service engine soon light

[garylt]

I have a 1986, service engine soon light comes on, but not all the time. Any ideas what is going on.

 

[vetteboy86]

If it is intermittent, you probably have an emission code or something. However you do need to pull the code from the computer. You can use a paper clip, or get one of those keys from autozone. There are many threads on here about pulling the codes off the OBD I cars. I believe you short terminals A and B, but I am not sure. Try a search, for service engine soon light.

Thumb through this link, it is straight from the search:
http://www.corvetteactioncenter.com/forums/search.php?searchid=217752


Craig

 

[garylt]

service engine light come on, but not all the time.

Thanks Craig, I unhooked the battery, and that seems to work. Light stays off.

 

[Vettefan87]

I would have pulled the code and seen what it was before you cleared it, but I guess if it doesn't come back you are okay.

 

[Blue89]

I unhooked the battery on mine too!! Man, what a quick fix, you guys are the greatest!!

 

[Edmond]

The code will come back if there is a problem. Unhooking the battery just erases the stored code. When the vehicle goes through so many cycles and if the problem still exists, the light will come back on.

There are tolerances in the sensors and when those tolerances go under a certain threshold, the light will come on.

It's best to pull the code and see what, if anything, is faulty.

 

[WhalePirot]

I unhooked the battery on mine too!! Man, what a quick fix!

You don't have to disconnect the battery; just the small wire that feeds the ECM, for 10 seconds. Electronics can be damaged by jumping other cars or by electrical shocks when the + terminal is going on or off. Be careful.

The codes can be of two types and sometimes they are transient, only. I have seen my car learn bad stuff (after mods), which caused SMOG test failure; passed after erasing the block learn.

 

[Blue89]

Thanks for the tip, I appreciate it very much!!