Hello,

I should explain first that my car runs hot (this may be an important factor as to why my check engine light went on) . Its always at 100 deg. or 1/2 temperature, then when im in traffic or my car is running but im not moving, it goes un to 110 deg. or 3/4 temp., at which point the high speed fan kicks in and knocks it back down to 1/2. I thought this was pretty normal after reading similar peoples experiences on this website, but nonetheless ive ordered a 160 stat and manual fan switch, for my car to run cooler.

Now for the story:

I was driving on my way home from a night at the drag strip, where my car heated up quite a bit after a few runs and waiting in the staging lanes, and there there was alot of traffic, my engine was heating up quite a bit again in the traffic, but i did not think it was a big deal, since it always was in between 1/2 and 3/4 (never went into the red - except once when my car was parked back at the track).

ANyways, after all the traffic on one highway cleared up, i get to the junction for the highway to get to my house, and theres MORE HEAVY traffic! ANd then the worst part, my SES light came on!!! I was freaking out! I didnt know what to do! However when my ses light went on, my engine cooled off (to about 100 deg. or 1/2 temperature) i remember reading somewhere in the service manual or on this website that when the SES light comes on, both fans go on as a precaution, and i could hear them too, so that was kind of good, but the SES did not go away.

As i was driving home though with the SES light on i didnt notice anything wrong with the car . It ran smooth, oil pressure good, temperature good, no smoke from the exhaust, nothing at all. I was being very cautious while driving and drove very slowly.

So next what i decided to do is stop at a petro canada gas station to check my oil and check for any leaks. So i waited while parked hood open for about 30 mins. Then checked my oil and it was good, then moved my car to see for any leaks and there was not a drop of anything . Then i turned the car back on, and the SES light did NOT come on. I was relieved, and drove home.

What do you make of all this?

Should i get it scanned, or will no codes show up since my SES light is off now?

Do you think its a cooling problem (thats what my friends and i suspect)?

Thank you i appreciate the help.

 

First of all, I don't think 3/4 temp is 110, I'm pretty sure it's like 210. Also, if you have HOT problems, usually what I did was unplug my MAF. It makes the computer run on speed density and have the fans on all the time . Your SES light could have been a million things...mine came, off, on, off....blablablah! You know what it was? My MAF was dirty...damn computers. So just check the MAF and also get your computer scanned. Even though the light isn't on, the code is still in there until you delete it. Hope that helps!

Late!

 

It was degrees celsius

75 C = 167 F (lowest)

87.5 C = 190 F (1/4)

100 C = 212 F (1/2)

112.5 C = 235 F (3/4)

125 C = 257 F (highest)

But thank you and i didnt know the code remains until you deleted it so i will definitely go get it checked asap! thanks!

 

He's from Canada... they use that "funny" system, where 100degC = 212degF

Get it scanned. Don't guess. The code will remain stored for a period of time, until the car experiences a certain number of "drive cycles" without the problem recurring.

 

Ya, well everyone should be like America, it just makes sence...doesn't it??

 

Well ive converted the odometer reading in my sig, so i guess you could say my sig is pretty "americanized"

 

Ok i just got back from my garage and got the following DTC code:

DTC 32
EGR system

However after checking my EGR valve we realized that everything was working properly, no problems there, so they just deleted it. Any ideas?

 

The DTC code generally sets because the PCM does not see the expected blip in the MAP sensor when it commands the EGR valve to open. Deleting it may simply make your light permanent. The OBD-I cars seem to generally not set the EGR code, since the diagnostic seems way less sensitive than on the OBD-II setups.

How do you know "everything was working properly"? The valve might be opening correctly, but the passages or the end of the EGR valve could be plugged up, and gas is not flowing, even though it is opening. It's logical that the light would show up at higher coolant temps, since the PCM uses EGR to quench overly high combustion chamber temps and reduce the formation of NOx.

 

Well what the mechanic said was that high engine temperatures like the ones that i faced yesterday night can cause the EGR valve (which relieves the combustion chambers of high temps like you said) to stay open and cause a check engine light. This is what hapenned according to him.

Then he checked the system by i think manually opening the EGR valve at the back of the intake manifold while my car was at idle and the revs dropped momentarily so he concluded that it was working correctly, is this the right way to test the EGR system or is there a better way? (pardon my ignorance)

And when i said he "deleted it" i meant he deleted the stored code that appeared on the scanner, not the actual EGR valve itself, (not sure if thats what you meant )

 

Anybody else?

Ive been driving around the past few days and my car hasnt given me the code anymore, so is it safe to say it was a one time thing?

Also is my car heating up too much?