For an ASM test on a vehicle with a 3.6L engine, which gear and RPM range should be used?

• A. Second gear, 1250-2500 RPM
• B. First gear, 1000-2000 RPM
• C. Third gear, 1500-3000 RPM
• D. Fourth gear, 1500-2500 RPM

Answer: (A)

Emissions testing needs the engine to run under a realistic, steady load so the readings reflect typical driving and the catalytic converter reaches its operating temperature. A mid-range gear provides enough torque to load the engine without lugging, while the RPM range keeps the engine in its proportional, stable operating zone. For a 3.6L engine, using second gear in the roughly 1250–2500 RPM band hits that balance: it supplies meaningful load to heat the exhaust system and produce representative exhaust gas data, without revving so high that readings become unrepresentative or harsh on the test equipment. In contrast, shifting to a lower gear at the same RPM could overwork the engine and cause non-representative results, while higher gears at these RPMs would underload the engine and also skew the data.