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Check engine red light coming on and then going off


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Hi

 

I have a 93 Loyale with about 179K on it. Its in ok condition. Two days ago the "Checkl engine" light came on and scared the hell out of me. I got home ok and the next morning I checked all the fluids (oil, brake, trans, anti-frezze) and everything was fine. The does not appear to be any different sounds coming from the engine either. I do have to admit that its been over a year since I did the last oil change. Could that be the cause? Maybe the oil filter or something simple like that?

 

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

David

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Hi

 

I have a 93 Loyale with about 179K on it. Its in ok condition. Two days ago the "Checkl engine" light came on and scared the hell out of me. I got home ok and the next morning I checked all the fluids (oil, brake, trans, anti-frezze) and everything was fine. The does not appear to be any different sounds coming from the engine either. I do have to admit that its been over a year since I did the last oil change. Could that be the cause? Maybe the oil filter or something simple like that?

 

Thanks for your help in advance.

 

David

You can get the info on how to check the codes here:

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=49918&highlight=ecu+codes

 

I had a similar problem to yours (light went on and off, no noticable performance change) and it was the EGR solenoid, which I promptly ignored.

 

And it wouldn't hurt to change the oil anyway, since it's been a year.

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The most common thing that causes an intermittant CEL on those cars is a bad EGR solenoid. By itself, it really doesn't hurt anything...the harm comes from the fact that some other problem could come up and you wouldn't know it since the CEL is already on due to the EGR solenoid code.

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i have the same problem, cel will come on once in a while for a moment... almost always when under throttle, not wide open though. when i let off the gas it goes off... when i get home and try to pull codes.. nada.. the all clear is all i get.. ack.. im i hijacking a thread? im thinking o2 sensor but egr solenoid could be it too..

 

at seperate times the car bogs down under initial throttle input, but no cel..

 

 

it baffles me on occasion.. the other times i try to figure it out... nothing yet

 

 

rllywgn

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My 92 Loyale did the same thing ..then turned to a steady on light...ran the codes..it was the very common 34 (EGR sylinoid) ..fixed for 2 years with the black electrical tape method..then I finally got around to changing the sylinoid....all better now. Drove this car for 2 years with the light on.But its best to just run the codes first...very very simple to do.

 

Good Luck

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Just to let you guys and girls know... in case your wondering... last week i replaced my busted EGR solenoid with one from a 86 honda civic 1.5 carb. and i imagine other hondas will work... i rewired the plug from old subaru solenoid onto the honda unit, drilled out the mounting hole to fit the subaru bolt and viola... no check engine light since...

 

 

car still boggs down though... gotta get that figured out..

 

 

 

rllywgn

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on the XT6 it is very common for the check engine light to come on when you're holding a steady speed (think cruise control). as soon as you hit the gas or breaks it will go out, this is a sure sign of the "vehicle speed sensor", which is located in the instrument cluster. there is no need for alarm and it doesn't cause any driveability issues. maybe if the sensor went completely bad there would be issues but i've never seen that happen. more than half of the dozen or so XT6's i've owned long enough to tell have had this issue. not sure if EA82's have that same sensor or not, but the symptoms are obvious like i just mentioned.

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