# Check Engine Light stays on...guess why



## zlady (Oct 6, 2004)

Hi all,
Interesting...Maybe this will help someone else My check engine light went on and off for seemingly no reason in my 88 300zx for a few years (through my recent tune up and other services over the years) ....I would just get it smogged real quick when it was still off. Nobody seemed to know why it stayed on but everyone wanted to charge > $45 to just reset it. A few days ago, I finally failed my smog test because I ran out of time and this time the light stayed on for a couple of weeks. I passed all the emission stuff but failed the "visual" inspection...an automatic fail. Right after I failed, another customer said "Check your windshield washer fluid. That will make the check engine light stay on. Wait a day or so and the light might go out". I already knew it was empty because it's leaked for years and I never cared. I just filled it up only when I thought about it and never made the connection. Guess what? I filled it up and two days later, the light went out. It came back on a few days later and as expected, my washer fluid was empty again. I filled it up with water this time and the light went out again. I drove to the smog station and passed. I did read about the washer fluid somewhere on the internet but ignored it because it made no sense to me. Hope this helps someone one day. Check your washer fluid!

Zlady


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Never heard of something like this.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

I would say for one the emissions techs are full of crap, there is no check engine light on the 84-89 300ZXs. All these cars are pre-OBD, which is the ECU standard that uses a check engine light. There may have been some OBD units in 1989, which is when OBD-1 was first generally accepted, but pre-OBD, no.......


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

The light that you are refering to is possibly either the radiator light or the washer bottle light, and to a knowledgable emissions tech not only is the placement of the light wrong the shape is also wrong. The check engine light is a picture of a minature engine. The light they think is the CE light may be the correct color, but that's about it.


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

Yeah the red little block You mean we don't have a check engine light at all? I thought it came on when the detonation sensor sensed pre-det.


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

SKD_Tech said:


> Yeah the red little block You mean we don't have a check engine light at all? I thought it came on when the detonation sensor sensed pre-det.


If you can find a check engine light on your dash, please take a picture of it and post it here, because I have never seen one on a Z31 before.


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

There isnt one

post changed due to its offensive nature (and b/c it upset the Jakester-LOL)


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## asleepz (Feb 24, 2004)

edited because Todd is so kewl


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

another easy way to pass the visual is to pull the actual lights out from the back side of the gauges-


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

0341TODD said:


> another easy way to pass the visual is to pull the actual lights out from the back side of the gauges-


Noop, that's how you fail the visual on an emissions test with an OBD car. They check the CE lights operation, which turns on for 2 seconds after the key is turned on or the car is started, and then turns off again.


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## 0341TODD (Nov 15, 2003)

oh yeah? well, Im glad my state doesnt have any emissions then--- that kinda sucks that there is no way around it- even though you could use a dei pulse generator that would give it like a second signal when the ignition turns on (it would have to be hooked to the ignition for the signal obviously)


or you could hook a t-66 to it and weld on a external wastegate


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## Zen31ZR (Mar 24, 2004)

0341TODD said:


> oh yeah? well, Im glad my state doesnt have any emissions then--- that kinda sucks that there is no way around it- even though you could use a dei pulse generator that would give it like a second signal when the ignition turns on (it would have to be hooked to the ignition for the signal obviously)
> 
> 
> or you could hook a t-66 to it and weld on a external wastegate


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