This is a new one for me. My van is a 95 e350 7.3. It failed the annual diesel inspection because the inspector said my cat sounds hollow. The highest opacity ready was 9%, less than half the legal limit (I think). Has anyone ever run into this in the state of Colorado? It passed all emission readings and requirements but failed due to how it sounds. Is this normal? What would you do?

some info- bought the van in 2020 and I have never touched the catalytic converter

 

i would take it to another shop. if it passed all tests, it passed. just because he says "it sounds hollow" don't mean diddly squat if it has passed emissions the past 4 years you owned it.

 

That mechanic sounds like a moron and a crook. Take it somewhere else.

 

sounds to me like a private run shop that does inspections trying to rip you off.
lucky for us here in NJ we have state run inspection stations.

 

it’s a private shop alright. I’m just going to try at a different shop like someone else suggested.

 

Just curious.. What states require smog check/inspection on 94.5 - 97 7.3L obs?

 

commifornia, and certain counties on commirodo, certain counties in maryland, certain counties in nevada, certain counties in utah, certain counties in tennessee, certain counties in wisconsin, nu ywak, connecticut, arizona, and i believe parts of Pennsylvania

 

commirado, that’s the word I was looking for. Thanks

 

Went for the retest and it passed no problem, but it seems I picked up another problem. On the drive home, the TC would not lock! Then I remembered that I washed the truck just before the inspection (stupid mistake) and it seems some water got in the passenger side trans plug. I pulled it out when I got home and it was a little moist. Letting it dry out opened up tonight. Tomorrow is another day

 

Plugged in the transmission and went to work today. Still the TC will NOT lock. There is a possibility that the inspection guy broke something, but even then it’s not his fault. I did get a blinking OD light but finding someone to read the codes is difficult. In the mean time I might try to wire up the lock/unlock switch. Anyone know if the monetary will work and which wires do I isolate?

 

Your 95 should have a live OBD port under the dash.
download either torque pro or forscan, and get an OBD bluetooth adapter. Hook up with your phone and read the codes.

 

On it, pulled code p1728

transmission slip fault

internal machanical/hydraulic failure

i switched it mobile 1 synthetic ATF about 3k miles ago, what are the next steps? Thankyou

 

That will be a question for our trans guru Mark.
I would post the trans symptoms and what you found in the transmission section.

 

https://www.thedieselstop.com/thread...-p1728.178022/

About the code and a reply form mark years ago

 

Thanks everyone. I’m seeing lots of info about the code online, so im still diagnosing before doing anything major. Right now im stumped by this picture from FORScan Automatically I’m thinking a bad ground or a short somewhere but what do I know, or maybe bad pcm? any ideas?