Re: "check engine light"

[Steve Valin <sjv@netapp.com>]

Jad Duncan <Jad.Duncan@GAT.COM> asks:

> I have an '89 90q and the 'check engine' light occasionally comes on.  This
> generally means some smog device is not functioning properly, but I hate to
> just take the car to the dealer and pay their prices to change a simple
> component.  Does anyone have much experience with what usually causes this
> light to come on.  The car is a California car just incase it matters. Any
> advice would be appreciated.

When this happens to my '88 90Q, so far it has been the ground
connections for the f/i and ignition computers.  both computers sit
inside the passenger compartment, but their grounds go into the engine
bay and are bolted to the intake manifold.  When this becomes corroded,
things act flakey and the engine light comes on.  I would take these off
and clean them up and see if this fixes your problem.  If not, you can
read out the diagnostic codes and see what the computers are complaining
about.

-steve

--
Steve Valin		sjv@netapp.com         408.367.3566