C4...1988...Service Engine Soon Warning

I'm getting the 'Service Engine Soon' light on my dash regularly...I only
use the car for long trips to Florida 3 or 4 times a year...For these trips
the engine runs at 2000 to 2200 rpms for 10 to 11 hours...There's usually
one fuel stop and a couple of personal pit stops along the way...The light
would come on itermitently...On the most recent trip it was on for just
about the entire trip...750 miles down and 750 miles back...The EGR valve
and the O2 sensor were recently replaced (just before the last trip)...The
catalytic converter was replaced about 4000 miles ago...the current mileage
is within 200 miles of 150K...I try to use no-ethanol fuel when I can find
it...Any light you could shed on the subject would be
appreciated...TIA...Jeffyg

On Thu, 5 Feb 2009 20:12:05 -0500, "Jeff Greenlaw"
> wrote:

>I'm getting the 'Service Engine Soon' light on my dash regularly...I only
>use the car for long trips to Florida 3 or 4 times a year...For these trips
>the engine runs at 2000 to 2200 rpms for 10 to 11 hours...There's usually
>one fuel stop and a couple of personal pit stops along the way...The light
>would come on itermitently...On the most recent trip it was on for just
>about the entire trip...750 miles down and 750 miles back...The EGR valve
>and the O2 sensor were recently replaced (just before the last trip)...The
>catalytic converter was replaced about 4000 miles ago...the current mileage
>is within 200 miles of 150K...I try to use no-ethanol fuel when I can find
>it...Any light you could shed on the subject would be
>appreciated...TIA...Jeffyg
>


Either get a code reader or get someone to read the codes. Lots of
things cause the service engine soon light. Loose or bad gas cap is
one item. Small vacumn leak.

"Jeff Greenlaw" > wrote in message
...
> I'm getting the 'Service Engine Soon' light on my dash regularly...I only
> use the car for long trips to Florida 3 or 4 times a year...For these
> trips the engine runs at 2000 to 2200 rpms for 10 to 11 hours...There's
> usually one fuel stop and a couple of personal pit stops along the
> way...The light would come on itermitently...On the most recent trip it
> was on for just about the entire trip...750 miles down and 750 miles
> back...The EGR valve and the O2 sensor were recently replaced (just before
> the last trip)...The catalytic converter was replaced about 4000 miles
> ago...the current mileage is within 200 miles of 150K...I try to use
> no-ethanol fuel when I can find it...Any light you could shed on the
> subject would be appreciated...TIA...Jeffyg

Do you get any other lights in addition to the engine service? When it
first started happening I got that light by itself, but pretty soon the DIC
panel was lighting up like a Christmas tree and the engine took on a mind of
its own. I ended up replacing the ECM.

AJM
'93 40th Anniversary coupe, 6 sp (both tops)

On Feb 5, 8:12*pm, "Jeff Greenlaw" > wrote:
> I'm getting the 'Service Engine Soon' light on my dash regularly...
> ...Any light you could shed on the subject would be
> appreciated...

Read the trouble codes. It can be done with a paperclip or by using a
scan tool, which some autoparts stores have and will hook up for
free. The light does not have to be on to read the code. It will
remember the trouble code even if the light goes out.

The code does not necessarily indicate what component needs to be
replaced, but it does get you started in the right direction for
troubleshooting.