rpmgem

Few days after running full bottle of chevron Techron, my tank was almost on Empty and my CEL started flashing while idling at a red light. Pulled over at a gas station, filled her up and the flashing cel stopped. Solid link to bad injectors?

Chuck S

This is a emissions warning, nothing more. If it goes away it's fine. Calling this a "check engine light" is disingenuous -- but we all do! -- 'cuz it's not a general engine warning light. It's nothing more than an emissions malfunction indicator light (MIL). Guys with "test pipes" by-pass the system or ignore it.''

I've no idea what's in chevron Techron. Nor why using it would cause this. Our fuel tanks are fairly small and a full bottle may by too much?

-- Chuck

rpmgem

Thanks for the reply, it would go from a flashing CEL back to solid CEL (my car has the light on for a misfire on all cylinders code) The flashing worried me as I haven't seen it happen before.

flanders

Flashing CEL is most likely due to misfire and what Chuck says is pretty exaggerated.
It's not just an emission light, although most of the error codes obviously affects the emissions.

windhund116

Couldn't he get an OBD-II reader and read the stored error codes?

EDIT: Sorry, didn't notice this was a continuation of another thread.

rpmgem

Thanks for the reply, it only happens when the car is idling for a while. I'm gonna take it in the shop next week to get a valve adjustment, will be driving it minimally till then. Hopefully it's nothing serious

vasquezgno

I just had the same problem. Last time it was bad spark plug seals after it read a misfire in 2 cylinders. Oil was seeping though the seals flooding the cool. I changed spark plug seals, valve cover gasket and new spark plugs and all was fine for 2 years and now today it came back. Can it be the same thing or now possibly my coil is bad ?

Chuck S

New plugs are relatively cheap and come with new seals. The torque spec has been upped since our cars were new. There's a pen and ink change in my shop manual courtesy, no doubt from Billman, that notes the correct torque is now 24 lb-ft (old spec was 18).

New plugs are factory gaped and come with anti seize on the threads -- don't add more.

-- Chuck

flanders

The old Honda torque spec was 13 lb-ft and the new one is 18 lb-ft.
Billman has been recommending to torque them even more though and his number may well be 24 lb-ft.

rpmgem

I already installed new NGK plugs, new coils and the issue is still there. I REALLY want to do a valve adjustment by myself. I want to learn everything about my motor and how everything works in detail, nothing better than the peace of mind knowing YOU did the work on your car. I've done all the maintenance on my car since I got it and want to continue that.