How to Get the EVAP Monitor to Complete:
1. Get you gas tank at 1/2 fuel level. Cannot be more the 3/4, nor less than 1/4. Having it at 1/2 is safest.
So, if you tank is all topped off, you will have to wait until you have used up some gas (don't waste it.) If you go empty, just fill it to 1/2 and go home. CHECK YOUR GAS CAP, and make sure it appears to seal well!
2. Turn off the A/C and the Radio, and the Headlights.
3. Cold soak the vehicle over-night. (e.g. It has to sit for at least 8 hours, and the engine block MUST cool down to a temperature below 80F.) So basically, has to sit overnight.
4. Best to run the test in the EARLY, pre-traffic morning!!!! e.g. Get up at 5am, wait until dawn (so that you can drive without headlights), and THEN and run the test.
5. Start the vehicle, DO NOT turn off the vehicle at ANY time during the test. If you turn it off before completion, then you have to go back to stop 2 (an overnight cold soak....)
6. Let the vehicle idle for 1 minute (warm up a bit).
7. Drive to the freeway.
8. Get on the freeway, and drive between 53MPH and 60MPH. Do NOT go below 53MPH, do NOT go above 60MPH. I find it easiest to drive between 55MPH and 59MPH. In CA, this is slow and hard, hence the early AM start when traffic is light, so that you do not get run over going exactly 55MPH+ in the slow lane. DO NOT USE the cruise control. Manual peddle only, gentle acceleration is best, light touch on peddle, and stay in the speed zone.
9. Drive for at least 10 minutes at 55MPH. I prefer a bit extra, e.g. drive for 12 minutes or more at 55MPH.
10. Exit the freeway, and take note of the time of your first FULL and COMPLETE stop. Time X. DO NOT TURN OFF THE VEHICLE.
11. Continue to Drive in "city" traffic for AT LEAST 20 minutes. City traffic is 0 to 40 MPH. Target driving between 35 and 40 MPH on streets that support that speed. Stop at stop lights/signs. Try to stay stopped for at least 5 second. (So if its close, linger a second or two before the guy behind you honks, so that you can get a 5+ second full stop idle on short lights). You MUST have AT LEAST 4 full and complete stops for 5 seconds or more at idle. I prefer 6 stops in case a few are too short at idle. Usually, it is typically no problem to have 6 stops of at least 5 seconds in "city" driving that lasts 20 minutes.
12. After X+20 minutes, I usually go for X+22 to handle rounding issues between you (a person), and the Evap Monitor (a computer).
13. When "starting" from the stops during the city drive cycle, you want to get up to 35 MPH within 12 seconds each time if you can. But do not go over 40MPH. (Hitting 39 or 40 is just great, but >42 is bad). If you exceed 45, restart your 20 minutes to THAT time, but keep driving... (test will just take longer).
14. When complete with the 10+ minutes of Freeway driving between 53MPH and 60MPH, and the 20+ minutes of city driving between 0 and 40MPH, generally starts, and cruising between 35MPH and 40MPH, with at least 4 stops (6 are better).,
GO HOME, and turn off the vehicle.
15. Recheck your vehicle readiness with your I/M monitor check device. (Or go to an auto-parts store and ask them to check it for you). You do NOT want to reset anything, that will reset the monitors.... and you will have to start over. So DO NOT clear any actual or pending codes! If you have actual codes, the MIL light (check engine light) will be on. If you have pending code, they might go away, depends on what they are.
This will generally cause the Eval Monitor to move from INCOMPLETE to OK status. It is a pain in the butt.
MUST:
1/2 Tank. (Must be between 1/4 and 3/4 for the monitor to run, and being at 1/2 is BEST!)
A/C Off, Radio Off, Lights OFF. (No auxilliiary loads on the alternator, or the monitor will not run.)
MUST be an 8 hour cold soak engine off!
MUST be block temperature below 80F before firing up the engine. 70F is safer.
Speed 53MPH to 59MPH on the freeway. No faster or slower, DO NOT use cruise control!
12+ minutes on Freeway. (Done first, after the 1 min of idle warmup).
22+ minutes on city, 0-40MPH, with 4 stops (6 is better).
THEN you can off the engine, and only then.