STEPz

i'm sorry to put this subject here.. i didn't know where else to put it. my check engine light isn't on.. *I THINK!!! WHEN I PUT IT on.. ON then it lights up.. BUT WHEN I START MY CAR.. IT'S OFF.. so is it on or off??* anyway... i looked around the site and didn't see much about the OBD.. my question is.. Can OBDs be used on a 1990 240sx. I'm a little lost with the OBD and OBD II info. i'm not even sure if i need an obd to check the engine light. maybe it's something else? a similar gadget? hm.. can somebody help me out... thank you.

engine: ka24e

simplistek

uhm... isnt it like that on all cars?

STEPz

i have no clue... all i know is that some people use this orange hand held gadget to check the engine light. they say it's only for 94s and up..... i have a 90 and 91..... so i dunno.. help.. please?

nick3

first off, ODB rip. you are running a code, and you should be able to check it by running your ecu diagnostics. thats one of the good things about the 240sx.

simplistek

hmm... well, my car... my brother's car... shoot all our cars does that when the engine isnt on and the ignition is in the "on" position.... that is what you're saying right? maybe i didnt read right? o.Õ

nick3

turn the key as far as you can without turning the car on. then wait for the other lights to go off. if your engine light is on, you have a code. i cant speak for all cars but thats the way it is for a 240sx(89-94)im not sure about 95-98

STEPz

damn.. i knew it had problems.. haha yeah.. the engine is off.. and in the ON position.. my batt. light shows and the engine check light shows...

so there's no hand held device for the 93 and lower vehicles? i can just read off the ecu, yes?

nick3

yes its a lot cheaper. do you know how to check your codes?

STEPz

YES!!! LOL we took a chance and pop that thing open. alright.. the RED blinked 5 times and the GREEN blinked 5 times.. looking through some ecu sites.. it said code 55 means ALL OK. so all is good? i wonder why my engine still feels extremely hot.. I'm HOPING the problem will be fixed when i put a new radiator cap.. if not that.. a gasket on the engine.. if that made sense....... haha ok thanks for the help everyone.

nick3

just reset the computer, and keep an eye on the light.

tryiian

yeah man, if your CEL isn`t on when the car`s on, then no worries. Also, OBD stands for "on-board diagnositcs" so guess what it is, or what it does. It`s a not an engine component so much as a system that connects to everything and makes sure it all works right.

I`m not if the obd system in zenki s13s (single cam engine, 89-90) is the same as the one in the dual cam year models (91-93) or even if the s13 obd is the same as the obd1 in the 94 or 95s, but I do know that at some point around 95 or 96, nissan switched the system in our cars from obd version 1 to obd version 2, so the kouki s14 (and certain models in 95 and 96) engine has to have a different "code scanner" than the obd1 s14 (early 95).

Lastly, the way your engine works is by causing little gas fire/explosions... the valve cover and cyl head and on and on are all gonna get hot when the hood is down, causing the engine bay to be an enclosed, almost insulated area. If you wanna feel some heat, though, get a feel of the exhaust manifold, or the heat shield over it if that`s how your car is.

You can make the valve cover feel a little cooler by lifting the rear of the hood (or getting a hood with large vent(s) or the musclecar "cowl" style vent at the back), and adding Redline Water Wetter to your radiator. Make sure to bleed your system anytime you add anything to it, and don`t open your rad. cap until your coolant hoses are cool and unpressurized. Different oils might affect engine temp too, an oil cooler would significantly lower your overall engine temp, especially under any prolonged 3-4000+ use like when racing, or highway trips.

Anybody here a fan of the "long post"?

STEPz

thanks for the input. i tried water wetter.. i guess i can try again.. i'm going to seafoam the car tomorrow scared to put it in the oil tho.. erk! thanks again.

Cape 240

When the lights go on when its on "ON", the car is doing a self-diagnostic of all systems.

Bring it to auto-zone or pep-boys. They will come out and do a diagnostic with a device on your car for FREE. It will tell you everything that is going on, good or bad.