All
(posted in different form on a shop forum)
The engine ecu warning light came on a few weeks back, the garage told me it was a fault with the lambda probes - the light reset itself (perhaps when the battery was disconnected for other work) and so nothing was done. The light is now on again.
I'd like to fix this myself, as my local garages want significant cash for any diagnostics and repair of 'electronic' problems. I am, of course, assuming that this is the same problem.
A few questions:
- From what I understand, there are two probes. How can I find which one is tripping the fault without diagnostics? I can disconnect them in turn, but I will always receive an error, is there anything else I can try?
- Can the probes be cleaned out and repaired (they're not cheap)?
- How long can I drive with such a problem before I damage the cat?
- Can the ecu be reset (the fault canceled) by disconnecting the battery, or does it need doing via diagnostics? I'm having trouble getting this from the garage who originally looked at the car.
- (if this is falls foul of forum rules, please ignore and accept my apologies) is there a good place to purchase the probes? Even GSF seem to be up around £150 for these, much to my surprise.
All advice gratefully received.
Edited by Dynamic Dave on 31/03/2008 at 19:49
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I'd like to fix this myself as my local garages want significant cash for any diagnostics and repair of 'electronic' problems.
So; after spending five-figure sums on kit; thousands a year on updates and training and hundreds of hours of their time, unpaid, learning the craft - they now want paying for it??
Greedy, money-grabbing, shysters.
- From what I understand there are two probes. How can I find which one is tripping the fault without diagnostics?
You can't. What fault code?
- Can the probes be cleaned out and repaired (they're not cheap)?
No.
- How long can I drive with such a problem before I damage the cat?
Depends on the fault - perhaps not far.
- Can the ecu be reset (the fault cancelled) by disconnecting the battery or does it need doing via diagnostics?
Re-setting without fixing the problem is pointless - even if possible.
is there a good place to purchase the probes?
What if it's not the sensor; but a trim code or cat efficiency code - don't shoot the messenger.
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"So; after spending five-figure sums on kit; thousands a year on updates and training and hundreds of hours of their time, unpaid, learning the craft - they now want paying for it??
Greedy, money-grabbing, shysters."
Well, that's a nice little strawman - do you hang around waiting to post that little diatribe? Did I say I objected to giving them money as I think they're overpaid? No, I didn't. My problem is that I don't have a great deal of money, something which I'm sure of common to a lot of folk.
As it's already been diagnosed I'm keen to see if I can narrow down and fix the problem myself. Which is what I understood this forum aimed to do.
"You can't. What fault code?"
That's something I'm still trying to find out from the garage - I have a feeling they didn't write it down anywhere, which is most irritating.
"What if it's not the sensor; but a trim code or cat efficiency code - don't shoot the messenger."
What I'm trying to find is whether this is a repeat of a previous problem which has been diagnosed, but poorly documented.
Edited by mattieboy on 31/03/2008 at 16:32
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Screwloose
I've had a brief look through the forum and it appears your response was steered by questions you've commonly been asked, and sentiments you've commonly come across. As such, I can see why you replied in the manner you did - my apologies for my strong response.
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