Seriously well educated mechanics response ONLY PLEASE HELP!?

Question

I am pretty much at my wit's end here and getting desperate. I have a 1996 Camaro Z28 (that I do love) I am not the original owner, I bought it used back in 2000, maybe 99 and in a nutshell, have been spending 1000's over the last few years trying to get the check engine light to stay off. It has been worked on by at least a half a dozen different mechanics, one being the dealer and one also being a "camaro expert." This was all done in Pennsylvania, as this is where I've lived my entire life. I am now living in the southern California area, I am trying to get this light off so I can not only get this smogged, but also to evetually sell it as I would like to get a newer Camaro. BUT it has now been at a mechanics shop for over a week now and as of an hour ago, the light is STILL ON!!! I do not know what else to do. The car is running superbly (god only knows I've had EVERYTHING done to it) but no one in their right mind will buy a car with this light on. Someone PLEASE help me!!

Answer 1

From what I can see, Juan L's answer is the ONLY half decent answer that comes remotely close to being correct. If his typing skills were better, I might actually understand better, what he's advising you to do. Let's start with the basics first. The MIL (malfunction indicator lamp, or "check engine" light in layman's terms) will illuminate for too many reasons to list here. If you've brought it to a half dozen mechanics like you claim, I'm sure you have all the repair orders, detailing what was done to you r vehicle. With that said, if you want a better quality answer to your question, it would be more prudent for you to detail what exactly has been doen to your vehicle so far. What are the codes? Is it misfiring? How is your EGR system working? How are your O2 sensor switch ratios between the upstream and downstream? How about vacuum leaks? Is your car modified from stock? These are just many things that will affect not only the driveability of your vehicle, but whether or not the MIL comes on. Does it pass an emission test? I know that California is strict when it comes to emissions compliance due to the volume of vehicles in that state. True it is that disconnecting the battery for a few seconds will "reset" the MIL. But if there is a problem, that light will only come back on until the problem is fixed.

Answer 2

Well I sorry to hear about your dilemma, but without some
more info it is hard to guide you as to what is wrong.

I don't know what kind of autopart's stores you have in
PA, but here in Northern Illinois we have Autozone's and
Murray's discount auto parts. These outfits will check your
car's trouble codes for free. This way you don't need to spend
$75 or more just to find out what the problem is. Advanced auto parts might do this as well, I never asked them yet to be sure.

Maybe if you tell us what your codes are we can be of more
help.

You also can let your state’s attorney office know of the run around you are getting and maybe someone from your state
will force these crooks to fix you car. You can also tell your
complaint to a local paper, sometimes they have people that
can put the heat on con artists to make them do their job.

I am sure your car can be fixed since it is a Z-28, being a Z-28
it has a small block chevy engine which has been around since 1955. So I am sure the insides of your engine are fine, you probably have a bad sensor, a cracked manifold or a distributor
that is getting wet. I don't know if you know how to identify parts
on an engine or not, but I pretty sure you have a distributor cap
still. And if I remember right, GM decided to put this right about
the crankshaft pulley for some reason. This works okay when the
engine doesn't leak anything, but I know that there have been
engines that develop water pump leaks and then the antifreeze
drips into the distributor and fouling things up really bad.

If you have a leaky water pump and this has been going on for
more than a month, you could have to buy a new or a good
used distributor. That might cost from $100 to 500 depending
on where you get the part and who puts it in.

So to summarize, if you want more help let us know what your codes are, if the vehicle leaks any fluids (specify a color if not sure) and how the vehicles performers. (stalls, bucks, backfires, no power when floored, etc.) This info can get you some help and maybe a solution to your problem.

Good Luck!
Middle Age Man....3-0 on automotive questions for best answers.

Answer 3

Ok, s I have always said, there is no real way to diagnos your vehicle without having access, but i can offer a few ideas on things that some ppl do not think of. A buddy of mine had a car who's check engine light was on for 2 years before he figured out that the gas cap (it was cracked) was causing it, some vehicles will trip the check engine light if it is not on or doesnt have a good seal. The comment about the fuel type is a real possibility, many people do not realize how much changing the kind of fuel you use can effect it, and sometimes higher grade fuel can cause things like this to happen. Another thought is the oil, if you are using a thinker oil than is recomended for your vehicle, it will have a harder time getting to some parts of the engine, meaning it may run ok, but the thinker oil is causing it to trip the Check Engine light. The first thing I would do, is make sure you find a reputable mechanic to check into it. The mechanic should be able to get the code for what is setting off the light, that will be a place to start, just because it says something is causing it, doesnt mean it is, it could be anything from a lose to a grounded wire somewhere along the line, it could even be a fault in the light or its fixture that is causing it to stay on, and there could be nothing wrong, not a likely possibility, but it could be anything. I'm sorry if this doesnt help you, but in your case, if you find you answer on here, its going to be by luck, and probably because someone had the same problem.
Here is my advice. Chose a shop. since it is apparent you want this vehicle taken very good care of, do not just randomly chose a shop, if you know people in the area, ask them who they use and if they would recomend anyone. after that, go to www.bbb.org that is the website for the Better Business Bureau, shops who are a member in your area have to be free of any unresolved complaints against them, and any shops who have had unresolved complaints made against them will be listed, that should help you find a shop that will be suitable and a reputable one. The other thing you wanna look for is a shop with ASE certified mechanics.
2 last thoughts. Was the "Check Engine" light on wheny ou bought it? If so, contact the previous owner, if you can, and ask him for possible insight as to when it started, that may be a big piece to figuring out why it is on. and Second, remember, it likely going to be something little, not something big, and will probably take quite a bit of time in the shop which will equal a large bill. You have to weight the cost benifits of putting the time into this. You said you want to sell it, and your right, it will likely get a lower price if that light is on, but it may not be worth it to put all the time into it and pay for that many hours of labor. you said you had invested quite a bit of money thus far, you said 1000's even if you have invested only $2000, and spend another $2000 on it, you have to face the fact, you are not likely to get $4000 more because that light is not on. It may be more cost effective to just make sure it stays running right and well and give the person who buys it recods of everything that you have invested into finding out why its on. I'm sure they will realize it is not a major issue, then it will be something for them to deal with. i hope this helps, and good luck

Answer 4

Sometimes there is a switch that needs to be re-set when the oil is changed, sometimes it is simply a loose wire, or a grounded wire that is keeping it lit.

Following the wire might help, but that is time consuming and costly if it is done in a shop.. Finding out why it is 'on' in the first place is running down the list of items that can set it off, to start with, and ensuring that all of those function properly, then follow the wire(s).

Difficult to know without seeing-checking the car itself.

Answer 5

This sounds stupid, but what kind of gas are you using? I had a car once that I used 89 because it was getting older, but when I did that the check light would come on. When I went back to the lower grade gas it stopped. I know you probably already checked this but hey just a thought.

Answer 6

hi first thing you need to do,when ever you take it to the mechanic they need to run the scaner, why the light its on its because you need to erased the code after you run the scaner on you car if appers again you need to losse the battery on the positive post you dont supost to do this but you dont have a choise this time ,you going to reset you computer at the same time yes from lossing the wire wait for 3 minuts and put the wire back on if appers later on, you you have a problem with you computer you going to nedd to replaced remember if you put a new computer they need to put a special program on you new ecu the diler reprogram the new pc always because they have the soft ware from the manufacture,not all the dilers have the soft ware to reprogram the cars you have to go to a chevy diler ,dont be full by any shop girl ,good look

Answer 7

The mechanic at the dealers in Thousand Oaks does a good job.