this is for my wife's 2003 echo sedan, sorry if this is not the proper place to post

Check engine light is on all the time(past 2 weeks). It is spitting and spuddering almost all the time now, but the check engine light flashes, it starts accelerating and decelerating. I'll be driving and it starts lunging/launching on me. Sitting @ work now wondering what kind of fun I got in store for me when I leave.

Note: the CEL went out the other day when a friend of mine said he put the gas cap on tight, and it stayed off til my wife re-fueled. So i tried putting it on tight today when the light came back on, but at that point nothing was acting up, just had the light. So since I tightened the cap, it is acting up.....

Any ideas?

Car has 233000kms on it, these cars have no fuel filter(more of a mesh guard) no timing belt(Chain). All i can thing of is a sensor or there is water in the tank. but it has gone through a few tanks, so......

 

Anyone?

 

well a flashing CEL usually always means a cylinder misfire, maybe thats a start

 

k, but what would make it misfire, and then out of no where stop again?

 

if the check engine light was on there is a code stored in the computer, take it to a shop and get it scanned

 

echo
echo
echo
echo
echo
echo
echo

 

 

check the sparkplugs and wires or if they use those um...crap the ones my vibe has...where the controller part is right on the plug...check those, sounds like one of the cylinders isnt firing right and its most likely a plug not lighting up or getting enough powa

 

Sounds like a bad TPS (Trottle Positioning Sensor) or EGR (exhaust Gase Recirculation Valve) valve plugged.

When you say surging (accelerating/decelerating) does it feel like sometimes it just wants to take off and go then all of a sudden it slows down or loses power even though you have the accelerator say floored?

When you say spitting and spudering does it want to stall or does it stall unexpectedly?

 

It just accelerates and slows down and i'm not moving the throttle any, and when it is spitting/spuddering, it is almost like it is misfiring or running out of gas, but never does stall out.

 

get the code read. instead of trying to figure out what it may or may not be, read the code and it will tell you the problem.

 

Update: Went to Canadian Tire this morning, with no CEL. He hooked it up and there were no codes stored. He took it for a quick drive and checked a few things. This is what he found:

MAF: He noticed the sensor had a build-up of carbon, probably from the amount of kms on the car. He said he cleaned that. I told him the air filter had been replaced recently and the old one was pretty dirty.

Sparkplugs: He said it appeared they (at least the 2 I saw) were running rich. He also said that it appeared there was some carbon on the plugs, from what thinks were the plugs not tighten'd (my bad). I already purchased new plus and will install and torque down correctly this time.

Injector cleaning: He suggested a fuel injection cleaning. Not the stuff you put in your tank but a system flush. I declined on it today but will find out more later on.


So, the plan now is to change the plugs and the oil. If it acts up after that, I'll be sure to take it in when the CEL is on. All in all, I was very surprised by this guy, was a younger guy and very cool. Called me into the work area few times to ask questions and explain things. (also show me the plugs and other things as he was working on it) I normally hate/Dread going to them, but they surprised me this time. Thumbs up to James @ canadiantire.

 

A flashing CEL means something is very, very wrong and could be causing damage to the engine

 

I'd def. go with the cleaning....

 

yeah, i could see a less than tight spark plug doing that.