jpg
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https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...c4af27c5a2.jpg
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...615a5cf151.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...366b5fdd0d.jpg
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...f3a002b359.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...942d630c57.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...c6f16d5e1a.jpg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...cbada6d1b8.jpg
I got the car lifted up and took pictures. Can't tell if there are aftermarket headers or not...hopefully you guys can. It looks like maybe the previous owner had headers and then maybe reverted back to stock before trading the car in?

Looks like aftermarket shorty headers. It shouldnt really make a difference since it looks like your primary cats are there. It's all in the tune then.

Edit: those might be aftermarket high flow cats. I can't tell. But you can see the O2 sensors are post-cat.

Looks like stock primaries to me. Im in Ny and i had oe tune and catless sec cats and could not pass inspection. Same issue as you. I had to put my cats back on and flash back to stock. It was a pain in the ass

Alright, so just going to give it to you straight and you're going to have to put some money into the car. But once you do you'll be set.

You have aftermarket cats and most certainly a tune. If it were my car this is what I would do...

Contact Eurocharged and buy a MyGenius Handheld and a tune. When you contact EC and are purchasing a tune make sure you say you need your monitors to be left alone. In other words, do not disable the o2 sensors.

Then upload that tune on the car and roll the dice that those cats are efficient enough to get you were you need to be.

Worst case scenario is you'll need to get stock cats back in there. However, start with just contacting Eurocharged and getting a tune on the car that leaves the o2 sensors alone so they can set to ready.

If that doesn't work come back and we'll go through the next step. Fingers crossed though that those cats will be good enough to get you through.

+1. If you don't pass, I have my old exhaust maybe you can use to just pass inspection and then give it back.

I remember that you said that you are in Virginia, are you trying to pass NYS or Virginia emissions? I'm unfamiliar with the Virginia process.

Your car does not have Long Tube Headers, at most you have aftermarket log manifolds. Where are your rear o2 sensors? Have they been disabled with a tune?

This is how my car passes with long tube headers and 1 not ready for the rear o2s.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...fc08ebb56e.png

I spend half my time in NYC and half my time in northern VA, but I will be registering my car in Virginia so I need to pass VA emissions.

I don't know anything about what was done to the car before me tune-wise. Only thing I had done was the secondary cats removed, but as far as I know, that shouldn't mess with anything emissions related?

I can contact eurocharged and gladly get a tune, but do I need to tell them what mods are on the car? Because I've posted pics of the bottom of the car, but I still wouldn't know what to tell them has been done to the car. They have an "Authorized Dealer" close by in Maryland (ISP Racing). If I took the car there and got them to do the Eurocharged tune for me, do you think they'd be able to check the car out thoroughly and do all of this for me?



So just to understand this correctly, my current set up might have the o2 sensors turned off and if I tell eurocharged to give me a tune and leave the monitors alone, that would turn the o2 sensors back on which would be enough since at this point I only need either the catalytic converter or o2 sensor to show as ready in order to meet the minimum requirement to pass?

Peter at ISP RACING is a stand up guy. You'll be in great hands going to him to look over your car.

Peter at ISP never got back to me. Not sure why, but I ended up contacting eurocharged and finally got my handheld tuner today. So what mods should I tell them I have?

From what I've been told on this thread:

-Definitely don't have long tube headers
-Either aftermarket shorty headers OR aftermarket log manifolds
-Aftermarket high flow cats?


I found this thread, but clearly have no idea what I'm talking about:

https://mbworld.org/forums/c63-amg-w...manifolds.html


Only other thing I can tell you guys is that the car definitely gives off a gassier smell/exhaust than my old c63.

Let me sum it up for you. This is what you can tell the Eurocharged guys.

"After market log manifolds with aftermarket cats with secondary cats and resonator deletes."

I am attaching a picture of what a stock primary cat looks like.


https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.mbw...41c27d07bd.jpg

well I got the tune file this morning from eurocharged. put it on and it was successful...

but then i immediately went to read the error codes and now there's 3 things that aren't coming up as inc (incomplete or inconclusive?).

catalyst and o2 sensor which were already
and now also o2 htr

any suggestions? i'm going nuts here. my temp tag expired on mar 26 and i still haven't been able to register the car.


i specifically mentioned in my email to eurocharged "I was also having trouble passing emissions, because I believe the previous tune turned the o2 sensor off. Can we please make sure it is turned on and ready?". that doesn't guarantee that they read it, but is this something i can drive around and it'll disappear? thanks.

Did you drive the car at all? I'm guessing the "immediately" means no.

I would go drive it. When you flash your ECU or disconnect battery the monitors are going to reset and need to go through a drive cycle. Shouldn't take too long.

got it. will go drive around now and update you. thanks!

so i drove around and eventually when i started the car up again, the check engine light was on.

i have a code reader now and i read the codes. it says 4 codes

P0420
P0430
P0420 pending
P0430 pending
(not sure if it means anything that 2 of the codes are the same, but saying pending)

The reader also says that the check engine light is on (which I obviously see in the dash). It does say that all 9 emissions monitors are ready now though which is also confusing to me. Even the catalytic and o2 sensor that were showing up as not ready before are showing up as ready now.

Any thoughts? Can I maybe clear those codes through my scanner, take it to get the emissions done, and be done with everything? Or is that just wishful thinking?

Now I understand why BLKROT gets so upset about members asking questions without trying to search first. :slap: If you bothered to searching, you would have realized that you need o2 sensors.

When you clear codes the monitors will reset. But, because the monitors are the main issue and ready now we've taken a step in the right direction.

I would clear them (the codes) and then go for another drive and see if they come back. You can drive with your scanner plugged in and watching monitors... Once the monitors set, and you have no CELs, drive straight to an inspection place and do not turn off the car. Leave it running, make sure they leave it running, plug it in and you should be good.

If the CELs persist then you have a parts problem and will have to fix whatever is causing the CEL first. But again, we have the monitors where they need to be.

Edit - In this case it may be that the cats are failing. EC left the monitors alone and they could be reading certain levels throwing the CELs all because of those aftermarket cats. Again though, I would do another cycle first. Sometimes you can get lucky and squeak by. Baby it. You can go up to any speed (I'd stay below 70/75) but dont hammer it to get there. Normal driving.

To be fair, I did specifically do a search of the w204 c63 subforum for p0420 and p0430 before posting a reply. I found one other thread that I believe didn't really relate to the issue I am currently having.


I think from one of my searches I read that once the codes are reset, the car will only show the CEL after three restarts with a bad reading. That means I should be able to clear the codes, drive the car around until all the monitors are ready again, drive it straight to get emissions done and pass I'm guessing. Fingers crossed that this will work tomorrow morning.

Lol no that won't work. They will cycle the ignition themselves. Regardless it's not three starts but three drive cycles to set the monitor or trigger the monitor. Clearing these codes won't solve the issue the codes will come back. You need to contact eurocharged and tell them to disable your rear sensors if you don't have primary cats.

Finally got a chance to reset all the monitors and the cel last night. Drove it around this morning til 8 of 9 monitors were ready to go. Had two pending codes, but no cel yet so I quickly ran to get emissions done and passed. Thanks for all your help guys.

PurpleHeartAMG was absolutely spot on about everything he said. That man knows his stuff. Can't thank you enough buddy.