Battery was disconntected to replace a connector now computer is 'not ready' and failed emissions test. driven it over 600 miles since then. Tried to follow steps to complete a 'drive cycle' numerous times over the past 3 weeks. At wits end.

If the battery is disconnected or the computer looses its memory, the truck has to be driven thru a series of trips to be ready to test. The drive cycle includes highway at above 55mph, city driving between 25 and 45mph, and several stops and starts. The engine must be at normal operating temp when the drive is done. Average total distance is 50-100 miles.

hi you can try disconnection the battery , wait 5 minutes them reconnect. also you can check with auto zone , they do free diagnostic check through the obd2 connector. this may aid in pin pointing the problem

You can get it reset at any shop usually for cheap it takes about 10 to 15 minutes

if you are failing emmissions test your evaporator canister is expired replace it and then you and your car will get a green light

Has the battery been disconnected, or has it gone dead? Every time the battery is disconnected, all trouble codes are cleared, the check engine light is turned off, and all system monitors are reset. For the monitors to get back to a 'ready' status, the vehicle needs to go through one or more (sometimes quite a few) drive cycles.
When you go to the emission station, they check for codes, AND also check to see how many of your monitors are in a 'ready' status. (This keeps people from disconnecting the battery, and thus clearing any trouble codes, in order to pass emission tests).
If you have not disconnected your battery for a while, but the monitors are still not showing 'ready', you need to have a qualified shop check out your computer and other electronic systems.

What does "not ready" mean?

A service technician will turn off the dashboard "check engine" light after most repairs. This resets the vehicle's emission system components to "not ready". The status remains "not ready" until the vehicle's computer has had adequate time to review the repaired component. This happens after the vehicle is driven for a period of time established by the manufacturer.

If the vehicle's emissions system status is "not ready" when it is presented at the E-Check station during the initial test cycle, a tailpipe emissions test may be conducted. If the vehicle is transferred to another test type, the vehicle must remain on the different test track until the vehicle passes the emissions test or receives a waiver. For example, if the vehicle undergoes an OBD II test and fails, it cannot be downgraded to a tailpipe test on a re-test; the vehicle must pass the OBD II test.

For initial and subsequent tests, if a dashboard light is on when the vehicle is presented at the E-Check station, the vehicle will fail the test.

How can the vehicle status be made ready?

When a vehicle is driven through its normal drive cycle, the computer reviews the emission control
system and if the vehicle was properly repaired, the system resets itself to ready. A normal drive
cycle includes operation at both cruising speeds and in stop-and-go traffic for up to a couple
weeks. This process should be followed before bringing the vehicle in to be tested.

Nope, you just need more miles. When the car's computer has been disconnected from power (such as when the battery is unhooked), it'll set what are called "readiness codes" when power is reapplied. It takes a certain number of miles to clear these - some cars require 50 miles, some 100 miles, and some (such as some Isuzu models) need very specific drive cycles to clear them. Once the requisite number of miles have been driven without issues, the readiness codes will extinguish and your car should pass.

the computer needs to be reset by performing a code erase then drive 500 miles

This is the biggest flaw in emissions testing. It takes 4 tanks of fuel and 1000 miles of wasteful driving to reset the computer on the FORD TAURUS (I've got a 2000). So much for pollution control!