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Old 10-10-2018, 11:15 PM   #1
equ
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Inspection woes

Car is 2011 535i 6-speed manual (4/11 build) running MHD Stage 1. Only other mod is M-performance exhaust.

I flashed MHD stage 1 93 OTS, with mild burbles and cold start delete in May 2018.

I reflashed in June to regain cold start (despite the noise it makes with my exhaust), as I found it easy to stall the manual transmission car on a cold start without the extra revs that stock provides.

I've generally been very happy with the tune. Normal and Sport mode still affect throttle as usual. The car feels faster with smooth power delivery. I have commented on f10 forums as much and given them props for what seems to be a quality tune. I never looked at logs, I never got a CEL.

Today the car failed NJ state inspection. It seems some codes/parameters are not ready. I have found out about the rightly feared "drive cycle". Before I get to the drive cycle, I think I need to make a choice in the MHD app:

1. Flash to Stage 0 (MHD remains installed, stock power)

2. Flash to stock (remove MHD)

I'm guessing 2. is safer to retest with but also requires more time with flashing and reflashing. I just flashed to Stage 0. As a bonus, the MHD app shows which codes are incomplete.

And now for the magic drive cycle...

2min15sec cold idle, then gentle accelerate to 20 to 30mph range, stay there for 3min15sec (presumably on the right lane with hazards on, because you need to be able to go that speed continuously for 1.5mi or so), then accelerate gently to the 40 to 60mph range and stay there for 15min. Decelerate and after stopping idle for 5 minutes.

If you ever fluctuate throttle wildly (whatever that means), go above 3000rpm or 60mph, the cycle is toast and you have to start from a cold car again.

Gotta love how I'll have to roll merges and stop signs, but then be dangerously slow just to get these stupid codes to ready. Why not risk yourself and others in traffic to collect emissions data?

I get it that the tune got me into this, but once you start searching drive cycle you see all sorts of causes for the "drive cycle" from dead batteries, to replaced sensors... Pretty much the same recipe for all 96+ bmw's, just the number of exceptions/incompletes may vary by state and by model year.
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Old 10-10-2018, 11:21 PM   #2
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Said procedure:
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Old 10-10-2018, 11:22 PM   #3
JST
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JFC, I just looked up "drive cycle" and that's nuts. They can't just use a sniffer instead, like they used to do?
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Old 10-10-2018, 11:37 PM   #4
rumatt
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A) Ugh.

B) I'm confused. What does doing this drive cycle accomplish? It logs all the correct information to get past an ECU check?
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Old 10-11-2018, 06:52 AM   #5
Nick M3
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You do not have to restart the cycle from scratch, FYI. You just need to complete all of the components.

Normally, the drive cycle is completed in normal driving - however, some people don’t.
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Old 10-11-2018, 06:54 AM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rumatt View Post
A) Ugh.

B) I'm confused. What does doing this drive cycle accomplish? It logs all the correct information to get past an ECU check?
After clearing DME codes, you are required to take long enough for all of the emissions diagnostics to run before doing an emissions scan. You know, to prevent people from resetting the DME before pulling in to the inspection station.

I hope that equ has a code reader and is using it to check the monitors.
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Old 10-11-2018, 07:29 AM   #7
John V
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Nick beat me to it. Get a scan tool that can scan the readiness flags. The drive cycle is just ... driving the vehicle normally. Some of the better scan tools will let you monitor the readiness flags as you drive.

There should be no surprise that an aftermarket flash may screw with emissions readiness. BMW has been tougher to get around emissions readiness than most other makes since at least the E46 generation.
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Old 10-11-2018, 08:37 AM   #8
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So while I had the hood up yesterday a neighbor came by and inquired. In a few minutes, I had a obdii scanner to borrow, a very basic one. I could see 3-4 codes as incomplete. After I was done with flashing to Stage 0 (but not removing MHD completely), I saw that MHD flashing app itself allows me to see the codes... So yeah, it'll be good to know that it is "ready" before I go and fail again. I hope the drive cycle is as normal as you make it to be; there are stories on the forums about people just not being able to get to the "ready" state.
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Old 10-11-2018, 09:04 AM   #9
wdc330i
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I predict you will sell this car before winter takes hold.
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Old 10-11-2018, 09:44 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wdc330i View Post
I predict you will sell this car before winter takes hold.
Yeah, it seems pretty redundant of the Macan's use cases.
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