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Check Engine light

1688 messages,  Last post on May 10, 2013 at 12:21 PM

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What is this discussion about? Fuel System, Electrical, Engine

Messages Page 166 of 170

#1646 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [slogan5] by tony12345

Sep 30, 2009 (5:38 pm)

Replying to: slogan5 (Sep 30, 2009 4:39 pm)
slogan5, 09/30/2009
 
First of all, you have to say the year, make, model, engine size, and mileage so that people can get an idea of the type of car we are dealing with. Second, fuel injection cleaning is a waste of money. The best thing to clean your fuel injectors is to go down to your local auto parts store [Pep Boys, Auto Zone, Napa, etc..] and buy yourself a bottle of a STP Fuel Injector cleaner. Do this once or twice a year.
 
Third, why did you do a tune-up? And what parts were changed? I am willing to bet that the mechanic that sold you the "fuel injection cleaning" ruined your O2 sensor [also known as an oxygen sensor]. I can also tell you that you "may" have needed a tune-up [the key word is may] and you did "not need" the fuel injection cleaning service. I will try to help you if you want. You can e-mail me with as much info as you can.
 
Don't take your car back to the shop or mechanic that did your fuel injection cleaning. Take your car down to Pep Boys or AutoZone and they wil connect a special scanner to your car for free. They will tell you the code number and which part is bad. The special scanner is also known as a "code reader". Also if you want you can buy one of these code readers for about $70-90. You can buy the cheapest one, you do not need the most expense one. The code readers can be used on both imports and domestic cars from 1995-2005.

#1647 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [slogan5] by euphonium

Oct 01, 2009 (11:23 am)

Replying to: slogan5 (Sep 30, 2009 4:39 pm)
Not guaranteed, but it has worked for me.
 
Disconnect the Negative battery cable from the battery and reconnect it the next morning. This has been known, on some cars, to reset the computer.

#1648 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [slogan5] by kiawah

Oct 01, 2009 (12:48 pm)

Replying to: slogan5 (Sep 30, 2009 4:39 pm)
Take it back, where you had it tuned.
 
There is an algorithm in the cars computer, which will continue to track all of the sensors, and after so many starts and miles driven without any error conditions it will turn the light off. A month should have been plenty of time to reset itself.

#1649 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [euphonium] by slogan5

Oct 01, 2009 (3:25 pm)

Replying to: euphonium (Oct 01, 2009 11:23 am)
I have a 2001 Izusu Rodeo Sport, it has approximately 32000 miles on it. It was kind of slow to start, not really running smoothly, so I took it in for a tune up. They did a fuel injection cleaning, put new plugs in. Initially, when I brought it in the engine light was not on, right after they finished with it, the engine light came on. I have brought it back three times and was told that it was because the computer was reading the fumes, gunk ???? whatever had not fully cleared out and once I drove it around for at least 100 miles or so, the engine light would automatically go out. I have done that and it is still on. I was told that it was just a false reading (I believe it was a misfire code that came up). I am getting really frustrated....

#1650 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [slogan5] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Oct 01, 2009 (3:56 pm)

Replying to: slogan5 (Oct 01, 2009 3:25 pm)
Well tell them to turn the light off at their expense and see what happens. It only takes them a few minutes. See if you can get a code # for us.

#1651 of 1688 Re: Check engine light [slogan5] by kiawah

Oct 01, 2009 (3:57 pm)

Replying to: slogan5 (Oct 01, 2009 3:25 pm)
They need to read, and then clear, the error codes. They may not have fixed the original problem, but did a couple obvious first steps to see if they could have an impact.
 
If the error doesn't clear, it can stop you from passing inspection if that is one of your state requirements.
 
Take it back now. If you wait much longer they will treat it as a 'new' problem, and charge you for diagnosis time.

#1652 of 1688 1998 civic "Check Engine" by rcross

Nov 07, 2009 (9:58 am)

O2 sensor replaced by Honda dealer. "CE" came bak on. Independent mechanic replaced bosch plugs with NGK. I checked. They are correct type. "CE" came back on. Engine misses at idle. The code indicated catalytic converter. Still a third mechanic replaced the plug wires which made it run like new except for the stumbling idle and now "CE" back on (probably for the cat converter again).
   Will get code checked soon. Have you seen this before? Thank you.

#1653 of 1688 Re: 1998 civic "Check Engine" [rcross] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Nov 07, 2009 (10:02 am)

Replying to: rcross (Nov 07, 2009 9:58 am)
I've certainly seen hundreds of 02 sensors replaced needlessly because the "mechanic" doesn't test the old one for the voltage value range.

#1654 of 1688 Re: 1998 civic "Check Engine" [rcross] by srs_49

Nov 09, 2009 (11:13 am)

Replying to: rcross (Nov 07, 2009 9:58 am)
I'm betting the code was something to do with catalytic converter efficiency? If so, that's sort of an indirect measure of the cat in that the algorithm compares the outputs of the front O2 sensor(s), which are in front of the cat, to the output of the rear O2 sensor, behind the cat. So, the problem could be with the other O2 sensor, the one that maybe wasn't replaced.
 
Though, misses at idle may mean the engine is dumping unburnt fuel into the exhaust, and hence into the cat. I think that can kill a cat pretty quickly.

#1655 of 1688 Infrequently by euphonium

Nov 10, 2009 (4:47 pm)

the CEL goes off and on while at highway speeds. It is a '94 Town Car, 145000 miles and runs great otherwise. What could be causing this?

Messages Page 166 of 170

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