Driving my car, all is fine, the suddenly "check engine" light comes on, all looks ok with temp, oil pressure, etc from dash, pull over open engine cover, all appears fine in there, no smell, all belts intact, in fact EVERYTHING appears ok....I am taking it to mechanic on tuesday so that he can hook up to the brain and see whats wrong...anybody else know what this could be?

 

Go to Auto Zone. They offer free OBD II scan. I know some codes are different when read with PST II tool, but if you read P-0410 which is the Secondary Air Injection. 993s are plague with it. I bought my own scanner for $99 instead of paying the dealer $75 a pop.

SAI is very well discussed here if you do the search. Here are some threads links
https://rennlist.com/forums/search.php?searchid=345571

 

I agree w/ Mike. Go buy yourself a OBD2 reader that can also erase the code. Read the code, reset it and if it comes back, see if it's the same one. I bought one for $99, but have seen them recently on sale at Checkers for less. Good tool to have no matter what ODB2 car you own.

Saves you the time and hassle of having to go to the dealer.

 

My CEL is now a thing of the past......SAI check valve replaced...injector and valve cleaner in gas.......problem solved....phew that was pleasing

 

Ok, this may be a stupid question, but here goes. Where is the check valve, and how difficult was the replacement? Time/cost?. Did you have to go thru the SAI port clean out procedure shown on the P-car site?

 

David:

The clean out procedure I posted on the P-car site shows the location and how to replace the check valve. No, you don't have to clean the ports to replace the check valve. I would guess that doing the check valve alone would take 1-2 hours. The hardest part is probably making the wrench necessary to remove the valve. Look closely at the DIY on the P-car site, and then if you have any specific questions, we can answer those. As far as the cost goes, I have no idea what a shop would charge, but the valve itself was about $55 from Sunset Porsche.

Thanks, Rob.

 

I really feel for you guys in the US with all the 'extra' problems you have with your California compliant cars.

 

And us in Canada too...I am fighting the CEL problem now. But I think its not related directly the SAI but the valve guides...which is a world-wide problem wth the 993's. This really peeves me off that a car with 75,000 miles needs several thousand dollars of engine work, especially with what these car cost when new!


Cheers,

Mike

 

Was talking with the service tec at Walter's Porsche Dealership (Riverside,CA), he mentioned something about the check engine light "nothing to worry about unless it starts flashing".
Mine came on last Friday, drove it home and all seems well, no loss of power, oil level ok, no over heating....etc.
Can anyone confirm that statement?
OR is it just time for a service; (100750 miles)?

Thanks in advance
Ed

 

Mine came on afew weeks ago and I brought it to my independant shop. I was told that the car was due for its 60K service and new spark plugs and wires. I guess the CEL code was for a misfire in cylinder #4. I haven't driven the car since then because I was tld that they run a little on the rich side when the CEL comes on and that can damage the catalytic converters. It goes in the first week in January for the 60K service and the routine maintenence.

 

I had a CEL three years ago (brief, and no flashing CEL) and it was caused by a faulty O2 sensor. Similar situation as yours with no loss of power, etc.

My car is a 95 (OBD 1). I was visiting MikeJ, a well respected member of this forum, to do some other work on the car and we (he) replaced the O2 sensor. All has been well since then.

Hopefully your problem would be as easy to correct.

 

Does anyone have a list of the items monitored by the OBD1 ecu that will set off the light? I think I remember that there are 13 parameters or something...

 

I've had intermittent CELs since I bought the car close to five years ago. It has one now, as a matter of fact. For me, it's caused when I have to idle immediately after leaving my driveway (for oncoming traffic, say). So far, it's cleared itself every time, passes emissions with no issue, doesn't smoke, and consumes oil at about 1 qt / 2500 miles - and that coming from a leaking timing chain cover gasket. So I would say a CEL alone does not necessarily imply a top end rebuild.

 

A F-L-A-S-H-I-N-G CEL light is usually triggered by an engine misfire. The FLASHING is literally to 'grab' your attention - as this is 'serious' and pretty much seals the deal that you need to STOP and SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN.

When the CEL comes on - and stays on - you CAN drive it. You have a choice of:

i) Letting the ECU 'solve the problem all by its lonesome' (which it will do if it 'senses' that the condition(s) that triggered the 'error' do NOT occur over several subsequent drive cycles). READ: The CEL will switch off all by itself.
ii) Having the code read (OBD 'reader') and the condition 'cleared'. This, as we all know, will RESET all those pesky 'readiness monitors' as well as turning the CEL light off.

It REALLY is worth 'investing' in a decent OBD code reader so that YOU can decide whether this is a 'transient error' (e.g. loose gas cap) or something that infers 'maintenance required'.

Gerry

 

my non-flashing CEL misfire issue is due to a loose dual mass flywheel. You can hear some "chatter" when you turn the car off. good excuse for a lightweight flywheel upgrade $$$