Emissions Tuning Fundamentals: How To Start Monitoring

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How To Start Monitoring

09.52

00:00	In order to understand the emissions from an engine, we need to have a way to measure what is coming out of the tailpipe.
00:06	As we will learn as we move through this section, there are a variety of methods and of course as the accuracy increases, so does the cost for the required equipment.
00:14	That doesn't mean that you'll necessarily need to take out a bank loan though and a great place to start monitoring a modern vehicle is the OBD system which stands for Onboard Diagnostics.
00:25	Depending on the vehicle and the market it was created for, accessing onboard data may be quite simple and inexpensive or a little more complex and costly.
00:35	Older electronic fuel injected vehicles often required a unique scan tool and cable because the manufacturers weren't following an industry standard.
00:44	This made supporting a variety of vehicles more challenging and expensive.
00:48	The data available was also typically offered at a relatively slow rate and was limited in scope.
00:54	Fortunately, government mandated OBD standardisation simplified and improved things quite a bit.
01:01	In the USA, 1995-1996 and newer model year vehicles must support the OBD2 standard.
01:08	This standard requires a specific physical connection which we commonly call an OBD2 connector today.
01:15	The formal connector name is SAE J1962 and that standard specifies pin locations for certain functions such as power, ground and some communication pins.
01:27	It also has pin locations set aside for manufacturers to add their own functionality.
01:31	This combination of standardisation and flexibility has stood the test of time so far.
01:37	Now, supporting K-Line, CAN bus, Ethernet and more on some vehicles, the OBD2 port is a central source for data.
01:45	While OBD2 wasn't introduced across the globe at the same time, passenger vehicles in Australia and New Zealand eventually adopted it by 2006.
01:54	Europe required an EOBD standard starting in 2001 and Japan has a JOBD standard.
02:01	Because some manufacturers introduced this functionality before government deadlines, some vehicles sold prior to mandatory compliance may also be equipped with OBD2 ports.
02:12	While they're technically different, the OBD2, EOBD and JOBD standards do use the same physical connector and communication protocol so some scan tools fully support all of those systems.
02:25	This was a huge leap forward, allowing individuals and shops to gather data across various makes and models without having drawers full of different cables, scan tools and software packages.
02:36	Options for communicating with the OBD2 port include handheld devices, a gauge that you install in your vehicle, PC or phone and tablet software.
02:46	Gauge based systems are more conducive to a permanent install while others are better for temporary use during diagnostics or tuning.
02:53	When it comes to reading codes, OBD scan tools start at just a few dollars and go up to a few hundred dollars depending on the form factor and the capability.
03:02	Beyond that you can spend thousands on a tool that can also datalog and perform various vehicle specific diagnostic procedures but that isn't required for our purposes here.
03:12	Once you have access to the OBD system, you can view the results of a series of continuous and non -continuous tests.
03:19	These tests evaluate engine operation and emissions performance.
03:24	Readiness states can be updated and error codes can be set upon failure of a test or tests based on sensor readings sampled during stationary and driving conditions within a specified test range.
03:36	Depending on the particular error, a CEL meaning check engine light or MIL meaning malfunction indicator light may illuminate.
03:45	On newer vehicles, a warning may otherwise be displayed via the gauge cluster or the infotainment system.
03:51	Some vehicles may also send an email or phone app alert upon detection of emissions test failures and this data may also be passed on to other parties.
04:00	If a vehicle is operated on public roads or anywhere emissions regulations apply, no emissions tests should fail and the appropriate readiness monitors should pass, making this a great place to start.
04:13	I say appropriate readiness monitors because for example not all vehicles have a heated catalyst or an EGR system so those monitors may not apply to your specific vehicle.
04:23	While readiness monitors and check engine codes don't test emissions to the same level of accuracy as lab grade emissions equipment, government regulators make OEMs prove that these systems can detect significant emissions issues.
04:36	So, why not let their millions of dollars spent to satisfy those regulations give you data to start from? After creating a calibration or installing physical components, we should make sure that no DTCs have been disabled.
04:51	Then reset the ECU, drive the vehicle and see if after a reasonable period of time, the vehicle has passed all the onboard diagnostic tests.
