How to check engine codes?

May 26th, 2002, 08:10 PM

I know I dont have a sentra, but both my mom and my girlfriend have sentras, both which seem to be running quite strangely lately. Moms car under warranty so thats goin right to the dealer, but girlfriends car is kinda messed up. Pickup has gone down and its burnin oil kinda quick.. i think it may be the O2 sensors. Can somebody please tell me how to get the checkin codes? I know with mmost american cars u can put a wire in the diagnostics under specific jumpers and turn the key to ON and it will reveal the engine error codes, but i have been readin on how to get it off this 96 sentra, and it makes no sense to me. Unscrewing the entire unit and turning it?? Somebody please make some sense of this for me. Thank you

200'side · May 26th, 2002, 10:00 PM

Its really simple. Once you pull the ECM out, which is right behind the radio console on the floor board, you should see a screw in the back left hand corner. Grab a flat head screwdriver and turn that screw completely clockwise, then wait about 2 seconds, then turn that screw completely counter-clockwise. Now look at the check engine light and it will be blinking. Count the number of flashes, there are two sets, first count the slow then the fast. Say ... 3 fast and 2 slow ... Now if you have a Chilton (Sp?) you can find what that code is by looking it up. Hope this helps even though its not your load. Plus im no expert, so I might not even be right. But it worked for me.

May 27th, 2002, 09:54 AM

damn, i was hoping that there was just a place in the diagnostics that you could put a jumper in... guess not. guess ill have to try what you suggested...

200'side · May 27th, 2002, 02:05 PM

Yeah its not that simple. Actually it really is just a little work. Good luck.

azkicker0027 · Jun 20th, 2002, 08:07 PM

find out the trouble code and post it here, i have a service manual and we'll see what you have....
or in some cases go to the dealer, tell them your check engine light came on while pumping gas and you want it cleared, they would tap into the ecu and then ask them if that is the only reason the light is on, i know it's kind of bad, but most dealers are willing to check it out, profit possibility for them.........

Jun 22nd, 2002, 09:44 PM

I have a trouble code of 0805. I couldn't find it in the manual. Can you help?

Thanks:

azkicker0027 · Jun 23rd, 2002, 08:15 PM

bad news, 0805 is for the intake valve timing control or vtc valve located on the front of the engine with a solenoid right by it, it's the unusual looking hump on the front of the valve cover.......
also you referred that it is burning oil and runs crappy, perhaps that the vtc doesn't kick in and doesn't advance intake cam, but the burning oil deal, that's kinda strange, also, how many miles on the car anyway?? there could be a ruptured profile seal in the valve cover causing it to burn oil, also check #'s 1 and 2 spark plugs to see if oil is leaking from the valve cover gasket, hope this little bit helps........

Jun 24th, 2002, 02:31 PM

No, my car doesn't burn oil. The engine performance didn't change at all. It runs as usual. Can you give more information about Intake Valve Timing Control (VTC), how can I find it and how to replace it. I'm not really familiar with that and the seriousness of the 0805 code.

"also you referred that it is burning oil and runs crappy, perhaps that the vtc doesn't kick in and doesn't advance intake cam, but the burning oil deal, that's kinda strange, also, how many miles on the car anyway?? there could be a ruptured profile seal in the valve cover causing it to burn oil, also check #'s 1 and 2 spark plugs to see if oil is leaking from the valve cover gasket, hope this little bit helps........"

Thanks a lot

azkicker0027 · Jun 24th, 2002, 07:47 PM

sorry about that svet, i thought that dtc was from the other guy in this thread,anyway, you can't really get the specifics unless you go in with the CONSULT 2 scan tool, as for the location, it's on the lh side by the intake manifold when facing the engine's front, look for the hump looking thing on the valve cover, just below it would be the solenoid valve, unfortunately, i can't get a pic posted, it's only on the intake side so it's not easy to miss, but like i said, there is no point in replacing it unless you get the specifics, it may be a sporadic fault or a present one, i don't know, sorry about that.

about vtc, it is an oil pressured system designed to advance the intake cam at about 1500 to 6500, then it cuts off and retards timing on the intake cam, it is also an on/off system, the solenoid i am talking about permits oil in the vtc cam sprocket and the design of the cam sprocket moves and advances the intake cam, for better cylinder filling and overlap, also this is the reason our cars can take-off better, but suffer in the high end, personally, i always shift before hitting 6500, to take full advantage of the system....

like i said, get the specifics and let me know, thanks.....

Jun 24th, 2002, 11:50 PM

Thanks a lot azkicker0027,

I'll try to do what you wrote or go to a mechanic shop, and post a reply. That's a very good information that you gave.

Thanks once again!

James · Jun 25th, 2002, 12:44 AM

Check the usual stuff first, make sure connections are tight and have contact. Check the harness to see if there's corrosion, the VTC does not usually have problems, it's more likely electrical.

dho · Jun 28th, 2002, 01:14 PM

What can a bad EGR do? I live in Texas so I'm not too sure on the emissions. Will a bad EGR system cause a performance loss or could it damage the motor? If the EGR system was removed, would the car still pass inspection?

James · Jun 28th, 2002, 01:16 PM

Yes a faulty egr can harm performance and no you cannot pass without it. I reduces NOX in the exhaust. You lose performance because your ecu constantly adjusts for it and if it's missing then your timing gets all out of whack.

dho · Jun 28th, 2002, 01:22 PM

What does it take to fix it? How much? And, what tests can I do to pinpoint the issue? A shop told me that they'd have to put diagnostics on it and that my intake & exhaust caused the problem... why would intake & exhaust cause the EGR to go bad? The car has 175,000 miles, is it just about time for it to die?

Thank you,

Dan

azkicker0027 · Jul 1st, 2002, 07:32 PM

your shop is blaming your intake and exhaust for the fault code??
what kind of exhaust you have anyway, because i don't think the intake would do that, but there is a possibility with the exhaust, if it's just a cat-back, then it shouldn't do anything, but with headers, i don't know, also check, if you can, the vacuum line to the egr valve, i encountered an orifice in the vacuum line one time, the performance shop installed that because the exhaust manufacturer "said so", i think their reasoning was that to limit the egr valve opening and make the car heat up faster or something, let me know what happens.........