I recently purchased a 98 dakota 4x4 with a 318 5.2 v8. I did some work on the truck so that I can get it inspected.

Here is the thing:

I have drove for 115 miles and no service engine light, and all my monitors, but the O (oxygen sensor monitor) and the EV (evaporative system monitor) have stopped blinking. Now in NY i can't get the truck to pass inspection until at least one of those monitors stop blinking.

on past vehicles, after 50 miles, the monitors have reset and stopped blinking. A guy at advanced auto said that some cars take up to 600 miles... WHAT?

does anyone know what the drive cycles are for the PCM to reset itself?

I'm running out of time to get the truck inspected before my temporary inspection expires.

 

take off the neg. battery terminal for 10 minutes and see what happens.

 

isn't that the same thing as clearing the codes with my scan tool?

 

ummm not sure, worth a shot though.

 

i'd hate to do it and then have to re-drive the extra miles...

thats why i'm trying to find out the drive cycle for the PCM to reset itself before I go and clear it again. thanks for your help so far!

 

drive cycle shouldn't be more than 100-150 miles. I would try the battery pull.
it's free except for having to re-drive the miles if it doesn't work.

 

been searching and just found this:
RUNNING AN OBDII DRIVE CYCLE
Suppose you have "fixed" an emissions problem on an OBDII-equipped vehicle. How can you check your work? By performing what is called an "OBDII drive cycle."
The purpose of the OBDII drive cycle is to run all of the onboard diagnostics. The drive cycle should be performed after you have erased any trouble codes from the PCM memory, or after the battery has been disconnected. Running through the drive cycle sets all the system monitors so that subsequent faults can be detected.
The OBDII drive cycle begins with a cold start (coolant temperature below 122 degrees F and the coolant and air temperature sensors within 11 degrees of one another).
NOTE: The ignition key must not be on prior to the cold start otherwise the heated oxygen sensor diagnostic may not run.
1. As soon as the engine starts, idle the engine in drive for two and a half minutes with the A/C and rear defrost on. OBDII checks oxygen sensor heater circuits, air pump and EVAP purge.
2. Turn the A/C and rear defrost off, and accelerate to 55 mph at half throttle. OBDII checks for ignition misfire, fuel trim and canister purge.
3. Hold at a steady state speed of 55 mph for three minutes.
OBDII monitors EGR, air pump, O2 sensors and canister purge.
4. Decelerate (coast down) to 20 mph without braking or depressing the clutch. OBDII checks EGR and purge functions.
5. Accelerate back to 55 to 60 mph at half throttle. OBDII checks misfire, fuel trim and purge again.
6. Hold at a steady speed of 55 to 60 mph for five minutes.
OBDII monitors catalytic converter efficiency, misfire, EGR, fuel trim, oxygen sensors and purge functions.
7. Decelerate (coast down) to a stop without braking. OBDII makes a final check of EGR and canister purge.