Check Engine Light... blinking??

Zaphod 350z · Tweet this Post! #1 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 09:35 AM

Once again back seeking advice on CEL issues. My CEL is rarely out. If I clear, it comes back within 1 or 2 drives. Always the random misfire code and that's it. Recently, when I come to a stop at a traffic light, after about 30 seconds or so, the CEL starts BLINKING! It continues to blink until I start moving. No additional codes, no strange behavior, no sputters (other than the "normal") and no other weirdness other than that light blinking.

It gets even weirder...

Saturday I hooked up to the car and cleared the code and the CEL. I drove for about 8 miles before coming to a stop light. While sitting there, the CEL started blinking. DAMMIT! But then as soon as I started moving, not only did it stop blinking, but the light stayed out completely. It came back on this morning while going to work of course.

Any ideas on this one? The turbonetics support guy recommended ditching my iridium plugs and going back to platinum 1 step colder. I will certainly try it. Any ideas as to why it would blink? Am I cursed to have the damn CEL on all the time? Do i need to fix it Homer Simpson style (black tape)?

Thanks in advance.

yamaha16bw · Tweet this Post! #2 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 12:41 PM

Ive been having some problems with my car lately too. and I got the same thing the other day. My was blinking but only when I got on it really hard. It would go away after I let off the gas. NO CODES in the ecu memory too. very strange. I swapped out my stock a/f sensor which controls all my WOT tuning so I'm hoping thats it. I'll let you know if that helps.

Zaphod 350z · Tweet this Post! #3 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 12:52 PM

Glad I'm not alone. The tech at TN said he never heard of a CEL blinking. My blinks only when idling at a light or something. As soon as I start moving it goes solid, save for the other night when it was blinking and then when i started moving it went off completely.

yamaha16bw · Tweet this Post! #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 03:31 PM

Yeah Ive been told the same thing. Everyone doesnt believe that I have a blinking cel....Hopefully its nothing to bad.

Robert · Tweet this Post! #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007, 05:09 PM

Theres a couple reasons for this that are possible. For the Tc I have to say I'm not 100% on this. For the Z it typically indicates that the ECU is detecting a misfire. This could be a very minor miss which is not even audiblly detectable. It could be from a slightly fouled plug. I would at the least try switching back to the Platinums and see if that helps. What are your plugs gapped to right now?

Zaphod 350z · Tweet this Post! #6 (**permalink**) 03-06-2007, 08:39 AM

I don't have the factory plugs anymore. 2 moves, 1 new state and they managed to walk away. I have denso iridiums 16's at whatever gap it comes with. I will pick up some ngk platinums. Vendor recommendation? sparkplugs.com is no more.

Robert · Tweet this Post! #7 (**permalink**) 03-06-2007, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zaphod 350z

I don't have the factory plugs anymore. 2 moves, 1 new state and they managed to walk away. I have denso iridiums 16's at whatever gap it comes with. I will pick up some ngk platinums. Vendor recommendation? sparkplugs.com is no more.

Try www.gspec.com for the plugs. You can do one step colder platinums if you like. I've never had much like with Denso plugs for what its worth...