Service Engine Soon Light
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 15
From: United States
What could cause the 'service engine soon' light to come on? Would the 'change oil light' cause this, if I haven't changed oil yet and reset the meter? It currently idles a little rough, and may try to shut off! I haven't changed spark plugs, air filter or oil yet, 130K.Edited by: tegger
Junior Member
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 3
From: United States
If your car is running a little rough, then it is likely faulty plug. You could have Auto Zone diagnose it free to find out what the codes are. I had a similar situation and after new plugs installed, the problem was solved. You will still need to reset the service engine lite. Hope this help.
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 219
From: United States
Plugs and wires first. Then coilpack. Check codes is a must. Misfires may throw codes.
When plugs are pulled they can be examined for other problems. Chalky
white is glycol coolant contamination is an example. etc.. they should
be hot chockolate brown.
Good luck
When plugs are pulled they can be examined for other problems. Chalky
white is glycol coolant contamination is an example. etc.. they should
be hot chockolate brown.
Good luck
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 15
From: United States
I took it to AutoZone. They hookup computer and it gave them a code 43. He said it was a 'ignition control modular'. $137 later, I replace it, which it is under the coil packs. I started it and 'no check engine light'. Today I started it and the 'alternator light was on and discharging toward the red area'! I drove it less then a mile and then the alternator gauge pop back up too charging, and the 'check engine light' came on again. When I step on the throttle it bog down then took of again. I pull into the drive way and it all most die., but i hit the throttle and drove it to the garage! Could it be the alternator again? It my 2nd one from NAPA.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 219
From: United States
Well sorry about the ICM.. (EDITED 10/12//06)
Check for fuel octane and quality. Put High octane in it. Seems recently more folks are trying to put minimum 87 octane in the Parks and they arent getting the octane they think or some cars arent dealing with the bare minimum octane.
Obviously you have to give the alternator circuit a fix.
Here is the syptoms for problems in the ignition areas..
Ignition Coil or wire or plug.. A lopeing engine like a rythmatic miss.
Crankshaft sensor (gives code 41) no power then power and back but runs or stays running but drivable. .
Crankshaft sensor (gives camshaft code too) EngineDies and jerks.
If grounds and wires are ok... Camshaft sensor is cheap and easy.. It controls fuel timing .Since the CRANKshaft sensor kills the motor and the camshaft sensor just changes the fuel timing..
Also, there is another IM plug connection just over mid engine that the wiring from the ICM just so you know.
You can chill the sensors with cold water and see if it helps diagnose.
Book says you can pull the CAMshaft sensor connection if you have a non running engine and it then runs its a bad CAMshaft sensor..
Good luck.
Bass
Edited by: bassasasin
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Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 442
From: United States
Originally Posted by bassasasin
Well sorry about the ICM..
Check for fuel octane and quality. Put High octane in it. Seems recently more folks are trying to put minimum 87 octane in the Parks and they arent getting the octane they think or some cars arent dealing with the bare minimum octane.
Obviously you have to give the alternator circuit a fix.
Here is the syptoms for problems in the ignition areas..
Ignition Coil or wire or plug.. A lopeing engine like a rythmatic miss.
Camshaft sensor (gives code) no power then power and back but runs or stays running but not drivable</span>. .
Crankshaft sensor (gives camshaft code)</span> EngineDies and jerks.
If grounds and wires are ok... Camshaft sensor is cheap and easy.. It controls advanced timing </span>which is more like your symptoms. Since the CRANKshaft sensor kills the motor and the camshaft sensor just changes the timing</span>.. Also, there is a plug connection just over the engine that the wiring from the ICM just so you know.
You can chill the sensors with cold water and see if it helps diagnose.
Good luck.
sry dude but u are way off and giving out bad info. first off, the only purpose of the cam sensor is to control firing of the injectors. not to retard or advance the timing. and the n-a 3800 can run perfectly fine on 87 octane. the supercharged 3800s are the only one that need the higher octane. and the cam sensor is not a critical part of an obd pcm. and b.c he said code 43 and not a p.o. code, he prob has 93 or older. i have a 92 that i drove on a 600 mile trip with no cam sens sig, and got 24 mpg. and crankshaft sensor give crankshaft sensor code. NOT cam code. idk what u were talkin about there. and if it were to be faulty, then the engine wouldnt just die off. the eng wouldnt start at all. there would be NO spark.
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Junior Member
Joined: Apr 2004
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From: United States
Thanks for the update! My title say 92 yr. but when I bought it 10 yrs ago, dealer said it was a 93. I don't have a 'EGR valve' that anyone can find! I had 5 different people look for it and they were lost! 130K, I still haven't change the camshaft sensor yet. SES light still on but the car seem to run fine with the light on! Go figure, anyway, I'm still goin to change Cam sensor to see if it go aways before the snow comes![img]smileys/smiley4.gif[/img]
Super Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 442
From: United States
yeah if it is a 92 then no egr, 93 was the first year they implemented the egr. cam sensor should only be like 20-30 bucks. so i guess give it a shot. if it had it the egr would be just to the right of the front valve cover, if ur looking towards the back of veh.