saetern Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 1992 Loyale FWD, AT, 1.8 SPFI. ECU finnally came in yesterday since last one was bad and wouldn't light CEL up with key on "ON". so i hook up the new ECU, take off negative battery terminal, pump break couple times. Once i start the car the CEL keeps blinkin in .5 second intervals which i've read means ECU is ok / ECU has been reset. My problem is how long before this light stops blinking cause i've had car on for about 30 min and drove it around the block and it's still on. Once i plug in the diagnostic plugs the CEL will come on when key is on "ON" but will disappear once car is started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Have you check for any detected error codes? It sounds like you have may have a major error code. A fast pulsing light means a more urgent problem has been detected I believe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 (edited) Have you check for any detected error codes? It sounds like you have may have a major error code. A fast pulsing light means a more urgent problem has been detected I believe. How do i go about doing that. don't i have to plug in the diagnostic cables (green ones). Like i said before when i plug them in CEL comes on when key is "on" but disappears once car is started. Edited November 17, 2008 by saetern Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 Does anyone know if i have the black connectors on my car, i found the green ones and from what i hear it's suppose to next to the green one's which i haven't found. Green one's are located underhood on driver side firewall, i'll take a picture of it when i get home, currently at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
somick Posted November 17, 2008 Share Posted November 17, 2008 Does anyone know if i have the black connectors on my car, i found the green ones and from what i hear it's suppose to next to the green one's which i haven't found. Green one's are located underhood on driver side firewall, i'll take a picture of it when i get home, currently at work. I would try to read codes if there are any stored in the ECU. In case you do not know how to do it: Plug in the green connectors, open the driver side knee bolster, turn the key to ON (engine not running). See if a little light on the ECU blinks. Sam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 17, 2008 Author Share Posted November 17, 2008 I would try to read codes if there are any stored in the ECU. In case you do not know how to do it: Plug in the green connectors, open the driver side knee bolster, turn the key to ON (engine not running). See if a little light on the ECU blinks. Sam i got it fixed. apparently previously owner had the read mode connectors plugged in, i was looking for black connectors but on this car it was white. Thanks for help folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Good deal. I just noticed what city you are in. It looks like we are neighbors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Good deal. I just noticed what city you are in. It looks like we are neighbors. look at that didn't realize it, got this subie from friend he had it sittin around for a year and it was dead so tags expired and cops were hassling him cause we're on base so he just gave it to me since it wasn't worth it to him to fix. so now i got it running for the most part. i think fuel pump or the relay is messed up cause it'll start up sometimes and other times it won't start. usually i spray carb cleaner in the intake system and eventually after like 20 cranks it'll start and once that happens it'll work fine, i can turn it off and start it fine. like at lunch it cranked up fine but now when key is on "on" i don't hear fuel pump. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frompkin Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Any chance you could post a picture of where your connectors are? I'm trying to find mine in my 93 Loyale, and I'm not having any luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Any chance you could post a picture of where your connectors are? I'm trying to find mine in my 93 Loyale, and I'm not having any luck. which connectors are you looking for i'll go out and take a pic for you though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Any chance you could post a picture of where your connectors are? I'm trying to find mine in my 93 Loyale, and I'm not having any luck. Here's the pic you wanted to see Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frompkin Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 (edited) you rock. thanks! that's exactly the connectors I've been looking for, and my chilton's manual was about worthless in this case. the real question is now, how do I reset my ECU so the CEL will stop being solid on all the time! Edited November 18, 2008 by frompkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixO Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 that's exactly the connectors I've been looking for, and my chilton's manual was about worthless in this case. Even with sources like AllData and such, they still say the connectors are under the dash. They even have a pretty diagram telling you where the connectors AREN'T in our Loyales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cougar Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 If the CEL light is on then you either have stored codes or the ECU is bad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 you rock. thanks! that's exactly the connectors I've been looking for, and my chilton's manual was about worthless in this case. the real question is now, how do I reset my ECU so the CEL will stop being solid on all the time! yea cables are in hood next to driver side firewall i kept looking for them under dash, i have hanes manual which is pretty useless too. i had replaced