Knock sensor, maf, cylinder?

jetboy · #1 07-21-2012, 04:12 PM

We are on vacation, driving.

When I started the car yesterday and started driving, it didnt sound quite right. It sounds a bit more rough and coarse. Accelleration seems ok but I think the engine yield is not quite at par considering the rpm. By this I mean that at a certain speed the tack seems higher than usual, ie 100 kmh at 2000 rather than 1800. Fourth gear works. Locl up seems to work.

Check engine lit briefly after a while and disappeared again. It lights when I put the key to ignition. When i start the car the check engine light flashes briefly and is the first to disappear, typically power and airbag lights staying on for about two seconds.

I recently had an oil change, nothing else happens. Its an obd1 car, does it store error codes?

icingdeath88 · #2 07-21-2012, 04:25 PM

I have attached a pdf with instructions on how to check the codes and what each code indicates a problem with. Post what the code is.

jetboy · #3 07-21-2012, 04:42 PM

Thanks. However, the check engine light was lit for maybe twenty seconds and thats about 600 km ago

would the car still produce a fault code?

Chuckls · #4 07-21-2012, 04:46 PM

It should still be stored.

icingdeath88 · #5 07-21-2012, 04:49 PM

Yes it should be stored. Problem will be if you never checked the codes before, everything since they were last cleared will come up too. So, it will tell you every code that was stored since the battery was last unplugged.

jetboy · #6 07-21-2012, 04:52 PM

Am i better off just taking it to a garage and have them connect a monitor to the ecu?

torxxx · #7 07-21-2012, 04:59 PM

that costs money. doing it yourself takes about 1 min to do. remove the drivers side kickpanel by your left foot, and there will be a black rectangle male connector with 16 pins iirc. you'll have 2 black wire pins sticking out by themselves. plug one of them into the first or second pinout on the black connector. Then count the flashes of the check engine light. Long flash = 10's short flash = 1's

Long Long Long Short = #31
Long Long Short Short = #22 etc

icingdeath88 · #8 07-21-2012, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetboy

Am i better off just taking it to a garage and have them connect a monitor to the ecu?

No. It's extremely easy.

jetboy · #9 07-21-2012, 05:29 PM

So if i get multiple codes i have multiple problems? I was thinking about all the codes stored since last battery change.

Also, shouldnt the check engine light be permanently lit if there is something wrong?

icingdeath88 · #10 07-21-2012, 06:37 PM

Nope, the code goes away if the ECU stops getting the erroneous reading from whichever sensor.

If you get multiple codes, then you will have to figure out which one's causing your current problem, and which are old codes. That's one reason I always check codes immediately when I see a CEL, and clear them after, even if I don't think anything's actually wrong. That way, next time if something is actually wrong, I don't have to deal with old codes trying to figure it out.

jetboy · #11 07-23-2012, 05:03 AM

I found the smaller black connector but no blue wires i can put into the pin. I found one black one coming from above the wiper selector. The loose end is stripped from black insulation. Car is obd1

aust92pearl · #12 07-23-2012, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetboy

I found the smaller black connector but no blue wires i can put into the pin. I found one black one coming from above the wiper selector. The loose end is stripped from black insulation. Car is obd1

they will be in there , maybe someone tucked them right in behind the rest of the cables where the black connector is

. it took me about 10 minutes to find them when i looked for them

jetboy · #13 07-23-2012, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aust92pearl

they will be in there , maybe someone tucked them right in behind the rest of the cables where the black connector is

. it took me about 10 minutes to find them when i looked for them

Yep. Found them now, neatly tucked and taped. Did the check, code 37 oxygen sensor 2.

Is it easily accessible? Should i try to clean it first and if yes, how? Since the code is present, i assume its a valid fault and affecting fuel consumption?

dragoontwo · #14 07-23-2012, 06:38 AM

They are very accessible. Changing it out shoudn't take more than 15 minutes. Figuring out how to undo the connector can be the most time consuming part.

jetboy · #15 07-23-2012, 06:40 AM

No point trying to clean it? Getting a new one will take ages if its svx specific. I have rudimentary data coverage here, not good for parts research hehe. Wheres it located, i can at least check the connector.