So, living in California I have to deal with bi-annual smog checks. This year I took my 97 Corvette in and they hooked it up to the smog machine through the OBDII port. The smog machine came up and said that it was unable to establish communication with...

A) Catalyst
B) Secondary Air System
C) Oxygen Sensor

The smog system will still allow you to pass with two failed communications, but not three.

So, the smog guy said that perhaps my battery had been disconnected and the car needed to be driven 60-100 miles for the systems to re-log new data.

Well, 1000 miles later and still having the same problem. Can anyone tell me what could be causing this?

 

I just went through emissions. From the tune i loaded on it took me less then a day to get all my systems complete except for catalyst still says "system not ready". No problem for me though i am allowed 1 system not ready.

Try this:
http://www.obdii.com/drivecycle.html

If you don't have any codes your car should be able to pass those test.

 

I'll give it a try

 

When doing the items on that list, do you need to do them all at once or can the different processes be incorporated into several daily commutes?

 

Does your fuel mileage ever reset when you start the car?

I'm asking because some people have had issues with low voltage to the cluster while starting (don't know if this affects/resets the PCM readiness status indicators).

It can be cause by your battery (old/dying) or your instrument cluster.

That being said, a tuner may be able to fix these issues for you.

 

I believe you should be able to complete them all in a row taking less then 20 mins. I did them all over the course of a day while i was out came home plugged in my laptop and checked it out and they had all passed except catalyst.

 

Read and post your DTCs. If you have DTCs it can cause this issue:

READING YOUR Engine Diagnostic Codes (DTCs)

The Diagnostic Display Mode is entered with the following procedure:
1) Turn on the ignition but don't start the engine.
2) Press the RESET button to turn off any warning messages. (i.e. door open, trunk open etc…)
3) Press and hold OPTIONS
4) While holding OPTIONS, press FUEL four times within a 10-second period.

Initially, on-board diagnostics go into an Automatic Mode which shows diagnostic codes in a pre-set sequence: PCM - TCS - RTD - BCM - IPC - RADIO - HVAC - LDCM - RDCM - SCM - RFA. All codes will be displayed for each. ( i.e. PCM = 4 codes)
If none are present in a given module, you will see No More Codes on the display.
There are two kinds of diagnostic codes, Current and History designated with a letter suffix, C or ;H. A current code indicates a malfunction is present in the module displaying data. A history code indicates a problem existed sometime in the last 40 or 50 ignition cycles. When not accompanied by a current code of the same number, it's potential evidence of a previous problem, now resolved, that was not removed by clearing the codes.
More likely it's an indication of an intermittent malfunction.
Intermittent codes are the most challenging of the diagnostics. An intermittent code may have happened once, may have happened more than once but is inconsistent or may be happening on a regular basis but not at the time the codes are displayed. History codes can also be caused by a current malfunction in a system that is not operating at the time codes are displayed. An example is the rear window defogger which doesn't operate until the Body Control Module detects engine rpm. For history codes set by a module that does not operate with the key on and engine off, a special diagnostic tool called a Scan Tester is necessary to properly diagnose the malfunction.
Once the system has displayed all modules, it goes into the manual mode which allows selection of each module using combinations of Driver Information Center buttons. Manual mode can also be entered during the automatic sequence by pressing any button except E/M. Once the display shows Manual Diagnostics, select a module by pressing the OPTIONS button to go forward or the TRIP button to go back. Once a module is selected, a code is displayed, and if more than one are present;
press GAGES to go forward or FUEL to go back.
To exit the diagnostic mode at any time, press E/M. If you want to erase codes in a given module, press RESET
To reset the codes once in manual mode, press and hold RESET until it displays NO CODES Press OPTIONS to go to the next module. Repeat the steps until you have reset the codes in all the computer modules.
NOTE!! Only reset the codes IF you want to - it is NOT necessary to do this. Clearing a code does not repair a problem. You are simply erasing the evidence of it in the module's memory. If you clear the code/s, and extinguish the Check Engine Light, your emissions status ready will NOT allow you to pass an emissions test until you have completed the required driving cycles.
Once you have the codes, the next question is: What to do with the information?
First, consult the factory service manual. Any serious C5 Do-It-Yourself owner should invest in the Corvette Service Manual of the appropriate model year. The Service Manual is really a requirement if you want to understand and work on your C5.

Here is very good site of DTC definitions:


http://www.gearchatter.com


Make sure to include the H or C suffix!!

If you have tons of DTCs clear them and see what comes back. Make sure you list the C and H suffixes.