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#638 of 709 2006 4cyl manual work truck - P0017 on and off? by zundapman

Feb 28, 2012 (4:29 pm)

I recently picked up a 2006 Chevorlet Colorado work truck with only 28K miles on it. I should have researched the model more thoroughly but I was simply worn out trying to find a replacement for my trusty 140K mile 1995 Ford Ranger "long bed" five speed which was destroyed by a 19year old on her cell phone. When I test drove the truck I knew nothing about the console and somehow missed the fact that the "check engine" symbol was on. It was so quiet that I thought they lighted up a motor symbol to assure you the motor was running :={.
 
Eventually, after changing fluids, etc. I pulled the code and it was P0017. My independent mechanic put the motor on his diagnostic stand and couldn't find anything wrong so we started replacing sensors. After replacing all three sensors (he paid for the third one himself) we were at a loss as to what was going on. The light would come on, stay on a few days, and then shut itself off, then come back on again.
 
The radio in the truck had been replaced by the Previous Owner with an Alpine unit using the wrong mounting hardware so the panel in the cab stuck out slightly. Our next hypothesis was that the radio had been inavertently wired into the "data line" of the wiring harness which carries 12v instead of the correct terminal associated with the ignition lock, etc. since the radio operated completely independently of the key. Partly so I could play MP3s off my player in the truck, I replaced the radio, planning to get a report from the techs regarding the wiring of the old radio, but they got away from me and had it installed and working correctly before they even thought to note which line the old radio had been using. At any rate, replacing the radio gave me a working clock and now the radio shuts off and on with the key as expected, and I can listen to my audio books while driving around with the "P0017" check engine code still showing.
 
By this time we had cleared the check engine light and code about 12 times!
 
The other day I got out on the expressway, set the cruise at 70 and blew about 8-10 miles down the road to pick up some stuff. When I came out of the warehouse and started up the truck it was on. I stopped briefly at the foot of the driveway to make a phone call, and when I restarted the truck, it was off and so far, fingers crossed, it has not come back on.
 
My latest hypothesis is that this particular truck was left "sitting out" for quite a while without being driven and possibly without an oil change in more than a year. A bit of sludge might have been interfering with the hydraulic variable valve timeing and setting off the code when I started the truck up cold. Note that I was only putting 5-6K miles a year on my trusty old Ranger so I don't run this truck every day and most of my driving is short hauls on surface streets. I don't know what function switches the check engine light back off, as I thought that once the code was set the light says on, but my own experiences say that isn't quite the whole story.
 
When the light comes back on, what do I look for next? Do I need to try and "wash out the engine" the next time I change oil? Is there a known "glitch" in the on-board computer which makes it hyper-sensitive? I'm assuming that my motor is far enough down the line from the original 2004's that bad valve springs isn't the likely issue.

Replies to this message:

• diy71 (Mar 02, 2012 9:38 am)

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#639 of 709 Re: 2006 4cyl manual work truck - P0017 on and off? [zundapman] by diy71

Mar 02, 2012 (9:38 am)

Replying to: zundapman (Feb 28, 2012 4:29 pm)

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#640 of 709 Engine light on and won't start by njsez

Mar 02, 2012 (6:32 pm)

Replies to this message:

• zundapman (Mar 07, 2012 2:24 pm)
• gmcustsvcsarah (Mar 09, 2012 9:36 am)

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#641 of 709 Re: Brake repair costed me $2146.58 dollars [jimmyged] by omaita

Mar 02, 2012 (9:23 pm)

Replying to: jimmyged (Jan 07, 2012 6:30 am)

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#642 of 709 Re: Engine light on and won't start [njsez] by zundapman

Mar 07, 2012 (2:24 pm)

Replying to: njsez (Mar 02, 2012 6:32 pm)

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#643 of 709 Re: Engine light on and won't start [njsez] by gmcustsvcsarah

Mar 09, 2012 (9:36 am)

Replying to: njsez (Mar 02, 2012 6:32 pm)

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#644 of 709 2006 Chevy Colorado Codes by jette75

Apr 07, 2012 (2:23 am)

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#645 of 709 2006 Chevy Colorado Codes by jette75

Apr 07, 2012 (2:23 am)

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#646 of 709 Re: Low idle/check engine light/ tire alignment [longrunner1] by chrispaul

May 31, 2012 (3:01 pm)

Replying to: longrunner1 (Jan 26, 2009 2:40 pm)

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#647 of 709 Re: Low idle/check engine light/ tire alignment [longrunner1] by chrispaul

May 31, 2012 (3:07 pm)

Replying to: longrunner1 (Jan 26, 2009 2:40 pm)