Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Check engine light

even more annoying to me is the tire sensor.

at least its easily fixable I guess.

That's absolutely false.

Diagnostic codes make it far easier for a DIYer or a mechanic to diagnose and repair problems. It takes the guess work out.

If you pull the code(s) and do some internet research a competent DIY mechanic can accomplish repairs without resorting to taking it to a shop.

I try to stay away from those states. I prefer the free ones.

I checked the engine.

It's still in the same location.

People drove until the engines stopped working, or until they'd done so much damage to them they were not repairable.

[img]http://www.chemistryland.com/CHM107Lab/Exp02_Exhaust/ExhaustVapor.jpg[img]

Modern engines get much better mileage and last longer than engines of years gone by. But at a cost.

Me too -- $120,000+ miles of check engine light...

I'll second the suggestion to get or borrow a code scanner. I kept getting the CEL in my Durango and it turned out to be just the gas cap. (My friendly garage had replaced the original one because it was 12 years old. The new one was the faulty one. Sigh...)

I would too but I'm that sort of guy. The old Explorer does the check engine light intermittently under certain load conditions which I can't exactly pin down. Coaxed the error code out of the box and it basically says nothing. Or rather nothing specific, just that the fuel injector impulse was longer than expected. Absolutely no other symptoms so I try to ignore it but very irritating. I'm old enough to remember when the engine idiot light came on it meant something important.

I have an '04 Pontiac Montana. Last year the light came on for the front O2 sensor. I could easily look at it but it took an arm with 3 elbows to get at it.

A friend had a 90 something Ford Aerostar with the V6. Changing the #6 plug required pulling the engine. He sold it with well over 100k and 5 new plugs.

We don't have vehicle inspections in Alabama. Some people say we're backwards but we are usually reluctant to let the government into our lives.

That's the reason I replaced it. This is my last vehicle I ever intend to buy so I keep it in tip top condition. Purrs like a kitten with only 127,000 miles on it. Gets 21+ mpg on the interstate but I only drive 60 mph now due to my eyesight. Just being careful and I don't have to be anywhere so why hurry?

It's a curse I have to endure that I cannot abide having something that is not in good condition. It costs me more to maintain a vehicle than it does most people and I doubt that I'll change if I haven't changed by now.

Au contraire, my friend. Scripture tells us to give thanks in all things. Not owning a Porsche gives me one more reason to give thanks at night. I pray you and the missus are doing well.

And I have a friend that owns a code reader and does this, or so he claims. I ain't about to start pulling the manifold on a Vortec engine and start replacing things. Not in a million years. Didn't mind spending the $$$ to have them do it and besides, the co-owner of this place is one of the most honest men I've ever known. I trust him totally.

I had a CEL for many years too. Pissed me off that I had to go to the dealer to figure out what it was. I hate the stealer.

Buddy's simple code scanner said EGR system. Decided to let it ride. Bothered me to see it on the dash though. Never sure if something else had popped up. Finally decided to chase it down when they ramped up smog checks for diesels. Turned out to be a solenoid. Easy fix. $25, a 1/2-inch socket, and 10 minutes. Once I was pretty sure what it was, I called, and stealer wanted 1 hour plus $65 for the part, but of course they "could not be sure that is what it was until they got the truck in house." :rolleyes: Saw the return on buying a good scanner right away.

When I installed a lift pump, got the CEL. Fuel rail pressure. Adjusted the pressure on the lift pump, fixed it. Nice.

My code scanner is an EFI Live unit that also is a programmer. $650. Now I can read and diagnose CEL's plus program different tunes. I like mild tunes, but a tune for towing, one for economy, and one for a few extra safe horses (20%), is nice to have. It is possible to tune out all the emissions crap too, although I would NEVER do that! So when I drive 1500 miles each way on a hunting trip, I load the economy tune, and sip diesel at 75-80 mph. Once I arrive, I load the 20%-over tune, and I billy goat the back roads in 4x4. Leaving back home, load the economy tune again. Love it!

Also, I periodically take a ride with all the diagnostics on and get unbelievable feedback on a whole lot of stuff, some of which is huge like injector balance rates, to head stuff off at the pass. But there is sooooo much data available that it boggles the mind. It's a great way to have some insight into what's going in in your truck, and for a preventative maintenance type of guy, like me, it is invaluable.

Sooooo, I hated CEL's at first, but decided to join them instead of trying to beat them, and with a good scanner/programmer, I think it's better than waiting for a noise to alert you to a problem. Yeah, there will be things I can't fix myself, but at least I will know what I am in for.

Plus, going to the dealer and saying "my balance rate on my #8 injector is out of spec and my injector warranty expires in 30 days. Return rates ares still good, the CP3 is to spec, all the filters are new, and I've done the Gm injector cleaning " is different from "My truck is running rough and smoking."

It's worth getting with the program. They are not going away.

We don't have vehicle inspections in South Dakota either. Partly because we're a little more than reluctant to let government into our lives but probably more because a large minority of vehicles couldn't pass and couldn't be made to pass.

Can't fault a guy for wanting his vehicle in perfect condition, those aren't the guys I pass on the side of the Interstate.

Auto Zone or the like will check your engine light, tell you what the problem is, and turn it off, Free.

Mick, take the back roads. 60mph on the interstate is suicide.

I've got a fairly cheap reader, ScanGuageII ($150 or so) and it has pointed me in the right direction many times on GM, Honda, and Ford vehicles.

Many people talk about vehicles these days and what it takes to fix them. They look the other way when you point out a vehicle today with 225,000 miles still runs very well, while a vehicle from 40 years ago was on its last legs at 100,000 miles. Saying that, I fully admit the cost of buying a vehicle today is magnitudes above the one from 40 years ago.

Was that intentional?

For early PRE obd ll tbi vehicle, you can read your trouble codes without a scanner.
You just need a paper clip or short piece of wire, explanation on how to, and what the codes mean at this link.

http://www.cfm-tech.com/gm_tbi_trouble_codes.htm

Fish head is right, a code scanner makes diagnosing and/or fixing a modern vehicle so much easier for the home mechanic. At the very least, they will help you know what the problem is BEFORE you head to the dealer. If you have and Android phone, you can buy an application called Torque Pro. Then all you need is a Bluetooth reader from Amazon that plugs into your OBDII port and you're set to read your engine codes as well monitor how your engine and transmission is operating while parked or driving. There are similar programs available iPhones. Total cost for the program and the reader is around $40.

And it's not auto manufactures that have pushed this new auto technology. Government fuel economy and emission rules have driven auto manufacturers to squeeze every drop of fuel economy from engines while making them cleaner than ever. OBDII is your friend, read the codes then check the internet for what is wrong. Often you'll find detailed instructions on internet forums on how to repair the problem yourself.