Hi everyone,

 

 

I'm having problems with the "check engine light" on my 88 SPFI wagon.

On the computer I'm getting a 35 error code most of the time. Sometimes the ecu is clear.

The "check engine" light comes on after the car has heated up and will sometimes go out if I bring the engine/coolent tempurature down using the heater.

This has led me to believe that the caar may be running too hot?

Is there a lower temp. fan switch for these cars?

I have run out of ideas. I've changed the canister filter, the solonoid for the canister.

If anyone has sseen this before I could use some help. This problem and some minor oil burning when it's real hot are the only things keeping this car from being perfect!

Thanks

 

Mark

I actually ran across this exact problem a few weeks ago... got it solved fairly simple, too. It ended up being a bad purge control solenoid, and it was awful easy to fix.

 

It's located to the left of the throttle body. I needed to undo the air intake and lift it up a bit so I could really get to the PCS. It's a boxy looking thing with a couple vacuum lines coming off from it, and this little black plastic cylinder on one side. I can probably get pics tomorrow morning if you need to.

 

Undo the electrical connections, and test the resistance off the terminals of the solenoid. Going by memory, the resistance ought to be between 31.9 and 39.9 ohms. The lowest mine got when I tested it was 60 ohms, before it died completely.

 

To remove it, you'll need to pull the two vacuum lines off... be careful of the one that comes off the top, since the "plug" is plastic, and can be fairly brittle (j/y guy broke it off of my first donor). The other has a metal clip that needs to be depressed a bit to pull it off. Only one screw/bolt holds the thing down.

 

To replace it, I ran out to my local parts yard, and had them pull another one. I tested the resistance, got the proper reading, and slapped it in. Took all of five minutes. $20, too, though they had no clue how much it was worth (and truth be told, neither did I), nor what it did. Fixed the rogue idle problem I'd been having, too.

 

Lemme know if you need pics.

I have a similar problem wiht my Subaru but it's a ECS it comes on about 15 to 20 minutes of driving doesnt do anythign as far as I can tell but any ideas on what it coudl be coming on for. 1.8 liter n/a carby engine

-LeDevil

The purge solenoid is part of the emission control system.

 

When the engine is warm and running at 2500 rpm or faster, the purge solenoid valve opens to let engine vacuum draw accumulated vapours out of the charcoal canister.

 

If the solenoid coil is "open" or has a poor electrical connection, you'll have the dreaded error code. If the valve is stuck open or the engine side of the vacuum line is disconnected, the engine will not idle properly. If it's stuck closed nothing much will happen.