Phantom Posted August 4, 2005 Share Posted August 4, 2005 Well - the dreaded OBD II engine warning light came on last night when I fired up to go home. Oil level and pressure is correct as well as coolant so I figure at this point it has something to do with the 02 sensor. The exhaust guy has been messing around the one on the passenger side so it's probably either damaged or has a bad connection. I'll get by Autozone and have them plug it in for the error code(s) in the next day or two. A friend was following me the other day and told me my tail lights were a bit strange - turn signals & brake lights were not consistant side-to-side as to location. Spent about 45 minutes last night with sweat running off me like a hose trouble shooting them. Turned out the three bulbs on the passenger side were all rotated one hole off. Evidently it happend a few months ago when the interior was done and I'm just now catching it. I wonder what else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 19, 2005 Author Share Posted August 19, 2005 Update on the update. Time for the OBDII gurus to weigh in. Evidently the LS1 has been fully absorbed by the S30. It is now starting to behave like the S30 I have grown to know and love over the years. Since I had no secondary indicators of impending failure I continued to drive the car with the warning light on. I borrowed my sons reader but didn't get a chance to use it due to other things going on - including a lot of travel. Then the warning light went out. It didn't even come on when the car was in the ignition position just prior to start. Oh well - the light bulb finally burned out - right? Wrong. A few days later I noticed a flash from the light as I started the car but it wouldn't repeat itself. Then, yesterday and today, everything is back to normal. The light comes on during ignition and then goes out when the car starts. On top of all that my gas mileage has improved a full 10% while this has been going on and I definitely haven't changed my driving style. Go figure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinCA Posted August 22, 2005 Share Posted August 22, 2005 Phantom.. Check those codes.. It sounds to me like it is an o2 sensor problem, though usually gas mileage gets worse with o2 problems, but if your mileage has improved greatly, i would worry that i was running too lean. I reccomend getting an alldata account from alldata.com for the vehicle in which the engine came out of. or any vehicle with the same engine. You will then have all the information you need to diagnose the obd2 codes that pop, and if memory serves me correctly, you dont need a code reader for obdII, you can check via flash codes by running a jumper from you diagnostic lead port to ground, but check the book first. You may simply have a loose wire to one of your o2 sensors or another emission control sensor. But in my experience, most sensor problems will cause very noticeable driveability issues, aside from evaporative emission control devices and o2 ( though 02 can definetly cause driveability problems). I have spent more time troubleshooting obd 1 problems than obd2, mainly because with obd2, the code that comes up directs you to the problem. If you dont have the diagnostic manual though, and you pop multiple codes, you may chase your tail for a while. Many time you will throw multiple codes for a single problem, because one sensor can affect the operation of many others. Because they all check themselves by monitoring other sensors reactions to certain emission control actuations. Hope i helped a bit. even though i pretty much just told you to check the code Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 There are a "hundred" things that could turn that light on. When it flashes is when you should not drive the car. When the light is on steady it is ok to drive. Get it checked out ASAP. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinCA Posted August 23, 2005 Share Posted August 23, 2005 Guy is right.. A flashing check engine light means that you are having a catalyst damaging misfire. and you should fix it asap. however, when you have a misfire that bad, you will definetly notice a loss of power, because it usually(75% of the time) requires a misfire on more than one cylinder to occur to actually dump enough raw fuel into the exaust to light the cat up... read the codes, you will be able to diagnose the problem fairly easily, if you have the correct test procedures to follow, try not to just throw parts at it. Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 23, 2005 Author Share Posted August 23, 2005 Thanks for the feed back guys. I have the reader - just haven't had the time / energy with the current work schedule to check it out. Looked for the under dash OBD II connection sunday but couldn't find it. It's not where it used to be so evidently the stereo guy 'did me a favor'. When I said the light 'flashes' I meant that it comes on during the 'start' sequence but goes out as soon as I release the key to the 'run' position. That is normal operation for the light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maichor Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 It takes me about 2 seconds to plug in a reader and five to look up the code, c'mon Bill, are we being a bit lazy here. Set your alarm 1 minute early and get 'er done. Your first post on this was 2 weeks ago! Don't make me come over there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Turbo_Lag Posted August 24, 2005 Share Posted August 24, 2005 My friend had the same problem with the o2 sensor and had to have it completely replaced..but then again...his car is a 2nd gen probe gt lol. and if even 1 of your pistons was misfireing-wouldnt that lead to worse gas mileage not better? not to mention a loss in power and preformance that was at least noticable? Feel free to correct me. Josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 24, 2005 Author Share Posted August 24, 2005 Geez Mikey! I've been in a rather intensive work period that has meant a lot of stress, long hours - and it's been freakin' hot!!! Seriously - the list of 'little things' is growing. It's up to four or five items now so I need to spend some quality time with Zack. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phantom Posted August 29, 2005 Author Share Posted August 29, 2005 Man - no good deed goes unpunished. I spent two hours Sunday afternoon upside-down under the dash looking for the OBD II connector and didn't find it. Now I'm going to have to pull the console and lower dash area covers on both sides and spend most of a day hunting. To add insult to injury - when I got done the car wouldn't start. It would crank fine but wouldn't fire off. Since it had been running fine I figured it had to be a self-inflicted wound so back under the dash I went. It took about 3 minutes and I found a wire that had pulled out of a connector - put it back in and the car fired right up. Whew! Then I found this morning that the wire had also caused my radio to lose its memory so now I have to redo all the settings on it! At least I was able to wash the car and clean it up some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RPMS Posted August 30, 2005 Share Posted August 30, 2005 At least I was able to wash the car and clean it up some. Good. Your car needs all the cleaning it can get. Seriously- you've got one heck of a good looking ride going there. Can't wait to see it again at next month's Cowtown Z meeting. Barring disaster, MY car will actually be there! And since we got bitched out last month for letting membership slide, my partner bought a Z33 and we're bringing that, as well. Should be a fun time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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