Check Engine Light--Suspected Misfire
02-05-2016, 03:11 PM
#1
Check Engine Light--Suspected Misfire
Would appreciate everyone's thoughts:
My '99 C2 Cab survived "Snowzilla" here on the East Coast and, while I don't have a garage, I do have an excellent car cover that kept it dry. Once the roads were cleared, i took it for a brief run and everything was fine.
However, today I took it out again for a 12 mile run and I noticed when I started it up that the idle was slightly uneven--a surge here and there. It went great for about 6 miles and then I turned it off. Upon re-starting, everything was fine but then, when I was nearly home, it seemed like a cylinder stopped firing. The engine shuddered and there was a clear loss of power. The CEL started flashing and, by the time I made it to my driveway, was on permanently.
i understand that this could be something as simple as poor quality gasoline but I'm sure there are hundreds of other possible causes. My plan right now is to take it to my trusty mechanic and have the codes read, etc. Can I drive it? Or is this definitely a flat bed situation? My guess is that caution should dictate the latter.
My '99 C2 Cab survived "Snowzilla" here on the East Coast and, while I don't have a garage, I do have an excellent car cover that kept it dry. Once the roads were cleared, i took it for a brief run and everything was fine.
However, today I took it out again for a 12 mile run and I noticed when I started it up that the idle was slightly uneven--a surge here and there. It went great for about 6 miles and then I turned it off. Upon re-starting, everything was fine but then, when I was nearly home, it seemed like a cylinder stopped firing. The engine shuddered and there was a clear loss of power. The CEL started flashing and, by the time I made it to my driveway, was on permanently.
i understand that this could be something as simple as poor quality gasoline but I'm sure there are hundreds of other possible causes. My plan right now is to take it to my trusty mechanic and have the codes read, etc. Can I drive it? Or is this definitely a flat bed situation? My guess is that caution should dictate the latter.
02-05-2016, 03:35 PM
#2
Race Director
If you had a code scanner, you could read the codes yourself and determine whether you think it's OK to drive. Since a tow costs more than a cheapo OBD-II code reader, that's how I would proceed...
CEL flashing means "imminent danger to emissions equipment" - when it's lit solid, it means there are fault codes. I believe the owner's manual recommends stopping immediately if the light is flashing, whereas when solid you are supposed to get it diagnosed at your earliest convenience.
Trying to guess what's going on without reading the code(s) is a losing proposition. The codes exist so the car can tell you what's wrong - or at least point you in the correct direction. Could just be a misfire on one cylinder that's dumping unburned fuel into the exhaust - which would generate a blinking light, since raw fuel will toast your catalyst for that bank. At the risk of sounding pushy and repetitive...get a code scanner... (subconscious)get a code scanner...(/subconscious).
CEL flashing means "imminent danger to emissions equipment" - when it's lit solid, it means there are fault codes. I believe the owner's manual recommends stopping immediately if the light is flashing, whereas when solid you are supposed to get it diagnosed at your earliest convenience.
Trying to guess what's going on without reading the code(s) is a losing proposition. The codes exist so the car can tell you what's wrong - or at least point you in the correct direction. Could just be a misfire on one cylinder that's dumping unburned fuel into the exhaust - which would generate a blinking light, since raw fuel will toast your catalyst for that bank. At the risk of sounding pushy and repetitive...get a code scanner... (subconscious)get a code scanner...(/subconscious).
02-05-2016, 04:40 PM
#3
Three Wheelin'
Damp cold wet weather usually are coil packs.
Will sometimes get better when car is warmed up or weather changes.
You should keep a code reader in your drunk with a list of codes, then you can decide to drive it or not.
Will sometimes get better when car is warmed up or weather changes.
You should keep a code reader in your drunk with a list of codes, then you can decide to drive it or not.
02-05-2016, 08:08 PM
#5
And if you *still* don't want to buy one, most auto parts store will scan them for free. Their readers may not *know* what a P1341 is, but if *you* know the code, you can look it up online and we can offer some better solutions. Buy a scanner. Harbor Freight has them for $50 and you can usually find a 20% coupon. Cheaper ones probably out there as well. Best money I ever spent.
02-05-2016, 09:08 PM
#6
Race Director
Lots of folks will encourage you to get a bluetooth/wifi OBD-II dongle and an app for your phone - like Torque for Android. This is also a great approach, but an old, stupid code reader will work if that's what you can get your hands on.
02-05-2016, 11:00 PM
#7
Three Wheelin'
if you have a iPhone, get a wifi one unless you want to spend $120 for a gopoint one. Bluetooth on the cheap ones probably wont work with any apps
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02-06-2016, 02:19 PM
#10
Drifting
jd,
This may help you decide what device to use:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...l.torque&hl=en
This may help you decide what device to use:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...l.torque&hl=en