Another member suggested I purchase an iCarSoft i930 Scanner. Plugs into OBD2 socket. Best $120 I even spent. Provides real diagnostics and reset capability almost as good as a dealer's tool. Tells you exactly what causes the problem and pinpoints you to the fix.

 

Well, I have done 5 drive cycles now. I have maintained at least 55 mph for at least 5 minutes as suggested. Up hill and down, from cold engine to hot. The cat monitor will still not set. There is no error code, only a pending p1000,which simply means the ECU is not done.
Can anyone give me an idea of how I can encourage this car to finish? What exactly is it looking for, is it a voltage signal maybe. Can that be read with a better scanner than I have? Everything else has checked in OK and the car runs great. I am starting to think this car does not like me,after all that I have done to save it from an early grave!

 

JUST went through this. Cats. We reset the codes a few times and then hard reset the battery. After that drove a couple hundred miles and all was completed. There WAS an issue with the VVT plugs being wet with oil (we cleaned them) and that seemed to have an effect. (apparently the CAT will not run the test unless some other things complete, and VVT may be among them)

 

here where I live in central ca I know that the evap not being ready is ok to smog...if I remember right the smog shop said something about 1 monitor not ready is ok....ask your smog guy...if he is good he will tell you upfront....by the way where I live it is all star certified stuff now...the toughest in the nation and last time I smogged I had 1 monitor not ready and that is when the tech told me about the loophole and I passed...just cannot remember which monitor it was...sorry

 

2003 XK8
I had similar problems with cat fault codes - ran a couple of cans of Dura Lube 'cat rehab juice' in several tank fulls and a lot of miles to no effect (and also replaced the evap solenoid which was dodgy - didn't consistently click on-off when tested). Before springing for the cat replacement, replaced the O2 sensors and voila, problem went away - passed emissions, and still good two years later.
Jan

 

I will post the results when I finally get to the bottom of this. At this time there are no codes,other than p1000 pending. So really no directions other than keep driving it until it clears. Kind of hard to do since it is on a non-op. I got a notice from DMV that i have until the middle of August to get this done.

 

Have you taken a look at the fuel trims? Not positive it is holding the monitor back, but high fuel trims are not your friend...