Check Engine Soon Light

[onebud1]

Just got my 1999 Designer smogged...now the check engine light is on...any suggestions?

[clubhouse]

If you have an OBDII port, which for most vehicles became standard in 1995, you can just attach a scanner and see what it pulls. It will give the fault code(s), next google that code along with the chassis your MH is built on and it will tell you the fault. Depending on what it is, you can just clear it -- if the light goes off you know there is an issue. Vehicles can throw codes for lots or reason and CEL will come on, often for the smallest things these days.

You mention SMOG, it could be as simple as the fuel tank cap wasn't tight enough while running the engine causing a vacume pressue issue and that can set off the CEL. I once got a CEL for a engine missfire while towing heavy up a hill in my former TV. Used the scanguage to find the code, cleared it, knowning if the problem occured again it would re-light the CEL and I would address it. Never occured again, and clearing the code myself saved me a trip to the mechanic and a diagnostic charge -- not to mention kept us on the camping trip.

Of course if the google search reveals the code is major item, time head to a shop.

FYI I use ScanGuage II for monitoring and reading the occasional code. There are all kids of readers and all kids of prices, and auto parts shop can help -- may even let you borrow/rent scanner.

[taviking22]

If your truck seems to be running OK, and you want a cheap fix, disconnect both batteries. This should reset your ECM and clear your CEL. If the CEL turns on again, it's time to get the trouble code scanned.

Also, it can sometimes take 2 or 3 restarts and 30 minute run times and the ECM will clear the code if the original problem is not repeated or detected. I had a CEL come on in Yellowstone prior to getting a scan gauge. Since we were a long ways from service and my truck seemed to be running OK, I kept driving it. On about the 3rd restart and 30 minute drive, the CEL went out on its own and never came back on.

Good luck to a fellow D/A owner/driver

[Jagiven]

Would recommend going to an auto parts store like O’Rielies that lets you use their code reader for free. I would read the code, find out what it is, and reset it. Most likely it has something to do with the excess oil from the smogging process.

Story time; in my Model T, I add to the gas tank about ½ to 1 oz of AFT to each gallon of gas added. Last year I drained the tank at the end of the year and had to much for my Snowblower gas can. So I added about 2 gallons of the fuel mix to my everyday car (2000 Chevy). The next time I drove the car the check engine light came on. A few days later I asked a co-work who has a code reader to bring it in. The next day the code was gone, but I also had filled the fuel tank. So there is a good chance it is nothing, but well worth checking.

[clutch]

Jagiven, you can easily kill the catalytic converter by introducing oil to your gas. After combustion the beads can get a coating of oil on them and thus render the converter useless. I added some two stroke race gas to my truck because I was really low on gas and it killed my converter.