88 Tempo Creampuff Check-Engine light stays on - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

JIndai · 12-15-2005, 15:18

Just got this car for a SWEET deal. It only has 28K honest miles on it, lived in storage a large part of it's life, and so is in almost perfect shape, inside and out. Thing is, it has these little things that showed up over the years. Power steering grinding, put in fluid, good to go. Brake light on, put in fluid, good to go. Automatic trunk latch not working, check and tighten connection, good to go.
But I can't figure out the Check-Engine Light. It comes on once the car warms up, and just stays on. I don't see any broken connections, and my "Car guy" simply said, "Old cars have lights come on, since it seems to work okay, just ignore it." I'm not a motor-head, more's the pity, but I still don't think that's really the best answer. Maybe it is, but I'd like to get input before I toss in the towel.
Anyone have any ideas where to look? (I did replace the left headlight, so disconnected the battery to do it, but I don't know if that caused anything, or I just hadn't warmed the car up enough to have it happen at the time I bought it.)
And, as additional information. One time, while i had been driving through town awhile, and on the high-speed loop, I was going about 55-60, and when I accelerated more, the alternator light glowed feebly, getting brighter the harder I accelerated, going out when I let off. Hasn't happened again, but I thought I'd mention it.

Jindai

dagr8tim · 12-15-2005, 22:00

The check engine light could be anything. Without pulling the codes, you'd be blindly swapping parts. There are ways to check the codes with nothing more than a paperclip. I think I have the instructions on my PC at home.

Being as it doesn't come on until the car warms up I would guess emissions related. Off the top of my head, I would guess O2 sensor, EGR Valve, PFE sensor, or maybe the vaccumn hose between the EGR & PFE. I've fixxed the CE lights on 2 different topaz's by replacing that hose.

You really need to check the codes before you do anything else. I suspect it's probably something very simple.

JIndai · 12-15-2005, 22:46

Quote:

Originally Posted by dagr8tim

There are ways to check the codes with nothing more than a paperclip. You really need to check the codes before you do anything else. I suspect it's probably something very simple.

Okay.... you have me intrigued with the paperclip thingy. As I'm not a car guy, I would appreciate the instructions on how to do this, so that the car guy I know could interpret them, and do it. *Grin* I understood you said those instructions are on your home computer, so please let me know if you are going to use that computer any time soon, so as to not leave me hanging? I appreciate the input, truly.

Jindai

dagr8tim · 12-16-2005, 20:07

If you look at the EEC Test ports on the thing on the passanger strut tower, you will see 2 plugs. One is a large plug wth 6 connectors. The other is a single connector. Looking at the large connector it looks similar to this:
1-2
3-4-5-6

You basically need to run a wire or thick paperclip from the #4 port to the small single port.

Then you get in the car and turn the ignition to "run" but do not start the car. This will allow the system to do the real time diagonists of the sensors and check the computer's memory for stored codes. The check engine light will flash the codes. It's format will be like light-light-light - - light-light would be a code 32.

All of this information is from memory. I'll try to dig up the diagrams when I get off work to ensure the information I've given you is correct.

--------
Here's some information on checking error codes:
http://www.corral.net/tech/maintenance/eecivtest.html
http://www.off-road.com/ford/bigbron...ec/eec-iv.html
http://forums.probetalk.com/archive/...701078705.html

JIndai · 12-16-2005, 22:35

Thanks for the head's up! Amazing memory you have to come up with all that without references!

I can hardly wait till you have the whole goods for me, thanks!

Oh, and for the record, I found another thing with the car, and as you think it might be emission related, this might be pertinent. There is a light sound coming from the exhaust system, after the manifold, but very near to there. The exhaust system was redone by the previous owner, and perhaps they missed something when they put in the new? I have to find something to raise the car up so we can take a look underneath and find if it can be fixed with tape or what. Might this be the thing the light is about?

Jindai

dagr8tim · 12-18-2005, 01:03

The exhaust manifolds were really weak on these cars. Pretty much after the exhaust manifold was the cat. You could check the two air hoses that go to the cat. I know if you remove them they make a sucking sound. Also the hoses attach to a round thing behind the raditor that has a hose that goes to the air filter box. I've heard of those hoses clogging, that may be your case.

My last 2 topaz's haven't had that round thing, so don't know if that's your issue.

dagr8tim · 12-19-2005, 13:14

It should be a paperclip pr jumper from pin #2 & the single pin. Then turn the key to run (don't start it) and the codes will flow.

JIndai · 12-19-2005, 22:08

Thanks so very much....I ended up getting a Chilton's guide, so I have all the codes now, but I wouldn't have even known how to look for that without all this. I'll let you know if I get it fixed. Thanks again

Jindai

Cronicus · 01-19-2006, 21:16

funny thing is if u just remove the emesion system, lights history