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The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 12:21 pm
by SMan
Not a huge issue but we went to take our Chinook out for a spin for the first time this year and the check engine light came on. I suspect it may be a gas cap issue or something simple. I stabilized the fuel and ran the motor and generator over the winter as well. I did order a OBDII scan reader on Amazon today and will see what code has been thrown. With under 25K miles on the clock I am hoping nothing serious as it is runs good.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 1:02 pm
by Blue~Go
Getting an OBD reader is a good idea, IMO. I have a Scangauge which no only reads and will clear codes (not that you just want to ignore them, but with some codes that you know are not harmful it can be good to gather info by seeing when they show up, what are the circumstances, etc. You can look up the code numbers and what they mean online, plus use them to ask questions or find info on fixes.

This was actually a side bonus to the real reason I got the Scangauge, which is the ability to monitor transmission temp, engine temp (in degrees F, not just a needle that's probably compensated anyway), see how the alternator is doing, etc. I'd hate to be without it now that I'm used to it.

Once you know what the code number is, we can all discuss.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 2:46 pm
by kdarling
Ha. My light came on too, while going up a hill during winter exercising.

Older Ford tho, so had to put in a test jumper and count the dash light flashes.

In my case, the code said "low fuel pressure", which means pump, filter or injectors. I figured go for the easy one first. I do try to keep the fuel stabilized, but it does sit a lot. And 50K miles of unknown gas sources could've taken a toll.

So I watched a bunch of videos to get critical tips, then ordered a new filter and filter connection release tool. Waited for a sunny day, crawled under the driver's side and had it done in almost no time (thanks, YouTube contributors!).

So far, so good. No light back yet.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 3:10 pm
by SMan
I could have cleared the code by disconnecting the neg term on the battery but thought its better to get a scanner and know the code its throwing. (Scanners are relatively cheap these days) I am fortunate that a cousin bought my rig new so its history is well known. That said it has sat quite a bit over its life. With the way gas is these days a large amount of codes seem to be fuel or fuel system related. I'll update when I have a code to report.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 3:29 pm
by Blue~Go
SMan wrote:I could have cleared the code by disconnecting the neg term on the battery but thought its better to get a scanner and know the code its throwing.
I agree! When I said you could clear codes with the Scangauge, that's after you see what the code number is (presuming you want to clear it). (Just in case it sounded like it cleared it without telling you what it was.)

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 7th, 2017, 3:52 pm
by Scott
kdarling wrote:Ha. My light came on too, while going up a hill during winter exercising.

Older Ford tho, so had to put in a test jumper and count the dash light flashes.

In my case, the code said "low fuel pressure", which means pump, filter or injectors. I figured go for the easy one first. I do try to keep the fuel stabilized, but it does sit a lot. And 50K miles of unknown gas sources could've taken a toll.

So I watched a bunch of videos to get critical tips, then ordered a new filter and filter connection release tool. Waited for a sunny day, crawled under the driver's side and had it done in almost no time (thanks, YouTube contributors!).

So far, so good. No light back yet.
Just curious... did you cut open the old filter? That can be pretty informative.

Edited to add a link to an OBDI code reader for the owners of older rigs. More convenient than counting flashes.
I have this one, and it's great.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 8th, 2017, 4:40 am
by kdarling
Yes sir, I had intended on cutting the old filter in half, but before I got a chance, someone threw it out to be "helpful" while I was at work.

When I was in the Army back in the 70s, clogged fuel filters were a fairly common thing with both vehicles and generators. Sometimes in the field we'd bypass them until we could get a replacement.

Thanks for the reader link! Ordered the combo reader, extension and book. It will be very helpful, especially since the older Ford OBD apparently also sends codes in realtime during testing, codes that can come and go as conditions change.

Regards,
Kev

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 8th, 2017, 7:35 am
by SMan
Thanks for the ODB1 info Scott. I have a 1969 El Camino that has a 1990 Corvette LT1 crate motor that is ODB1.

My ODB2 scanner came from Amazon yesterday so I hope to read how to use it and give it a try this weekend.

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 8th, 2017, 1:18 pm
by Rokrover
My V10 has started to exhibit an occasional hesitation or sputter but there’s no CEL yet. Being paranoid I suspect the intermittent misfire these engines are known for when the coils/boots start going bad.

However, as Sherlock Holmes said “it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data.” So, along with Blue~Go, I await your codes with interest.

Here’s a related post by Manitou:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4&hilit=COP

Re: The infamous check engine light...

Posted: April 9th, 2017, 10:38 am
by SMan
Well it seems I have 2 DTC's. P0304 which is a cylinder 4 misfire and a P0316 which is more than likely caused by the other code which is Engine misfire detected on startup (first 1000 revolutions).

BTW I bought the Autel 319 scanner which is intuitive and simple to use.

This is from OBD Codes.com
Possible Solutions If there are no symptoms, the simplest thing to do is to reset the code and see if it comes back. If there are symptoms such as the engine is stumbling or hesitating, check all wiring and connectors that lead to the cylinders (i.e. spark plugs). Depending on how long the ignition components have been in the car, it may be a good idea to replace them as part of your regular maintenance schedule. I would suggest spark plugs, spark plug wires, distributor cap, and rotor (if applicable). Otherwise, check the coils (a.k.a. coil packs). In some cases, the catalytic converter has gone bad. If you smell rotten eggs in the exhaust, your cat converter needs to be replaced. I've also heard in other cases the problems were faulty fuel injectors.
There is a miss at idle so I'll pull the engine cover and look for obvious issues then take it out for a drive and warm it up on the outside chance its a moisture issue from sitting in our damp Washington climate. As they say "film at 11"...

With only 24,000 miles I was hoping for a simple issue like a gas cap but alas...... ;)