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Posted

On the W-body homepage there's that neat thing about what I now understand is OBD1 stuff about how you use a paper clip to read the codes and I always wanted to do that and now I finally have an SES light and it seems that I don't get to do that neat trick because I have OBD2? Next you're gonna tell me I have to pay the mechanic a bunch to check it out or have to buy an expensive tool!

 

I have a '96 Cutlass with an '02 3400. I think it has the original 3100's ECM.

 

Thanks for your help. This is all new to me.

Posted

Nope, just go to the nearest auto parts store, such as AutoZone, Advanced or O'Reilly's and see if they will scan it for free.

Posted

Or buy the cheap scanner off eBay for $30...it'll give you the code and will erase it - I have one and it's saved my ass many times.

Posted

Yeah I would just buy a scanner and keep it with for future repairs. A lot better then having to go to the parts store everytime you need codes scanned.

Posted

My NAPA store is not much further away than my garage! :lol:

 

So now my hope is that they are willing to provide this service and that it's not something serious!

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

Okay, so I took the advice to by a reader on eBay. It was suggested that I should be able to get one for $30. If you look at eBay, most are in the $30~$40 range with some as much as $200. Many are Buy-It-Now. In fact, the reader I bought has a BIN price of $44.95. I won the auction for $13.50 + $6.99 shipping. Had it in hand in 5 days. It's a "Cread@r" (that's the way they write it!) by Launch. Very simple and easy to use. It told me I had two codes:

 

P0101=Mass or volume air flow range/performance problem

 

P0140=O2 sensor circuit no activity detected (bank 1 sensor 2)

 

These both looked like possible one time errors so I let the Cread@r clear the trouble codes to see if it would throw another one. So far so good. If I am wrong about more or less ignoring these codes PLEASE let me know. Thanks for the advice! :biggrin:

Posted

It might take a few miles to get the codes to come back up. Typically the MAF will come up right away. Not sure how long the O2 sensor will take to re-register.

 

As far as the MAF code, check your air filter. I was having problems with my car spitting out that code for awhile, even after changing the MAF it was still there. I changed the air filter and the problem went away. :)

Posted

Okay, so I took the advice to by a reader on eBay. It was suggested that I should be able to get one for $30. If you look at eBay, most are in the $30~$40 range with some as much as $200. Many are Buy-It-Now. In fact, the reader I bought has a BIN price of $44.95. I won the auction for $13.50 + $6.99 shipping. Had it in hand in 5 days. It's a "Cread@r" (that's the way they write it!) by Launch. Very simple and easy to use. It told me I had two codes:

 

P0101=Mass or volume air flow range/performance problem

 

P0140=O2 sensor circuit no activity detected (bank 1 sensor 2)

 

These both looked like possible one time errors so I let the Cread@r clear the trouble codes to see if it would throw another one. So far so good. If I am wrong about more or less ignoring these codes PLEASE let me know. Thanks for the advice! :biggrin:

 

link to said scanner? :)

Posted
As far as the MAF code, check your air filter. I was having problems with my car spitting out that code for awhile, even after changing the MAF it was still there. I changed the air filter and the problem went away. :)

It's time for a K & N anyway. :high5:
Posted
As far as the MAF code, check your air filter. I was having problems with my car spitting out that code for awhile, even after changing the MAF it was still there. I changed the air filter and the problem went away. :)

It's time for a K & N anyway. :high5:

 

Just don't over-oil your K&N.........that can kill a hot-wire MAF all by itself.

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