05:00	Depending on the vehicle, how it's driven and ambient conditions, setting readiness for all monitors and passing all DTC checks may take anywhere from a matter of minutes through to a few weeks or longer.
05:12	We do have some tips for you though.
05:14	First, a lot of guesswork can be removed if you know the criteria for each test.
05:20	This information is often available in the factory service manual.
05:23	In the manual you may also find suggested driving behaviour, called drive cycles, which will help you operate the vehicle in a manner that causes these readiness tests to run.
05:33	Driving around without a plan and hoping for the best will still allow readiness monitors to be set in most cases but it'll typically take longer than a deliberate approach.
05:43	Some tests are quite difficult to perform under normal conditions and you'll find a chassis dyno can be a huge help.
05:49	For example a particular car may require going back and forth between two vehicle speeds repeatedly and the time in each speed range may also be specific as well.
05:59	Even if you know the drive cycle, without a test track many miles long, a drive cycle like this isn't easy to achieve.
06:06	With traffic, stop signs or traffic lights, you can end up in a situation where you have to start the whole process over.
06:14	Because that's such a pain to accomplish, customers will often be better to rent dyno time to perform these drive cycles.
06:20	If you have a dyno and your schedule isn't already full, this is a service you may want to offer, especially if you live in an area that requires all monitors being ready to pass mandatory vehicle inspection.
06:31	The dyno also helps during development because you can more quickly repeat tests to see if you pass or fail after making a component or a calibration change.
06:40	If you don't have a dyno, an empty track and a co driver who can help keep you on the drive cycle is probably the next best thing.
06:48	Some tests won't run in a single drive cycle because they require starting the engine below a certain temperature or specifically require multiple engine starts.
06:58	If you've taken a 2 hour drive and not set some monitors ready, consider turning the engine off for a bit, starting it back up and doing some more driving.
07:06	If you live in a very hot or very cold climate or at high altitude, also keep in mind that some of these tests will never occur if the ambient reading or fluid temperature readings are outside of a certain range.
07:19	For example a particular test might not run unless the engine coolant temperature is below 32°C.
07:25	This sounds reasonable, however if you're located somewhere with a very hot climate in the middle of summer, the coolant temperature may not drop below this point, even after sitting all night.
07:35	A solution to this could include parking in an air conditioned room overnight to drop the coolant temperature below the threshold, thus allowing the test to run.
07:43	When it comes to EVAP system tests, fuel level can be a critical factor.
07:47	Some tests require the fuel tank to be over a certain level or sometimes under a certain level.
07:53	Other tests require pumping fuel into the vehicle since that's another condition that the evaporative emission system has to support.
08:00	Again, sometimes you can just fire a car up, take a drive and pass all of the tests but the test criteria are not the same across all vehicles.
08:09	Some are going to be more particular than others and if you know all of the criteria, you can save yourself some time and avoid any surprises.
08:17	We've spent a lot of time on federally mandated onboard diagnostics found on OE engine computers but what if you have an aftermarket standalone ECU? At the time of recording, some aftermarket ECUs can transmit data onto an OBD2 port but not in a manner that includes the vehicle specific emission test cycles and data that the vehicle was originally certified to.
08:38	For that reason, standalone ECUs don't offer this helpful data and are regulated to off road competition use only in some areas but that doesn't mean that you can't create clean burning calibrations using these ECUs.
08:51	Onboard diagnostics are just one tool to monitor emissions and the tools I'll talk about in the next few modules can be used regardless whether you're working with an OE or a standalone ECU.
09:02	This has been a lot to take in so let's have a quick recap.
09:06	Vehicle manufacturers invest millions of dollars to ensure onboard diagnostics can detect major emissions faults and we can take advantage of their hard work.
09:16	Make sure you haven't disabled any emissions related DTCs or forced any readiness tests to pass.
09:22	Then operate the vehicle and see if all monitors set readiness without any error codes being set.
09:29	OBD2 scan tools come in a variety of forms including handheld units, gauges for permanent install or dongles made to work with PC, tablet or phone applications.
09:39	While OBD2 wasn't adopted worldwide at the same time, most vehicles manufactured since the year 2000 have these great tools available to you.