1994 Caprice Classic Check Engine Light

[Don Nelson]

The Check Engine light comes on occasionally on my neighborís 1994 Caprice Classic (4.3 L, V8 with 91K miles). My GM Code Scanner (Actron) covers 82 ñ 93 & 95 model Caprices, and of course, and not this particular model. They bought the car a year ago at a dealership. I believe it was some type of fleet car, but not a police car.

The Assembly Line Diagnostic Link (under the dash) is a 12 pin, 2 rows of 6, with 4 pins in place. The pin arrangement is as follows when looking at the connector (O ñ empty slot, X ñ pin present [and I added numbers to make it easy to tell me which pins to jump across.]) :

top row starting from driverís side O O O O X1 X2,
bottom row starting from driverís side O X3 O O O X4.

I need to know which pins to jump across to get the CHECK ENGINE light to flash the Engine Codes. Also, will these be standard GM Engine Codes or do I need a special Engine Code list for this particular mode?

Also, when the vehicle is first started, the digital mileage display flickers and displays an incorrect mileage, after several minutes, the correct mileage is displayed and the display is steady. Any ideas on this?

Don Nelson

[skoelker]

if i remember correctly you will jump across 1&2 also the codes should be the normal codes

[Don Nelson]

An update. My neighbor further told me that the engine would die during heavy rains, a day later, it would start fine. The 4.3 L, V8 has the Corvette LS1 ignition system. What a nightmare for changing plug wires. You have to remove the harmonic balancer and water pump to get to the distributor because it sits right above the crankshaft. Routing the even number (the passenger side) wires around and through the air conditioning compressor was extremely difficult.

I removed the distributor and sealed all areas were water intrusion could occur. Started engine and hoses it down, and then test drove it and the engine ran fine. 3 days later, the engine had a noticeable miss. Jacked up the front of car (only way to check the wires) and found the #6 wire loose because it was barely long enough, bought another set of $55 wires (I was in a hurry) and replace the #6 wire with a longer one.

Now the engine runs fine however at idle after the engine has warmed up, it will start to idle roughly about a minute and then the Check Engine light comes on and the engine will smooth out. Turn engine off then restart and the engine runs fine and the Check Engine light stays off. Next traffic light same thing happens.

Any ideas?

[danny]

have you retrieved the codes? when the check engine light comes on the computer stores the message whether the light comes back on or not. the code is stored until you clear it.

[1fatcat]

All I can say is, that cap is a pain! Your not supposed to fix it with silly snot for a reason! It's too much work just to get to it for a guy to patch it up with goo!

How many hours did you spend to actually remove the cap?

Thats like pulling off a cylinder head and then smearing a light coat of silicone on the surfaces before putting the old gasket back on------YOU JUST DON'T DO IT!

Also, on an engine like that, you don't buy cheap wires! Even just ONE replacement!

That was your biggest downfall. You skimped when you should have splurged!

"Hey Doc, I know I need a triple artery bypass, but even though it is a complex procedure, couldn't you just graft a dogs heart in place of mine and hope for the best?"...."If it doesn't work, then I'll pay for it twice to get it fixed right the second time."

[Don Nelson]

I'm retired Navy and the owner is 81 years old on very limited income. Granted, it would have been wonderful to buy new AC everything, but they just didn't have anywhere near the money. I installed Autolight wires and haven't retrieved the codes yet.

Don Nelson

[1fatcat]

I greatly respect the fact that you served for the United States, but I don't see where that has anything to do with this.

Also, you say the vehicle owner is retired, well that USUALLY means they have more money than they know what to do with!

I know, I know...I'm sooooooooo wrong, and being succccchhhhh a jack azz! RIGHT?

Well, if you look at it in my eyes, you would see what I see!

I'm paying into social security with everyone of my paychecks, but I'm told time and time again that when I retire social security will be long gone!

So to just cut to the chase and say what I want to say....."I'm paying for thier social security check and I won't be getting one when I retire!"

Seem a little "unfair" to me that the past generations racked up the national debt to an austounishing amout and my generation is resposible for paying it off.

Thank you Franklin D. Roosevelt!

How about those retired folks look back and take some credit for thier national debt? How about them putting back into the pot what they took years ago? How about them not pushing the bill onto my generation? WHAT ABOUT MY SOCIAL SECURITY?!?!?!?!?

[danny]

off topic^^^^^??

[skoelker]

venting frustration is needed sometimes so that we don't just explode

[KA9MOT]

Wow! Is somebody angry?

Fatcat, we all pay into Social Security and many collect Social Security. I collect Social Security Disability. I paid for it, it is mine and I am glad to have it. I also pick up a little cash on the side doing what I can do. I earned it and it is mine (it is also legal). Many collect Social Security who never paid in a dime, some have a legitimate need for it, while others collect it who are perfectly capable of working.

It sounds to me like you should be contacting your Congressman.

This gent is retired Navy. That means he served his country for more then 20 years. He deserves everything he gets and more. This government should be taking much better care of him and others like him then they are.

I wouldn't worry too much about Social Security not being around when you need it. What you are told time and time again is simply politics and the media with their political agenda.

Mr. Nelson,
Thank you for serving your country and people like me and Mr. Fatcat. You and others like yourself are the reason we can have this discussion.

Semper Fi

BTW, 1 and 2 are the correct terminals to short.

[KA9MOT]

Here is the procedure for checking the codes on a GM


http://www.twoguysgarage.com/forum/s...ighlight=Codes

[Zib]

Many collect Social Security who never paid in a dime, some have a legitimate need for it, while others collect it who are perfectly capable of working.

I can't remember her name but she was the first person to ever collect Social Security. She paid in to S.S. for 3 years for a total of $44. Her employer also put in $44. She collected just under $21,000 in S.S. checks before she took a dirt nap. I wish my bank account got that kind of return on investment.

[Don Nelson]

I jumped across the two pins and did not get the Check Engine light to flash. My neighbor finally took the car to a garage on a Wednesday and the next Monday picked up the car and it ran great. The problem. the passenger side O2 sensor was bad. For $189, a new sensor, all the problems went away. I do not see how an O2 sensor could have caused the car to run so bad, however, my neighbor is happy. I may have hit the sensor installing the plug wires, but I highly doubt that I did any damage to the unit.

[1fatcat]

Originally posted by Don Nelson
I may have hit the sensor installing the plug wires, but I highly doubt that I did any damage to the unit.

I also doubt it. You would have to whack that thing pretty hard to damage it. To cut a wire on the other hand would not requir too much force. Well, at least everyone is happy.

Also, sorry for the rant about social security and all. I just had a bad day.

[DMGroh]

The original post described the ignition as an LS1 (1 coil/plug ?), but the distributor sitting behind the water pump and damper sounds like an LT1 (Optispark). The early version Opti (on Corvettes, anyway) was from 92-94 and was prone to moisture damage from the weep hole in the water pump directly above the Opti. The 95-96 Optis had a vent which eliminated much of the problems.

If the neighbor actually has an Opti, don't hose the motor. You may be adding a new problem that won't reveal itself for another month or so. A lot of the guys that have an LT1 from the early 90's (Corvette, Camaro, Impala, etc.) were so disgusted with it they went ahead and replaced the original Opti with an aftermarket unit that uses different technology.