Even intermittent loss and return of the hi res signal will not cause the engine to shut down. Allow me to explain.

I cut the purple/white wire about 1/3 the way from the connector at the intake and stripped the wires back with the engine running the entire time. I then fanned the connections together for several seconds all while running.

Continued to let it run while I scanned and cleared the code. Of course the code came right back. Then fanned the 2 wire ends together for some more time and confirmed the code. Cleared it and let it come back again very quickly.

Then I twisted the ends together albeit not very well and came back and cleared the code again. Even with the wires crappily twisted together, the code returned. When I cleared the code, the fans and the SES went off. Then within just a few seconds when the code came back, the SES came on along with the fans.

Now everyone has to admit that my signal was as intermittent as it gets. NOT once did the engine stumble or hesitate.

I think that the people that had a 36 and were having engine fault issues, had another problem and the new opti fixed both problems. Maybe they had a poor scanner, maybe they missed a code. Maybe the fact that a 36 sets the SES but a 16 doesn't threw them off. I don't know about that for sure. But I do know what I just did and it did NOT effect the running of the engine.

As far as the wiring from the opti to the first connector. It was different than the shop manual. The ignition feed wire was yellow instead of Red. And I seem to remember others in the past coming across this same thing.

So in summary I proved what the manual says. There is no question. A DTC 36 only sets an SES and turns the fans on. NOTHING ELSE. Anyone want to see proof I can tape it and post the film.

 

Good to have proof.

On my 95 that wire is red. I noticed the 93 shop manual schematic shows it as yellow, so that may have carried into the 1994 year (since 93-94 opti harnesses are the same and 95 and up are different at the opti end).

 

I did not know that wire was yellow in the 93. But then I don't any 93 wiring. Only have the 94 and the 96 manuals.