check engine light issue

Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
in Engine & Drivetrain
Hello everyone. My check engine light keeps coming on in my 89 wagovan, and I would like some advice on what it could be. When I first start the vehicle up the light doesn't come on, it takes about 20-30 minutes til it illuminates. I just did an oil change, and replaced the fuel cap. Also I took it to autozone to see if they would test it for me, but they said it was to old of a vehicle lol. Anyway I was just curious if anyone could help me further with this problem. Only other things I can think of would be bad spark plug/and wires or the coil pack. Is any of the items a common issue with the wagovan? Any and all help will be greatly appriciated.

Comments

  • darktricksterdarktrickster Wagonist
    drive the car until the check engine light comes on, then pull over and leave it idling. Pull the carpet back on the passenger side floor board to expose the ecu cover (metal plate that the passenger would rest their feet on). In the upper center area of the plate is a hole, under which is a blinking light that blinks codes at you. It will blink a certain number of times then pause for a few seconds then blink again. Write down the number of blinks between pauses and look online for the Diagnostic trouble code relating to that number. If it's throwing more than one code it will alternate between blinking one then the other, but will separate them by that few second pause. Get back to us with the results if you don't find an easy fix online.
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    darktrickster wrote: »
    drive the car until the check engine light comes on, then pull over and leave it idling. Pull the carpet back on the passenger side floor board to expose the ecu cover (metal plate that the passenger would rest their feet on). In the upper center area of the plate is a hole, under which is a blinking light that blinks codes at you. It will blink a certain number of times then pause for a few seconds then blink again. Write down the number of blinks between pauses and look online for the Diagnostic trouble code relating to that number. If it's throwing more than one code it will alternate between blinking one then the other, but will separate them by that few second pause. Get back to us with the results if you don't find an easy fix online.

    Thank you for that advice, I actually just bought some spark plugs for it. Im going to change them real quick and if it doesn't fix it, I will be sure to do that. Thanks again for the advice. I will get back to you on the issue, if I cant resolve it myself
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    I just checked today,but I cant seem to find out whats going on. The ECU is flashing 17 short times. Everywhere i've looked they say its the vss or ecu? So im kind of confused at the moment lol.
  • CharbCharb Administrator
    Low_Lyfe wrote: »
    I just checked today,but I cant seem to find out whats going on. The ECU is flashing 17 short times. Everywhere i've looked they say its the vss or ecu? So im kind of confused at the moment lol.

    For starters, why in the hell did it take you two weeks to pull back the carpet and check the code? Fixing your car doesn't seem to be a priority...

    Second, you don't have an electric VSS. So you're getting bad info, whoever told you that. The speed sensor has no connection with your ECU.

    Third, quick google search says 17 is ECU. So if I was you, I'd get to a junkyard asap and try and find a new one. Or find a buddy that has the same one, and swap it to see if its fixed.
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    Charb wrote: »
    For starters, why in the hell did it take you two weeks to pull back the carpet and check the code? Fixing your car doesn't seem to be a priority...

    Second, you don't have an electric VSS. So you're getting bad info, whoever told you that. The speed sensor has no connection with your ECU.

    Third, quick google search says 17 is ECU. So if I was you, I'd get to a junkyard asap and try and find a new one. Or find a buddy that has the same one, and swap it to see if its fixed.

    I didn't think it was that serious, being as the car really never had much service. Thought maybe it might just be bad spark plugs and wires. Anyway thank you for the info.
  • darktricksterdarktrickster Wagonist
    If your speedometer is broken that code will come on any time you use the engine to brake. 88-91 does have an electric VSS, it is located on the back of the cluster where the cable runs and transmits the signal to the ECU from there. It's just not located on the tranny like the 92 and newer civics. So if your speedometer is broken, or if it bounces excessively, that's your problem. Otherwise I would make sure all your grounds are good, especially the one on the thermostat housing and the one attached to the bracket for your clutch cable on the tranny. You might also remove the gauge cluster and make sure all the connections there are clean and secure as well.
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    darktrickster wrote: »
    If your speedometer is broken that code will come on any time you use the engine to brake. 88-91 does have an electric VSS, it is located on the back of the cluster where the cable runs and transmits the signal to the ECU from there. It's just not located on the tranny like the 92 and newer civics. So if your speedometer is broken, or if it bounces excessively, that's your problem. Otherwise I would make sure all your grounds are good, especially the one on the thermostat housing and the one attached to the bracket for your clutch cable on the tranny. You might also remove the gauge cluster and make sure all the connections there are clean and secure as well.

    Thank you for that info, I called autozone and quite a few sites that all say the same as you. Its weird the speedo work fine, it just stalls for 10 seconds and then responds lol. Thanks again for your help darktrickster
  • darktricksterdarktrickster Wagonist
    Low_Lyfe wrote: »
    Thank you for that info, I called autozone and quite a few sites that all say the same as you. Its weird the speedo work fine, it just stalls for 10 seconds and then responds lol. Thanks again for your help darktrickster

    The car stalls, or the speedo stalls? If the speedo stalls then there's your problem, jam it back into the tranny, or the gauge cluster, or get a new cable.
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    darktrickster wrote: »
    The car stalls, or the speedo stalls? If the speedo stalls then there's your problem, jam it back into the tranny, or the gauge cluster, or get a new cable.

    Yea like it lags once I start to accelerate,and then the check engine light only come on when the vehicles starts to slow down.
  • darktricksterdarktrickster Wagonist
    It? Is "it" referring to the car or the speedometer? That sentence seems to indicate that the car lags when you accelerate, which would indicate that you have more problems than just the speedo. The check engine light coming on only when the car slows down is definitely a vss issue. If the speedometer lags when you accelerate then I would guess the cable is broken but still manages to turn or that one of the ends is being pushed out when the speed of the vehicle changes rapidly (loose connection). If the speedometer seems to work fine and the check engine light is coming on when you decelerate using the engine, then the problem is electrical in nature. That means there is a loose (electrical) connection or the vss unit has gone bad or that there is corrosion in a ground (check the ones I mentioned previously). Good news is when you fix this problem, your fuel economy should get better. :)
  • Low_LyfeLow_Lyfe Wagonist
    darktrickster wrote: »
    It? Is "it" referring to the car or the speedometer? That sentence seems to indicate that the car lags when you accelerate, which would indicate that you have more problems than just the speedo. The check engine light coming on only when the car slows down is definitely a vss issue. If the speedometer lags when you accelerate then I would guess the cable is broken but still manages to turn or that one of the ends is being pushed out when the speed of the vehicle changes rapidly (loose connection). If the speedometer seems to work fine and the check engine light is coming on when you decelerate using the engine, then the problem is electrical in nature. That means there is a loose (electrical) connection or the vss unit has gone bad or that there is corrosion in a ground (check the ones I mentioned previously). Good news is when you fix this problem, your fuel economy should get better. :)

    Ah dang, I do apologize. "It" is referring to the speedo. That would be great,fuel economy does suck lol. Thank you so much for the info. I do appriciate all the help you have been!
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