Mine was $269.00 and it was well worth it. I got tired of going to O'Riley's to borrow theirs.... EZEARL, your '96 should be an OBDII equipped vehicle. '96 was the first year (I believe) chevy started using this, as it was first used with their new Vortec engines. Here's a little more about the OBDII system:
Unlike earlier OBD systems that set a DTC when a sensor circuit shorts, opens or reads out of range, OBD II is primarily emissions-driven and will set codes anytime a vehicle’s emissions exceed the federal limit by 1.5 times. It also will set codes if there is a gross sensor failure, but some types of sensor problems won’t always trigger a code. Consequently, the Check Engine light on an OBD II-equipped vehicle may come on when there is no apparent driveability problem, or it may not come on even though a vehicle is experiencing a noticeable driveability problem.
The determining factor as to whether or not the Check Engine light comes on is usually the problem’s effect on emissions. In many instances, emissions can be held in check, despite a faulty sensor, by adjusting fuel trim. So as long as emissions can be kept below the limit, the OBD II system may have no reason to turn on the light.
CHECK ENGINE LIGHT
The "Malfunction Indicator Lamp" (MIL), which may be labeled "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" or a symbol of an engine with the word "Check" in the middle, is supposed to alert the driver when a problem occurs.
Depending on how the system is configured and the nature of the problem, the lamp may come on and go off, remain on continuously or flash - all of which can be very confusing to the motorist because he has no way of knowing what the light means. Is it a serious problem or not? If the engine seems to be running okay, the motorist may simply ignore the light. With OBD II, the Check Engine light will come on only for emissions-related failures. A separate warning light must be used for other non-emissions problems such as low oil pressure, charging system problems, etc.
