So my internet is down so I have to post from my sidekick and I can't search to easy . So when I start my car the CEL is on like always and when I give it gas it sounds real quit and shakes alittle and doesn't have much power and I get a blinking CEL . But eventually after driving it clears a little . But my car has been in the body shop getting painted so hasn't been ran in a long time . Maybe flooded or emange problems . So I order interceptor but I have to wait 2to3 weeks ... Any ideas anyone see this problem before .. Thanks a lot
Shane

 

Come on out of all you .. No one has seen or herd of this before ???

 

2 to 3 weeks! that sucks!

 

We need more info. It could be many things causing your problem. What kind of vacuum are you pulling at idle, how do your afr's look at idle/vacuum/boost, do you have spark on all 4 plugs, do you have any codes?

 

flashing cel usually indicates a misfire in the ignition system

 

If you aren't making much power, idle is really rough, and it doesn't improve after you drive it a little bit more, maybe the guys at the paint shop blew your engine for you.

 

Well it does clear up after driving a little . But my AFR gauge went bad because i blew out the 02 sensor. But it does work ever here and there and when it does, they are decent. I was thinking it could be flooded out real bad because the body shop moved it back and fourth for 3 months with out really running it . But i dont know th signs of it being flooded . When i first got the car back it ran real bad and had trouble starting but now it start easy. And when it is at idle it idles alittle rough, then when i give it gas thats when i get the blinking CEL .. I dunno im just hoping me getting the interceptor and getting it tunned will clear it all out . When i take it to get tunned i am going to change the plugs and all that also ...

 

wow,
very wow...

beers

 

i second that

 

Blinking CEL usually means Mistake or other serious problems that the ECU wants your attention.

but it sounds really bad .... hmm

First of all make sure the shop didnt joy ride your 8 ..

then you should get highest octane fuel (best brand you can find) and fill it up.

check and see if theres any cat failure

could be alot of things .... need more details.

 

Do a compression test on it.

 

blinking CEL means misfire. It also sounds like you are misfiring at idle. Check you plugs to see if they are fouled. A body shop here flooded my 8 as well. That will foul plugs.

Did you ever have your eManage tuned?

 

The shop didint joyride im sure because of miles on my car.As far as the plugs Im waiting for the interceptor to get here so we can all do it all at once. I know the plugs are deffinatly fouled because it sat for so long and they just moved it back and forth . As for eManage never been tunned and it has always had some what of a rough idle . But it has gotten worse after the body shop. When it went in the car was running as always. I dunno i think it's the eManage and thats what im hopeing for . I really dont know what plugs to buy either can you help me with that to .

thanks alot
shane

 

holy crap. Didn't tune the emanage? Don't know about the plugs? This might sound harsh, but you really seem to be in over your head on this. If you don't have the knack for this type of stuff, you're asking for trouble. Please, go to PF Supercars and get this thing done right. They're near you, I think...

 

Not tuning the emanage is really not good. You're not on the R flash are you?

 

of course he is.

 

1) I love user error. Blame it on the E-Manage. It is a lot easier to accept than "I don't know what I'm doing".
2) PFC is a joke. It was a joke with Peter, it is still a joke with Ray.

 

Alright...maybe so, but it only remains to be seen who's more of a joke - PFS, or a guy riding around untuned....

 

True, though I maintain that the false sense of confidence one might have after going to PFS might be worse.

Which is the lesser - knowing you are not tuned or thinking you are?

 

just curious...did you hook a scan tool up and pull the codes? would give you a spot on idea of what's wrong...or at least teh area where there is a problem? just a suggestion...but that's what'd i'd do (but then again i have access to a scan tool)

 

A scan tool won't tell you why it is running like crap, even if you do know it is a random-misfire code.
Codes only tell you about component-level failures and they are often misleading.
If you blow a coil pack, no code.
If you have a vacuum leak, no code.
Just how useful is it really to know your gas cap is loose for performance?

Scans are a tool that os only useful for support, not diagnosis. This is why dealer mechs suck so bad.

 

for the most part i would agree.......but if you have a clue what you are doing the type of code you throw will lead you to the problem. or at least the general area...i didn't mean it liek "hook up the scan tool" and you car will say "hello chap care for a spoty of tea.....while i have you for a spell the number 3 spark plug apears to be foulded my good man...care to help out?"

if there are codes...there can only be so many things that cause it...just start with the most likly one check it out..then move on down the line until you find the problem.

p.s. mazdamaniac...what does "dealer mechs" mean..never heard that term...or did you mean dealer techs...lol in that case i'd agree with you.

 

mechs - mechanics
techs - technicians

I always felt the term "tecnician" was way too generous for the monkeys that work in the service department at a dealership.

I use my scan tool so much that it is permanently installed on my in-car pc and starts with the ignition. However, I know what the codes are going to mean for most circumstances.

 

^ouch you are calling me a monkey.....i'll have you know the tech's / mechs (whatever you perfer to call us) at my dealership...are.......well......lol well we are monkeys..but at least we are monkeys with tools. (although moneys with wrenches is scary) LOL

for the most part you are correct it's pretty scary to see some guys work on cars....not a lot of diagnostics or troubleshooting...most of them just throw parts at the car until they win out due to the laws of probability and fix the car.

 

i diagnosed a dirty MAF from the code thrown and weird idle just the other day on 93currents car. cleaned the MAF cleared the code - car idles normal and no code returned.