I have a 1997 Toyota Previa. I failed a smog check and the mechanic gave this reason: timing connector doesn't ground for ignition timing to be checked. He said the Check Engine Light is supposed to come on when the connector is grounded, but it doesn't.Where/what is this timing connector, and does this have anything to do with the OBD-II connector under the driver's seat?
The OBD2 connector is technically called the DLC or Data Link Connector. Timing Connector does not make any sense to me, unless perhaps it is the wiring clip leading to any one of the sensors that check timing. Do you have a check engine light on? Did he give you a specific OBD2 code? More useful than naming a connector would be the actual connector number that you could look up on a wiring diagram. I will give you one warning, though - if you are in CA I am trained on 49 state emissions and not CA emissions. There are a couple connectors that we just don't use over here on the East Coast and we only see CA emissions vehicles in the shop once in a blue moon, so when we do, we hit Alldata, Mitchell On Demand or the like. I am certified in PA emissions and I spoke to the MD emissions office when I moved and they didn't pay enough, but my cert would have transfered. We either do the treadmill test or plug to the DLC and test the gas cap depending on the year and inspect the components for tampering. We don't ground any sensors, which is another reason that just doesn't make sense to me.
if your van failed smog check then you need to do a tune up spark plug,spark plug wires etc. Change O2 sensor and cat converter
