Check Engine Light

[Biffmeistro]

Righto, every once in a while when I start the car up, the check engine light comes on. During that time, it feels a bit sluggish, not too much.

Usually it only stays on for about 5 minutes, but I've had it stay on for a half hour once, while still feeling sluggish and like the engine was working way too hard to keep up speed.

I try to bring it into autozone to have them read the light, but I can either never get there in time for it to be on for them, or I pull into one that says they can't read such an old car. (A 93)

My old car (An 87 Corolla GTS) had a place under the hood where all you do is short a couple plugs and the light starts blinking the code.
Can I do that with this one? And where?

 

[glowstang93]

I have seen on here somewhere how you can get the codes without a tester, you should be able to do a search on 2.3 tech or maybe 5.0 tech. The 5.0 guys are very helpful too. You have the right idea, get the codes first, even if it costs a diagnostic fee at a shop. No sense is throwing parts and money at it Good luck

 

[Saiboot]

You can definately do that with this mustang. Under the hood on the driver's side should be a black connector behind the strut tower, probably clipped on somewhere there tight. The black piece actually holds two connectors inside, a black one w/abt 6 pins and a small gray one w/just one pin. I can't find my manual at the moment, but I believe it's the gray connector and a pin on the black one. If you hold it so the black connector has just 2 pins at the top, i believe it's the right one that you jumper to the gray. Anyway, u just watch the flashes from the engine light to get your codes, then look them up somewhere that explains it. Btw, if you have an Advance Auto Parts near you, hit that instead, they definately have a big ol code reader that can hook up to that style diagnostic, if they say they can't read it, it's probably because that person doesn't know how to use it...(I work there and I'm one of only like 3 or 4 people in my store that bothers to know how it works, it's a bigger process than OBD II). Anyway, check that out

 

[65ShelbyClone]

or I pull into one that says they can't read such an old car. (A 93)

My old car (An 87 Corolla GTS) had a place under the hood where all you do is short a couple plugs and the light starts blinking the code.
Can I do that with this one? And where?

Most of the people at BlottoZone can't walk and chew gum at the same time or tie their shoes. I've given up relying on them for anything and usually bring a printout with part numbers of what I want. Even then the site has screwed me before.

Yes, you can jump a connector under the hood and read codes from the flashing check engine light. However, I don't know if it's the same as a 5.0(like I used to have).

Here's a picture I found on my computer of the diagnostic port and jumper wire on the EFI Fox3.

 

[Biffmeistro]

Thanks a lot, guys!

I'll come back with the code next time it starts acting up on me.

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Your ECU should also be able to give you stored codes that may not be currently throwing a CEL(check engine light), but that happened recently. You shouldn't have to wait for the CEL to come on to get the error code. I haven't had to code scan for quite a while, but I think the stored codes come up during a Key On Engine Off(KOEO) test.

 

[Biffmeistro]

Well... I just went out and did that procedure with the key in tho on position and the engine off, but I didn't get any blinking off the check engine light.

That is what you meant by KOEO, right?

 

[65ShelbyClone]

Well... I just went out and did that procedure with the key in tho on position and the engine off, but I didn't get any blinking off the check engine light.

That is what you meant by KOEO, right?

Yeah, key in the "on" position where it it would be for the engine to run, but engine off.

I'm fuzzy on the exact procedure like I said, but it's also possible that you get current codes and then stored codes afterward all in one test period. All I've ever had to scan codes for was a bad O2 sensor on my old 5.0.

Also, you don't need an analog voltmeter. A test light also works for this and the cheap ones are $3 or less.

 

[SMOKEDYA]

Righto, every once in a while when I start the car up, the check engine light comes on. During that time, it feels a bit sluggish, not too much.

Usually it only stays on for about 5 minutes, but I've had it stay on for a half hour once, while still feeling sluggish and like the engine was working way too hard to keep up speed.

I try to bring it into autozone to have them read the light, but I can either never get there in time for it to be on for them, or I pull into one that says they can't read such an old car. (A 93)

My old car (An 87 Corolla GTS) had a place under the hood where all you do is short a couple plugs and the light starts blinking the code.
Can I do that with this one? And where?

My 92 does this same thing? But the check engine light stays on alll the time. I've done a complete full tune up and even replaced the O2 sencor? It feels as if it's slugish and there is no power at all no matter how much gas you give it? If you find it out then please let me know! I got a haynes manual form the auto parts store and it tells you step by step how to do a code reading! peace



john

 

[Biffmeistro]

Mind doesn't have quite that problem, it still has a fair amount of power, just not quite as much as it usually does. I can easily get up to speed, it just feels like the engine is trying too hard.

I would be perfectly content not bothering at all, as the problem really isn't that noticable, but I don't know whether it will get far worse if untreated.