Can someone give me a little more information on these codes?

I recently had my car rebuilt (385) and am getting these codes after the check engine light comes on. Both deal with the opti, 16 is low res and 36 is high res. According to Next Level Performance I was getting a code 36 with my old opti and they put in a brand new one. Well, I'm still getting the codes with the new opti, but it takes about 20 minutes of driving before the check engine light comes on.

Any help would be appreciated.

Mike

 

one of 3 things...

1) The connections to the opti are faulty, make sure everything is tight.

2) The new opti is crap.

3) They didn't replace the opti, and it's still the old one.

If I was doing any kind of rebuild, I would go with LTCC, DelTeq or DynaSpark.

 

I've dealt with both. My first opti had code 36. The car would run fine, but I suspect that performance was down due to timing advance. I replaced it and the next one didn't last much longer - code 16. Everytime that one tripped, the car would just die as you were driving. Sometimes it would start right back up, other times it would take a lot of effort to get it restarted. I think it may have been heat related. Once it cooled down it would start easier. When I dealt with the code 36 the first time, I don't know the timing of the SES light because I had other issues on the car at the time keeping the SES light on. In the diagnostics there is a procedure to check for voltage at both ends of the short wiring harness that connecets to the opti and at the connector on the passenger side of the intake manifold. I think it is a 5V signal. If it is getting through both connectors, then I would say its the opti. How long ago did the shop install a "new" opti? Any chance of a warranty?

 

Sorry to read of your problems with the new setup.

Bogus made some pretty good points. As an aside, both the LTCC and the Delteq need the timing signal from the opti. Until you get the codes sorted out, you'll be in the same boat with either of those systems as well.

Here are a few other things to consider...

Since it takes 20 minutes of driving, it sounds heat related. I'm surprised the car runs fine, much less continues running, with no timing signal. With that in mind, I'd take a look at the data stream with a scan tool (or scan software on a laptop). Almost sounds like an ECM problem if the above statements are accurate.

I'd also pull the opti electrical harness and verify all the pins are clean.

 

Thanks for the comments, guys.

This is the 2nd opti in a row that is getting the codes. When the rebuild was in progress, my original opti had major problems (screw loose rolling around inside and the cam gear was broken), so I had a spare that only had a couple thousand miles on it put in. They installed it and were able to tune the car, but they said they were getting a code 36 with that opti.

So I bought a new one and had that one put in. They said this one was fine and I took the car home. After about 25 minutes of driving, the car would reach maximum water temp for the condition (around 170), and then the check engine light would come on. After that the temperature would start to work it's way back down, all the way to 150 or so. I also want to mention that the ECM was replaced during the rebuild, although I think it's a reman and have heard they have problems occasionally.

The other thing is my oil temp gauge doesn't work. It just hovers around 120 and displays LO on the readout. When I got home I pulled the codes with a paper clip and I'm getting the 16 and 36 codes, as well as a 52 (Oil Temp sending unit) which I haven't had a chance to lookup yet... I'm hoping it's just a sensor or something.

The last issue is a real bad vibration between 3300 and 3500 rpm in all of the gears. I was told by the machine shop that they zero-balanced my clutch and flywheel so I have no idea what is causing that.

Anyway, I will talk to Next Level Performance this morning and see what they say.

Mike

 

Does anyone have anything to add on these new issues?

Thanks,
Mike

 

On ther opti, the car will run without the high res signal (code 36) but not a low res (dtc 16). I had a 95 camaro in the shop a couple years ago that ate (vented) optis every 3 months. I didnt notice of yours was vented or not, if it is double check the orfice and check valve along with the vac hoses. Even if its not a vented I'd look closely at the connector on top that sends the signals to the ecm. Look for the female connectors to be slightly sprerad apart. We see this alot here at work.

 

Does your analog guage read correctly? The digital gauge gets it's feed from the CCM which gets its info from the ECM. Not sure on the oil temp...I believe it feeds info straight to the CCM. Take a look in your service manual to verify.

I'm leaning towards it being a bad ECM or perhaps a ground strap that was left off or loose somewhere. I'd check the grounds on the drivers side of the bellhousing.

If I recall, '92 still had the junction block behind the battery with a mass of wiring too. Sometimes the nut that secures those wires comes loose and all kinds of wierd stuff happens.

 

Thanks alot guys... I'll pass this info along to Next Level.

Jim - The digital gauge reads low and the analog hovers just past 100.

Mike

 

Hmmm. I'd start looking for a loose ground. Check in the Service Manual and see if on a '92, the Opti, coolant temp sensors, and oil temp sensor share a ground. Also see if the Opti and CCM share a ground.

 

I am having the exact symptoms!!!!! Can you explain more of the procedure to check the voltage?

 

I'm away from home right now, so I don't have my service manuals handy. All you did was pull the connector at the intake manifold and check for 5 volts. If that was OK, then you pulled the connector at the opti and checked for 5 volts. What I don't know off-hand is the exact pins that you checked inside the connector. Personally I think it is a moot point. The failure rates of the optis seem to be much higher than the chances of a failure at a connector. But, it would be silly to not check it and go through the trouble of replacing the opti. I'm on my 3rd this year. However, the first two were used and condition unknown to me. I put a new one on this last time. Time will tell.

 

I think I need to clear the codes but do not know how. Is this possible with a paperclip? If so, can someone step me thru it?

Thanks,
Mike

 

it can be done... I just don't have the process in my head. I will PM you.

 

93Quasar: Thanks, I will certainly check this before replacing the optispark again. This will be my 3rd or 4th one, i've lost count.

 

yo, luvmy92, any updates after code clearing?

 

Hey Andy,

I'll be doing that today when I get home. I never did get a chance on Wednesday evening, and had the truck yesterday. I'll update with the results.

Mike

 

cool! Keep me posted!

 

Well I cleared 'em, and your instructions worked like a charm!

Unfortunately, it's been raining all day and I haven't had a chance to drive the car yet. Just so you know, all 3 codes were prefixed with 'H', so it sounds as though they weren't cleared at Next Level, but I may be wrong about that.

Mike

 

92 and 93 optic craps are way to expensive. I am doing the delteq conversion on my 93 in about a week. The 92 and 93 optic cost around $389 and the delteq cost around $349 bare and $140 coil pack from ebay and some autozone cut to fit wires and you set to go.