Saturn Check Eng Light

[chainblu]

The Check Engine light on my daily driver (1992 Saturn) has started coming on, then off, then on, then off on my approx. 10 mile trip to work every day. Sometimes it doesn't come on at all or other times it will only cycle once. It usually doesn't stay on for long. I rarely drive it further than that, so I don't know what it would do on a longer trip.

Today, I jumped the A and B terminals to see what code it would give me. After going through the diagnostics, it didn't give me any codes. Any ideas on what could make the Check Engine light come on, but not store a code?

 

[Donald]

Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light. Its a 1992 and I would not spend much on it. The pre-OBDII cars were not that good on diagnostics.

 

[spasm3]

I would try an advance or autozone code reader and see if it shows anything. If not i would unhook the battery a bit and clear it then see if it returns. One thing, have you ever replaced the ects sensor on this car? They are known to go bad and that affects idle and warm starts. If not its $15 bucks, and you want to replace it before it leaks and corrodes the harness connector, That pigtail is $30 bucks. If it has not been replaced it will go bad at some point.

 

[crazyoildude]

techron in the gas and throttle body cleaning then check all vacuum hoses and loose connections

 

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light. Its a 1992 and I would not spend much on it. The pre-OBDII cars were not that good on diagnostics.


We don't know the miles on the car or his problem, a bit early to suggest junking it.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Donald
Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light. Its a 1992 and I would not spend much on it. The pre-OBDII cars were not that good on diagnostics.


We don't know the miles on the car or his problem, a bit early to suggest junking it.


Its a 22 yr old Saturn. Even if the miles are low. I was not suggesting he junk it, just not spend a lot on it.

 

[Gabe]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light.


I thought it was funny.

 

[mattwithcats]

Probably an O2 sensor...

Try the paperclip trick again, when the light is on...

 

[Rhymingmechanic]

Try to stop and read the code when it happens if you can. Also take a good, close look at all of your vacuum hoses.

I had a 94 with TBI that started giving me code 32 for EGR after about 30 minutes driving. My valve was basically broken inside, but that didn't matter because the port to the intake was completely plugged with carbon. I could pull the EGR open at idle and not stall the car. I'm sure the carbon was due to a 1-quart-per-tank oil habit.

In the process of tracking down that problem, I found a vacuum leak in the 90 degree elbow for the MAP sensor--a small black rectangle on the back of the valve cover on the TBI '94.

 

[zzyzzx]

Originally Posted By: Donald
Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light. Its a 1992 and I would not spend much on it. The pre-OBDII cars were not that good on diagnostics.


Actually pre-OBD2 cars are easier to maintain, since you get less nuisance codes.

 

[eljefino]

The CTS is a good idea. Can also be a "quad driver failure" which is any relay or solenoid the computer controls. Like the

-- upshift light
-- fan relay
-- canister purge relay
-- EGR relay (probably).

Being a relatively numb computer, you have to catch it while it's doing it.

 

[strat81]

Originally Posted By: Gabe
Originally Posted By: Donald
Look again, its probably the "Saturn is dying" light.


I thought it was funny.

I LOLed too.

I've owned two Saturns.

 

[artificialist]

Can you find someone with a specially built GM OBDI connector? Usually older people who works in auto repair shops do have one.

Another cause I have read of is the ignition coils and the conductor behind them fails.

Leaking intake gaskets are common on Saturns. Get a can of carb spray and use it all around the entire intake manifold. RPM changes would change if you do.

PCV valve sludged up? They can, then they cause a vacuum leak. That leak can cause the problem.

Those engines often burned oil. That could easily wear out your O2 sensor.