Check Engine light on 95 Turbo R

[RUSTGEEZER]

Hi All

The check engine light comes on intermittently on my car.
I can use it 5 or 6 times on long or short journeys and it stays off.Then I can do a couple of short journeys and it stays on all of the time.

I can reset it using the trip/cancel buttons with the ignition on in park but then it comes on when it feels like it.

Any help appreciated!

Regards,Gary.

[jeyjey]

You'll need to get the code (using an OBD reader) to know more. There are many, many faults that will turn that light on. (A failing O2 sensor will give the symptoms you've described, but I imagine many other things will too.)

Cheers,
Jeff.

[matt5791]

Definitely agree - take it to a specialist or main dealer with the diagnostics system (it's non-standard) and it does store the codes in the car so you will find out what is going on. Totally impossible to second guess it.

[RUSTGEEZER]

Cheers Gents
Took the car to Hillier Hill and the only fault code is for the knock sensors.
They tell me its quite common-has anybody had this issue and solved the problem as they tell me that replacing the sensors doesn't allways work?

[jeyjey]

Hi Gary,

Have the head gaskets ever been done? If so, it might just be a bad batch of fuel. But if not, the knock sensor can be a warning sign that the gaskets are about to go.

If you get them done now, it's on your schedule, with no "extra" work. If you wait for them to blow (and possibly overcook the engine), then you increase the risk of having to skim the heads or reline the cylinders, etc.

That being said, almost everyone waits....

Cheers,
Jeff.

[matt5791]

RUSTGEEZER said:

Cheers Gents
Took the car to Hillier Hill and the only fault code is for the knock sensors.
They tell me its quite common-has anybody had this issue and solved the problem as they tell me that replacing the sensors doesn't allways work?

As Jeyjey says - knock sensor can be sign of impending head gasket failure.

In early December I had check engine light - had it diagnosed and it was knock sensor. A couple of weeks later the head gasket blew as I accelerated onto the M6. (1996 cont. R)

The head gaskets are pretty much a certain failure at some point, it seems - especially if they have never been done. Your choice is to watch out for it. Or, do them anyway as a precautionary measure, because that will be the most cost effective solution - you know there will be no complications this way. If you let it blow, and you don't notice, and it over heats, then the complications can range from minor to really silly. Fortunately, with my car, I noticed almost immediately and didn't allow the engine to overheat. But once it goes, you probably only have a few miles of gentle driving before you would have an overheating situation. Within 4 miles I had low coolant warning.

I know a very good place who will do them at a very reasonable cost, but extremely high quality job. If you are interested or end up with a failure, contact me.

I have reported on the repairs to my car on the other thread about head gasket failure:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Edited by matt5791 on Saturday 21st January 06:36