my ecu so when i did that what i did was remove negative and pressed and brake pedal a couple times waited about 10 minutes(some say 45min) and put negative wire back on. i just googled it so try that if no one answers here. My cel was blinkin cause my read wires were one, but once i unplugged it it stop blinking. even if u do a ECU reset if something emmision related is wrong with the car, the light will come back up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeshoup Posted November 18, 2008 Share Posted November 18, 2008 Contrary to the way modern ECUs work, the CEL light will only be on in your car when there is a fault. So, resetting the ECU won't work, because when you start your car again, its going to find the fault again. Better to read the code the ECU is complaining about. When the CEL is on, the light on the ECU flashes the codes it is seeing. With that CEL on, pull the cover below the steering column and count how many longs and shorts. Quite simple really. Then you'll know exactly what needs to be replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 18, 2008 Author Share Posted November 18, 2008 Contrary to the way modern ECUs work, the CEL light will only be on in your car when there is a fault. So, resetting the ECU won't work, because when you start your car again, its going to find the fault again. Better to read the code the ECU is complaining about. When the CEL is on, the light on the ECU flashes the codes it is seeing. With that CEL on, pull the cover below the steering column and count how many longs and shorts. Quite simple really. Then you'll know exactly what needs to be replaced. He's got a good point so do i would do as he says and find the problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frompkin Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 (edited) So I tried to diagnose the problem. ECU doesn't appear to have any LCD's on it at all. It's a silver metal box, located underneath the steering column. I examined it as closely as possible without actually removing it. Here's what I was able to find: The CEL will turn off if I connect the two green plugs, putting the ECU into diagnostic, but still no LCD. I plugged the two white connectors together, CEL stays on, no blinking lights at that point either. Is my ECU dead? The car is currently running, I'm just not sure what's wrong at this point. (oh, and just to mention - I'm really sorry for hijacking this post, was never my intent) Edited November 19, 2008 by frompkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saetern Posted November 19, 2008 Author Share Posted November 19, 2008 So I tried to diagnose the problem. ECU doesn't appear to have any LCD's on it at all. It's a silver metal box, located underneath the steering column. I examined it as closely as possible without actually removing it. Here's what I was able to find: The CEL will turn off if I connect the two green plugs, putting the ECU into diagnostic, but still no LCD. I plugged the two white connectors together, CEL stays on, no blinking lights at that point either. Is my ECU dead? The car is currently running, I'm just not sure what's wrong at this point. (oh, and just to mention - I'm really sorry for hijacking this post, was never my intent) Try this, i've never had to diagnose a cel but this might be helpful if anybody has any other input or if this is incorrect just post up http://www.troublecodes.net/Subaru/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pixO Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 So I tried to diagnose the problem. ECU doesn't appear to have any LCD's on it at all. It's a silver metal box, located underneath the steering column. I examined it as closely as possible without actually removing it. Here's what I was able to find: The CEL will turn off if I connect the two green plugs, putting the ECU into diagnostic, but still no LCD. I plugged the two white connectors together, CEL stays on, no blinking lights at that point either. Is my ECU dead? The car is currently running, I'm just not sure what's wrong at this point. (oh, and just to mention - I'm really sorry for hijacking this post, was never my intent) Just to clarify: LCD = Liquid Crystal Display, LED = Light Emitting Diode. I just read the codes out on my '93 SPFI Loyale, so I hope this helps. Connect the read (White) connectors under your hood and return to the passenger compartment. You are looking for a hole with an LED in it, not an LCD. When you are looking at the mounted ECU (under the dash) it's going to be on the the side that points towards the driver (my LED is red, I'm not sure if all of them are this color). You will have to remove a few screws & plastic clips to get the panel that's directly under the steering wheel off. There will probably be a black plastic hose/duct that is attached to it, that's for your A/C / heater - leave it attached and let the whole panel dangle. To actually count the flashing on the LED, I had to get on my knees, outside of the car and lean under the steering wheel, while turning the ignition to the "on" position (do not start). Count the number of long and short flashes from the LED from the ECU under the dash and check it against this list: http://www.troublecodes.net/Subaru/ I have a bad EGR valve/solenoid, so the code, looked something like this: "_ _ _ ...." which translates to "34" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frompkin Posted November 19, 2008 Share Posted November 19, 2008 (edited) Just to clarify: LCD = Liquid Crystal Display, LED = Light Emitting Diode. I meant LED, oops! and thanks for the info, that's exactly what I needed. Update: apparently I'm in the market for a new solenoid too. Or at least a 66ohm resistor. Edited November 19, 2008 by frompkin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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