1994 Plymouth Grand Voyager 3.3 "Check Engine" Lig

The check engine light comes on after 10-15 minutes of driving and
there seems to be no engine problems. While not for the faint of
heart, I even shut off the engine while going down the road and
restarted the engine to have the light come back on after another 10
minutes of driving.

Even after swapping out the engine due to a different problem, the
light still comes on.

Any ideas?

 

Try reading the engine codes for a starter!

 

No, not until you tell us what diagnostic code is set concurrent with
the check engine light.


Matt

 

I’m not a mechanic and don’t have the equipment to read these codes.
And, by the time I take it to a mechanic, they charge $70 for a
diagnostics test to read the codes to find a $10 part is at fault. Is
there a way to read these codes without such equipment? Without being
able to read the codes, is there some general ideas of some of the
things that only would cause the Check Engine light to come on after
having driven down the road for at least ten minutes that I could
check? One person mentioned that a bad gas cap could cause it and I
did replace it to no avail. I do remember that the problem started
shortly after replacing the fuel pump in the gas tank.

 

Got the ignition key to the vehicle? Then you have the equipment to read
the codes.

To check the computer codes:

With the engine off, switch the ignition key on-off-on-off-on,
leaving it "ON". Do not
go to "start", just "on" during this procedure.

Watch the "Check Engine" or "Power Loss" light. It will turn on, then go
off, then will begin to flash-out any trouble codes that have been stored.
For instance, if it flashes:

flash <pause> flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash
<long pause>
flash flash flash flash flash <pause> flash flash flash flash flash

Then you have a 12 (one flash followed by two) a 35 (three and five) and a
55 (five and five). 55 means "end of codes" or, if by itself, "No codes
stored. Check the codes and report what you find.

 

I never knew you could do that! I did what you said and the following
codes were presented in order...

12
32
14
24
11
22
55

It will be interesting to know the translation...thanks for all your
help!

 

Start of codes

EGR system fault

MAP sensor voltage out of range

Throttle Position Sensor voltage out of range (over 4.96v)

No ignition reference signal detected during cranking (faulty distributor
pickup, if so equipped) OR timing belt skipped one or more teeth; OR loss
of either camshaft or crankshaft position sensor signal.

Coolant temperature sensor signal out of range.

End of codes

Yep, I'd say you've got some problems with your van...

 

Wow! I have a few things to look at to say the least. I know why the
egr fault as the replacement engine (1992) did not have the egr hookup
that my 1994 did. I’ll give this to my son and see if he knows what to
do to resolve these errors.

Thanks to all for all the help!! This is a great forum!!!

 

I had the check engine light come on with mine as well. No codes for
MONTHS. It was really ticking me off. Finally, I was getting
occasional spit-back and los of power.

I took it to my trusted shop. After a few minutes of tinkering, it
turned out to be the O2 sensor. I never did get a code, but all the
tech got from the O2 sensor was a square wave. This sqaure wave
averages out to a 50% signal. Sort of a "best guess". But the signal
did not change or track with varying engine conditions.

As soon as the new sensor was in, he showed me how the signal returned
to "normal" varying with conditions like opening the throttle.

The check engine light has not come on since.

A VERY quick, and relatively inexpensive fix. )

 

As reported earlier, there were several error codes present on the
computer diagnostics some of which were due to changing out the ’94
engine with a ’92 engine. I have some things to look at bit
interesting to note that I went to the state inspection center and
there posted on the waiting room window was a note about "Check
Engine" lights being on. Topping the list was the fuel cap not being
able to hold pressure. How that relates to the diagnostics codes I
don’t know but without doing any changes, the light now sometimes
doesn’t come on on my drive to/from work. Interesting.

BTW...the car failed NOx (too high) and obviously they don’t read the
computers codes on some earlier cars otherwise they would have seen at
least a dozen on mine. I have to find out how to reset the codes to
get a fresh report.

 

Emmissions testing here NEVER reads the "codes" from the engine's
computer. They don't care. What they DO care about is the reading
taken from the "sniffer" that they put up the tail pipe.

They also care that all emmision system equipment that was "stock" is
there and functinoing.

And yes, they check the gas cap too.

My repair shop has a computer that talks to the computer in the Van.
Their computer can "clear" the codes. This is important since you
usually want to know what codes have appeared recently.

Many codes will appear, but will not always cause the "check engine"
light to come on.

NOx failed? wow. Never even came close on that one.

best of luck.

 

Yes they do care, OBD2. 1996 vehicles and up. OBD2 system include a monitor
called readiness codes. That indicates that all OBD2 tests have been
performed and passed.
Some states still do the standard tailpipe test on all years but will start
the OBD2 test soon

 

Oh just great! So now you have to pay for the test, AND you have to
pay BEFORE the test to have someone do the test that says that you are
ready for the test!

What a f'n joke. Typical government.

If the damn money wasn't coming out of my pocket then it would be
laughable.

 

Huh? In Our state, if your OBD2 readiness monitor has not completed because
of some reason such as a fault code was recently cleared and you go to take
the test...... they will tell you to drive the car a few days with a few
warm up cycles and then bring it back. Should only be one charge

 

In my Province, you pay EVERY TIME you take the test - pass or fail.

First test charge is $47, and re-test is $23.

But they don't read ODB2 (yet). If there is extra money in it, and
they figure this out, then they will start doing it.

If you fail, then you MUST have your car repaired at a "certified"
facility. Of course, the "certification" costs the shop $$$$, and that
is passed on to you in higher repair costs as well. And you MUST bring
the repair bill with you for the re-test.

Sounds like our system could use an over-haul. But as long as there is
money in it for the government, that wont happen any time soon.

 

I have a ’98 Grand Voyager Expresso, 3.3 L. My check engine light is
on, but when I try the procedure above to illuminate the codes, I get
no response.

Three questions:

1. Is there a different procedure needed on a ’98 to reveal the codes?
2. If no codes are revealed, what is the most likely scenario?
3. Can I just turn the damn thing off?

Thanks in advance.

gc

 

http://www.autoforumz.com/eform.php?p=627508
Assuming you made sure the gas cap is tight,
Have it read with a scanner and get the problem fixed

 

The key on-off-on-off-on cycle doesn't work on OBD2 cars such as your '98,
only on OBD1 Mopars.

It's on for a reason. Most faults that turn on the Check Engine light also
reduce gas mileage and increase exhaust emissions. Fix the problem.

 

Take a center punch and place the narrow end directly against the
glass over the letter 'g' in the word 'engine' (check ENGINE soon).
With a 16 to 24 oz. framing hammer, aggressively strike the broad end
of the center punch. The light should then go out. If not, strike
the center punch repeatedly until the light goes out

AL

 

Check the EGR valve