I have a stock 1986 that I have been trying to make a reliable everyday driver. Almost done with the cosmetics. So far I have replaced the water pump, timing gears and chain, harmonic balancer (inner and outer rings separating), fuel pump, plugs, rotor, wires, all filters, cruise servo, all vacuum lines, recharged the AC, replaced the battery, fan relay, replaced the melted wire to the ESC sensor, made a VATS fakeout resister board and, you know what? I have never seen the check engine light come on. At all. Ever. Surely it has thrown a code. When I try the ALDL, nothing lights up. The car sits for a few days and then I just have to drive it. However, when I start it up (and this is easy) it idles rough and blows smoke. If I rev it up or take it for a hard drive, the smoke stops and this car will flat out haul. Then it is parked for a few days and the same scenario all over again! There has got to be a code in this somewhere. I have the cluster out to possibly replace the bulb. Now face meets brick wall at a high rate of speed. I am out of ideas, and yes Pat, out of available letters judging by the length of this question! If anyone had the free time to read this whole thing and has a suggestion, please know how much I appreciate it.

 

I'd check the obvious first (bulb may be bad) and work from there. BTW - welcome to the forum. You have a question, someone here knows the answer.


[Modified by Steel Blue 91, 11:08 PM 6/5/2003]

 

Well, Steel Blue, that did occur to me (hence the cluster removal). Now, the really embarrassing part: I'm not sure how to get to the bulb or what to replace it with. Do the boards need to come out or can it be accessed from the front somehow? I'm not even sure there is a bulb there or that there ever was. But there's supposed to be! Is it one of the 4 882's behind the silver tabs that lights it up or is it a separate amber light off to the upper left? Enquiring minds........

 

The designer of the dash cluster was certainly a brilliant man! And at this point in his life is on a daily regimen of Thorazine and Valium, I'm sure. The cluster is completely apart, I have cleaned everything. Separated the two boards in about 30 seconds, if you want to know how, just ask or check "dashlight" thread by Netnarc. However, the check engine light is not so easy. It appears to be soldered to the inner board. The dealer has no listing for a part number and the one I gave them from my board does not come up. So now what do I do? Hope someone out there has an idea - I'm ready to drive the car, but can't with the dash out.